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 a good thing because the cat obesity problem will only get worse. Some indoor cats don’t get enough exercise, and if they stick to the pipe instead of chasing catnip rats and racing around their homes, they gain weight. Olga is not very interested in watching TV, but sometimes the sound effects and soundtrack irritate her.
The Courage of Young Olga
As a kitten, Olga seems fearless. He doesn’t scare easily until 4th of July, and he usually ignored the stereo and the television. If I was too focused on a movie, he attacked my feet or climbed on top of the chair to hit me on the head. Like many young cats, Olga only has two gears: high gear and park (sleeping).
His First Response on TV
When I moved to a new house with more space, he was almost a year old. I set up a stereo with a powerful subwoofer, and the first movie I saw sent Olga running for cover. The volume was too loud, and the roar of the MGM lion made him jump through the air and run under the bed in the other room. He only reacted once to the roar and determined that the sound was not coming from a giant feral cat.
Some animal experts recommend leaving a TV or stereo on when you leave to entertain your pets. Since I haven’t photographed Olga when she’s home alone, I’m not sure that a nature program or 24-hour feed of the world’s largest aviary will help her separation anxiety.
Adult Ambivalence
He doesn’t flinch when he hears bird calls or nature sounds on television, which is odd because he seems confused and irritated when he hears Pink Floyd’s. Several Kinds of Small Furry Animals Congregate in a Cave and Carve With a Pick. It’s also strange that Olga doesn’t react to the sound of fireworks on television. He froze in fear when he heard them echoing around my place, but the explosions and gunfire didn’t phase him when it wasn’t real.
Deep Bass Annoyed
Sound effects from movies sometimes catch his attention but rarely escape him. He didn’t like the sound of the self-destruct siren at the end of the Foreigners or the scream at the beginning of the original House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price. However, the only sound that brings him closer to the speaker and questions his sanity is a low, rumbling bass.
David Lynch’s films often include a prolonged roar to build suspense or lead to a shocking scene, and Olga is not fond of his sound effects. I have to turn down the volume to stop him from clawing up the subwoofer. As for the images on television, Olga seems to have no interest, whether there are birds singing or mice squealing. Leaving the TV on can help some cats when their owners leave, but Olga prefers people to flatscreens.
This article is part of a series by Christopher and Olga.
