How Do You Say Sorry To A Cat? Do Cats Understand When You Say Sorry?

Clumsiness can always get in the way of relationships, especially if the one offended does not understand the word “sorry”. Sometimes, as a cat owner, you accidentally step on your Cat’s tail or paw. Other times, you could wrong them by accidentally kicking them on the bed or forgetting to give them their meals. These situations could happen, especially if you are busy, running, or so occupied with your chores that you forget that a tiny cat is roaming the house.

One thing that will lead you in this article is that you found your Cat hissing at you, not cuddling with you, not greeting you when you come home, and they have the looks that they wanted to kill you. In addition, if you try to approach them, they will immediately run away and leave you hanging.

Can cats hold grudges? Thus, how do you restore a relationship with your Cat if they hold a grudge against your recent unpleasant behavior?

How Do You Say Sorry to Your Cat

Here are ways to win back your sweet feline friend and restore your bonding moment.

1. Approach Them Slowly

A lot of times, when the Cat is uncomfortable around you, it will hide or run. When you see them either in the kitchen or the living room, you slowly approach them, identify the Cat’s mood and use your sweet voice. If your Cat tries to run away, don’t force it. So please wait for when they will calm down and allow you to be with them.

You must follow them up and see their reactions to you approaching again. You can’t neglect them, or they will forever be away from you. Just be patient until the time comes that they will soften on you. Also, remember to approach them with a happy facial expression too. You can sit beside them, slowly blink at them, and offer your hand, do not touch them right away, and allow them to sniff you first. And if your Cat does not back out, then that is the time that you will go near them and start stroking them.

2. Speak to Your Cat

Your Cat may not entirely understand a word that you’re saying, but it is still a good effort to try. Cats can recognize the tone of voice and the emotions accompanying it. That’s why you mustn’t shout at them. Instead, use your happy and affectionate voice when you speak to them. In addition, your feline friend can also recognize their name and catch their attention by saying their name softly with all the love and care for your Cat.

Furthermore, you can train your Cat by saying over and over again the word sorry to them. But, do this only when they resent you, and you say “sorry” so they will remember that word as a word expressing regret and wanting to be friends again. Remember to say it in your sweetest voice so that they will feel loved by you. Please speak to your Cat until you hear their soft meow when you speak.

3. Pet Your Cat

It’s not enough to stroke them on their head, say sorry in your sweetest voice, and then walk away. Build a better bond with them by petting them on the body parts they feel most loved. You could start petting the head of your feline, on the forehead, on your Cat’s chin, and on the Cat’s ear. Again, only do this if they do not hiss at or scratch you. 

In addition, you can also do belly rubs and brush their coats while they lie down, feeling like a boss. If you are not too busy, you can take your Cat for some snuggling or let your Cat sit on your lap while you stroke their head and watch your favorite tv show.

4. Play With Your Cat

Another bribe you can do to your Cat is to persuade them to play with you. For example, if your furry friend has a favorite game that both of you always play, then use that game to entice your Cat to forgive you. You can start by showing them the toys, then if they respond positively, use that toy so that both of you can play.

On the other hand,  both of you can also play outside. Cats love a good hunting session. Thus it’s nice that both of you take your playtime outside and let your Cat chase a ball or have an artificial rat toy that you can use to make your Cat have the most fun. Doing this activity can distract your Cat from their resentment towards you and replace it with some fun playtime.

This kind of playtime is also a great exercise for your Cat, especially if most of the time they are indoor cats.

5. Provide Treats

Who does not want yummy treats? However, this could be your last resort because your Cat might think they must stay away from you to have yummy treats. They will continue to stay away and take this as an advantage to control you. If all the above things do not work out, you can use a treat as a backup. However, do not rely on these treats alone; try to give your time and attention as well.

In addition, giving constant treats to your kitty will lead to weight gain and the risk of obesity. Control the portions they give, especially if you are always wrong or hurt your Cat.

When Is the Best Time to Apologize to Your Cat

Apologize to your Cat after a few minutes of you accidentally Hurting them. You don’t have to rush the process because you will only get hisses and scratches. Thus, the best time to apologize is when you let them cool down and find the Cat’s body language relaxed and not aggressive.

Do Cats Understand When You Say Sorry?

Cats will not understand the word sorry but can sense it in your voice. Since you apologize to a cat, you must back it up with actions. They will understand that you are sincere and don’t want any harm to them if you try to engage and give your cat attention.

Do Cats Forgive You if You Accidentally Hurt Them?

They will not understand that it is an accident. Thus, it might result in them staying away from you. However, if you apologize correctly, you can easily win your Cat back. They are not humans that hold grudges on people. If you give them time to calm down and not be aggressive about your actions, you can make them your friend again.

How Do You Get a Cat to Trust You Again

You can regain trust by apologizing to your Cat. Make an effort for them to see that you will not step on their cattails or inject medication into them. Well, in this case, you can’t avoid accidents or constant visits to the vet. You can spend time with your Cat, play with them, give them good food, and let them enjoy it so that when you have a better bond, your fur baby will not easily get mad at you.

Have you also wondered if cats feel sorry for all the mess they’ve made? And if they do, how do cats say sorry? Cats say sorry by being affectionate & loving to you. They will approach you, head rubbing, cuddling, or purring you when they feel you are already calmed and relaxed. 

We may think that because they are just cats, it’s okay to step onto them, hurt them, kick them, or do all sorts of bad stuff to them. Cats have emotions and love their pet owners with all their hearts. We ought to give back all our love and adoration to them. Do not ignore them but make an effort to make amends even though they are cats; they deserve respect just as a person deserves respect too.