‘Explain to your cat what is happening like they are a person’: Pet Pawrents Spill Their Most Useful Cat Hacks to Solve Common Pawblems

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Oct 4, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

When you're about to become a cat pawrent, you'll probably do what everyone does: Google the basics. The standard advice on the internet will tell you to stock up on litter, scratching posts, food bowls. You may read that it's important to play with your cat daily, don't free-feed kibble, and yes, they really will be more interested in the cardboard box than whatever toy you ordered online that came inside of it. Maybe you'll even watch a tutorial or two on YouTube on how to keep their tiny nails neatly trimmed.

But some lessons in cat ownership only come with experience… and a few battle scars. No one tells you that aluminum foil is the ultimate couch-protector, or how to trick a suspicious feline into taking an important medicine. If you are looking for some tried, tested, and frankly strange "hacks" from seasoned cat pawrents, look no further. Results may vary from cat to cat, but they sure are amusing to peruse. 

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  • 01

    What's the strangest cat hack you've discovered that actually works?

    Cheezburger Image 10559945472
    via Olga Kholiavina from Getty Images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • One of my favorite cat hacks is that the best way to keep your cat off your laptop is to buy them their own, tiny laptop instead. I got one for my own cat, Walter, and I'd say it's worked pretty well, although he sitll does wander onto my keyboard from time to time. He does look like an adorable, tiny business man with his cat-sized laptop, though, and that makes up for it.

  • 02
    Cats are weird, unpredictable little overlords, but somehow we all discover hacks that actually make life easier or keep them entertained without chaos what's
    via u/mosyala
  • 03
    the strangest or most unconventional thing you do for your cat that actually works, whether it's a weird toy, a quirky feeding trick, or an odd grooming
    via u/mosyala
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    hack? I'm compiling the best, bizarre-but-genius tips into a community list to share back, so we can all survive life with cats a little better!
    via u/mosyala
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    tiny_purple_Alfador I routinely pretend to chase them, and sometimes clumsily pretend to grab them, but I do a bad job, missing them by miles,
    via u/tiny_purple_Alfador
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    pretending to be winded after taking five steps. Now, when I do need to actually grab them, they underestimate me and assume I am much slower and clumsier than I actually am.
    via u/tiny_purple_Alfador
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    vamgoda I chase my cat as a play tactic - he loves it. I hiss and bounce after him and he skitters away and then flops over to give me fake rabbit kicks while I pet his belly. It's so cute.
    via u/vamgoda
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    via Helena Lopes from Pexels

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    bobbimorses Explain to your cat what is happening like they are a person, especially if it's something that will upset their routine or going to
    via u/bobbimorses
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    the vet. They won't "understand," but cats pick up a lot more from tone than we realize. Always seems to calm my cats.
    via u/bobbimorses
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    W 4conspiracy Facts. When I give my cat a bath, I reassure her we are almost done and she's doing a great job. She just patiently waits
    via u/W***4conspiracy
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    Witty-Perspective520 This feels so silly at first but I did it with all my animals. I have 'family meetings' if my husband
    via u/Witty-Perspective520
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    and I are going out of town. I'll tell them how many big sleeps we'll be gone, who's feeding them, etc. May be silly but it seems to work!
    via u/Witty-Perspective520
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    summermisero This is so true. I'm convinced my cat understands English
    via u/summermisero
  • 15
    Ok-Lynx-6250 When my kittens hear a scary noise, they come find me and stare at me. They just want to hear me say "it's ok" a few times in a calm voice and they go about their business lol.
    via u/Ok-Lynx-6250
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    TassandraArctic Fox If i want them to do something i have to do it first. Clipping nails is one example. I pretend to clip my nails and then they all want what i'm having.
    via u/TassandraArctic
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    Duck_Fickle That makes a lot of sense. Cats like to mimic to bond
    via u/Duck_Fickle
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    Fit_Usual_4652 whenever my boy cat that is only a year old and wasnt socialized properly before he met me play bites i pretend he just ripped me open and hurt me so bad and he gets very concerned and runs off. HIGHLY recommend
    via u/Fit_Usual_4652
  • 19
    DigiMagic My cats used to think that one corner of one room in our house is a toilet, even though we never kept a sand box there. It's just plain floor tiles. They do have. several large sand boxes elsewhere, all cleaned every day and sand replenished regularly. Yet for some reason, that corner was a toilet too.
    via u/DigiMagic
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    via Astrid860 from Getty Images Pro

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    I've cleaned it many times (including scrubbing it with soap and disinfectant), perfumed it, left bits of fruit that cats allegedly don't like, nothing helped.
    via u/DigiMagic
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    What did finally help was, after cleaning it yet again, putting there a small cat bed. Apparently, cat logic is, if a place is for sleeping, it's not for pooping (which does make sense).
    via u/DigiMagic
  • 23
    Reddit_Befuddles_Me Blow on their nose when you give a pill so they swallow. Seriously a game changer!
    via u/Reddit_Befuddles_Me
  • 24
    awkwardturtle234 I'd coat it in gravy or jelly from their food and give it to them like you're giving a treat. Worked like a charm for my tabby boy who had no issues eating it. Had no clue why I was praising him too.
    via u/awkwardturtle234
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    via u/SabrinaFaire
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    Cheezburger Image 10559943680
    via ehaurylik from Getty Images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    saltedkumihimo If your smoke detector goes off, call your cat to you and give them a treat. That way if the detector goes off in a fire, you have trained the cat where to go so you can find them easily
    via u/saltedkumihimo
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    Feral_doves Hang a disco ball near a sunny window, when the light and wind hits it some cats will go crazy for the light spots it makes around the room. It's like an analog auto laser.
    via u/Feral_doves
  • 29
    Icy-Spirit-5892 Don't know if this counts as a hack but I had a dog. Then I got a cat. Dog taught cat what was and wasn't acceptable behavior. Several generations of cats later and long after my dog has passed, they still know the rules. TL;DR: have a well-trained dog to train your cats.
    via u/Icy-Spirit-5892
  • 30
    Financial_Nose_777 Blanket jail: when one cat gets a little too rambunctious and won't stop pestering another one, toss a blanket onto them. Instant calm.
    via u/Financial_Nose_777
  • 31
    butterflygirl1980 If they like to get up on the table/ desk when you're trying to do anything there (other than eating), give them a shoebox to sit in. Might not work for every cat but it worked for mine -- she would sit in her box and out of my stuff!
    via u/butterflygirl1980
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    Bluedieselshepherd Greeting my cats with an extended finger and letting them nose-boop it. It's a low impact way to mimic a natural cat greeting and builds trust.
    via u/Bluedieselshepherd

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cat pet ownership haha tips hacks pets kitten cute cats advice funny cats feline meow pet pawrents Cats trick
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