How Cats Respond to the Television: Olga’s Occasional Reactions

Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.

Unlike their owners, most cats aren’t fascinated by television, which is probably good because the feline obesity problem would be much worse. Some indoor cats don’t get enough exercise, and if they are glued to the tube instead of chasing catnip mice and racing through their homes, they’ll gain weight. Olga isn’t too interested in watching TV, but sometimes she gets irritated by sound effects and soundtracks.

Young Olga’s Courage

As a kitten, Olga seemed fearless. She wasn’t easily frightened until the 4th 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).

Her First Response to TV

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’s 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.

Some animal experts recommend leaving a TV or stereo on when you leave to comfort your pets. Since I’ve never filmed Olga when she’s alone in the house, I’m not sure a nature program or 24-hour feed of the world’s largest aviary would help her separation anxiety.

Adult Ambivalence

She doesn’t 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’s Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pick. It’s also odd that Olga doesn’t react to the sound of fireworks on television. She freezes in fear when she hears them going off in my neighborhood, but explosions and gunfire don’t phase her when they’re not real.

Deep Bass Annoyance

Sometimes, the sound effects from movies grab her attention but rarely make her run away. She doesn’t like the sound of the self-destruct siren at the end of Aliens or the screaming at the beginning of the original House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price. However, the only sound that makes her move closer to the speaker and question her sanity is a low, rumbling bass.

David Lynch’s films often include a prolonged rumble to build suspense or lead up to a shocking scene, and Olga isn’t fond of his sound effects. I have to turn down the volume to prevent her from clawing up the subwoofer. As for the images on the television, nothing seems to interest Olga, whether there are songbirds chirping or rodents squeaking. Leaving the TV on may help some cats when their owners leave, but Olga prefers humans to flatscreens.