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By Liz O'Connell
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Cats are calculated house rulers that rarely listen to anyone else other than themselves, and one owner knows firsthand how perfect a feline's selective hearing can be.
Owner Brigette Muller, who is known on TikTok as @hummusbirrd, was sitting across the room from Oliver, her cat. He had his back turned to her, gazing out the window, but Muller was trying to get his attention.
She ran through different words and phrases to get him to turn around: What are you doing, Ollie? Do you want to go outside? Do you love me? Do you want to take a nap?
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All she got was silence. Oliver was deliberately "choosing to ignore" her. That is until she said the magic word that tends to work for every pet: treat.
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Monday's TikTok video, which has over 215,500 views, is the perfect example of "selective hearing." Muller's cat can clearly hear her, but he's choosing to respond only to what will benefit him the most.
Newsweek reached out to @hummusbirrd via email for additional comment.
At least there is comfort in knowing that most cats do this to their owners, right?
One viewer shared an experience: "Mine will turn around for any of the three C words: chicken, cheese, and Churu."
Another said: "We tried to start spelling t-r-e-a-t in our house, and all it accomplished was teaching our cats to spell."
To state the obvious, cats are not dogs. Dogs crave attention and need social interaction. Cats may enjoy social interactions but only on their terms. So if it feels as if your cat is ignoring you, it is not your fault.
The reasons why some cats ignore their owners vary. A simple explanation could be that they simply want their alone time. PetMD says older cats might be ignoring their owners not on purpose but because their senses aren't as strong. They might not realize their owner is seeking their attention.
Other reasons for the cold shoulder, according to PetMD, might be that your cat is scared, is feeling sick or is upset. So run through the possible scenarios that might have triggered this behavior, such as a new pet or baby in the house. If not, medical problems could be the reason.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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