There have been viral videos floating around the internet, showing cats fleeing from cucumbers. Even though they might be funny to watch, you have probably scratched your head once you finished laughing and wondered, “Why do cats hate cucumbers?”
Cats do not like predators.
Cats are hard-wired to keep away from predators in order to survive.
Even though cucumbers seem harmless to humans, they can be mistaken as snakes to cats. Since their instincts warn them to avoid snakes at all costs, a cat might jump into the air to protect itself from getting bitten or scamper into the other room in search of a safe place to hide.
Seeing a cucumber right behind them without any explanation makes them think something has snuck up behind them without making a sound, which puts them on high alert. It makes them fear for their lives. It makes them wonder whether they are in danger.
There are other foods that can cause the same reaction in cats, like eggplants and corn. However, cucumbers have curved sides that appear slightly more like snakes, which is why most cats are afraid when they suddenly find them on the ground.
Cats do not like the unexpected.
Your cat might not care if they notice a cucumber sitting on your kitchen counter or if they watch you carrying one across the room. Most researchers believe it’s not actually the cucumber itself that causes the cats fear.
There have been videos where people have waited until their pet’s back was turned to eat their dinner, placed a cucumber on the ground behind them, and recorded the reaction.
Most of the time, the cats either run away scared or stare down the food, nervously waiting to see what happens.
Cats are terrified of things they do not understand. They are not a fan of loud noises or fast movements. That is why seeing a cucumber (or any object for that matter) magically appear in a place where they were just looking will make them uneasy.
When something out of the ordinary occurs, cats are going to be suspicious. They are going to be cautious. They are going to be scared.
Cats do not like being scared.
The videos you have watched of cats fleeing from cucumbers might have made you laugh at first because their reactions seemed so ridiculous, but those videos are actually setting a horrible example for pet owners. They are showing you what not to do to your cat.
Even though you might be curious to see if your own cat has a terrified reaction to a harmless cucumber, you should not purposely scare your pets. It could cause them psychological damage.
After you scare them, they might stay hidden for some time, refuse to enter the room where they were scared, or keep away from you entirely because you caused the incident to happen.
You don’t want to harm your pet physically or emotionally, so be respectful of their fears. You are supposed to provide them with love, not with worry.