Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.
I didn’t have a boring life before adopting Olga, but she has entertained me for almost eight years. When studying cat behavior, we often connect their actions to instincts. Their aversion to water is attributed to their desert origins, and their fondness for playing with toys is related to their predatory instincts, but is their sense of humor instinctual?
Comedic Cats
I think most felines have a sense of humor, and it’s hard to argue that they don’t appreciate physical comedy. Olga doesn’t laugh or smile, but she gets a kick out of knocking my glasses off the shelf above my bed, especially if they land on my face. She attacks inanimate objects when she’s hungry and wants attention, but sometimes, she does it for entertainment.
The other day, she was sitting in my lap, half asleep, while I was working on the computer. She lazily stretched her left paw out and pushed a pen off my desk. Irritating me isn’t instinctual, but Olga is amused by it and enjoys laughing (internally) at my expense. She wouldn’t be the same cat without her sense of humor, and I probably wouldn’t enjoy living with her.
Slamming Doors
Erratic behavior isn’t unusual in cats, but until I adopted Olga, I didn’t think opening and slamming doors was a source of feline entertainment. She loves squeezing her body into the narrow gap between the door and wall, standing on her hind legs, and pushing the door closed with her front legs. She can grab the door handle and pull the door open, but she struggles sometimes.
She screams if she cannot open the door and increases the volume if I ignore her. When I open the door, she howls at me and runs away. Most cats don’t like trapping themselves in a room. After the first experience, they’re unlikely to repeat it, but Olga is a goofball. She’ll wait a few minutes before running into another room and slamming the door.
If I play a joke on her and lock the door, she’ll scratch the carpet by the door and whine. After I ignore her, she’ll start ramming the door. She’s a little cat but sounds like a bull or a battering ram. Although her cries sound urgent, and she looks upset when the door opens, she doesn’t relent and finds another door to attack. Her behavior isn’t instinctual, and she wouldn’t repeatedly slam the door if it didn’t amuse her.
Sources of Amusement
As young kittens, cats are entertained by their siblings and parents and eventually by their owners. If they live in a shelter, they lose their sense of humor unless they’re adopted. Feral cats probably aren’t as concerned about entertainment since they’re often in pain from injuries and disease, but at least those living in colonies can bask in their communal despair.
Cats like Olga are lucky they can experience joy and humor. We are the primary source of comedy for our cats, and without us, they would revert to being humorless predators.
- Read his previous article: Are Cats Manipulative? Olga’s Manipulation Skills
Comedic Cats
4 Responses
As you all know, Tillywinks laughs internally all day long, as she constantly digs her nails into my legs and licks the blood off. This little goofy furball is so silly, she must enjoy leaving permanent scars as a mark of possessing me. Sometimes I hear her giggling at night, and it makes me giggle at night. How funny!
The funniest cat I ever had was Roscoe. He would jump on the bathroom counter while I was on the toilet beside and proceed to chew my hair! I don’t know why but I couldn’t stop laughing at this! Roscoe was quite a jumper and would continue to make me laugh at his jumper skills.
Hi Carol!
Thank you for sharing such a funny and heartwarming story about Roscoe! It sounds like he had quite the personality. Cats really do have a way of surprising us with their quirky habits—chewing hair while you’re on the toilet? That’s a classic! I can imagine how hard it was to keep a straight face with his antics.
Roscoe's jumper skills must have been something else, too. It’s always amazing how these little furballs manage to make us laugh and brighten our days in the most unexpected ways.
Thanks again for the smile, and if you have more Roscoe stories, we’d love to hear them!
Kind Regards
LOVE this kitty, Olga!! Of course she has a sense of humor, it is so clearly THERE when she pulls your leg or slams a door….hilarious.