{"id":665662,"date":"2024-11-11T10:00:07","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T15:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.catster.com\/?p=665662"},"modified":"2024-11-08T12:28:19","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T17:28:19","slug":"how-cats-respond-to-the-television-olgas-reactions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catster.com\/felines-weekly\/how-cats-respond-to-the-television-olgas-reactions\/","title":{"rendered":"How Cats Respond to the Television: Olga\u2019s Occasional Reactions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi, I\u2019m Christopher! Read my introduction<\/a> to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unlike their owners, most cats aren\u2019t fascinated by television, which is probably good because the feline obesity problem would be much worse. Some indoor cats don\u2019t get enough exercise, and if they are glued to the tube instead of chasing catnip mice and racing through their homes, they\u2019ll gain weight. Olga isn\u2019t too interested in watching TV, but sometimes she gets irritated by sound effects and soundtracks.<\/p>\n

Young Olga\u2019s Courage<\/h2>\n

As a kitten, Olga seemed fearless. She wasn\u2019t easily frightened until the 4th<\/sup> of July, and she ordinarily ignored the stereo and television. If I was too focused on a film, she attacked my feet or climbed to the top of the chair to smack me in the head. Like many young cats, Olga only had two speeds: high gear and park (asleep).<\/p>\n

\"Christopher,
Christopher, are you watching Monty Python without me?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Her First Response to TV<\/h2>\n

When I moved to a new house with more space, she was almost a year old. I set up a stereo with a powerful subwoofer, and the first movie I watched sent Olga running for cover. The volume was too loud, and the MGM lion\u2019s roar made her hop in the air and run under the bed in the other room. She only reacted to the roar once and determined the sound was not coming from a giant, wild cat.<\/p>\n

Some animal experts recommend leaving a TV or stereo on when you leave to comfort your pets. Since I\u2019ve never filmed Olga when she\u2019s alone in the house, I\u2019m not sure a nature program or 24-hour feed of the world\u2019s largest aviary would help her separation anxiety.<\/p>\n

\"Turn
Turn the television off! It’s past your bedtime.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Adult Ambivalence<\/h2>\n

She doesn\u2019t bat an ear when she hears bird calls or nature sounds on the television, which is strange since she looks confused and irritated when she hears Pink Floyd\u2019s Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pick. <\/em>It\u2019s also odd that Olga doesn\u2019t react to the sound of fireworks on television. She freezes in fear when she hears them going off<\/a> in my neighborhood, but explosions and gunfire don\u2019t phase her when they\u2019re not real.<\/p>\n

\"Please
Please turn the volume on the stereo down. It’s disturbing my peace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deep Bass Annoyance<\/h2>\n

Sometimes, the sound effects from movies grab her attention but rarely make her run away. She doesn\u2019t like the sound of the self-destruct siren at the end of Aliens<\/em> or the screaming at the beginning of the original House on Haunted Hill<\/em> with Vincent Price. However, the only sound that makes her move closer to the speaker and question her sanity is a low, rumbling bass.<\/p>\n

David Lynch\u2019s films often include a prolonged rumble to build suspense or lead up to a shocking scene, and Olga isn\u2019t fond of his sound effects. I have to turn down the volume to prevent her from clawing up the subwoofer<\/a>. As for the images on the television, nothing seems to interest Olga, whether there are songbirds chirping or rodents squeaking. Leaving the TV on<\/a> may help some cats when their owners leave, but Olga prefers humans to flatscreens.<\/p>\n

This article is a part of Christopher and Olga's series.<\/div>
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