TikTok comes with all sorts of fun, including viral challenges that make everyone want to get involved. And lots of these challenges include things to try with your cat. But one new trend isn’t finding fans among many felines, and they want the challenge to stop!
Known as the “put an ice cube on your cat” challenge, participants of the trend will place an ice cube on their cat and let it melt while filming for the cat’s eventual reaction. While many felines remain unfazed by the ice or simply shake it off, the ice proves upsetting for some kitties.
Cats Don’t Like the Ice Cube Challenge
Think about the “put an ice cube on your cat” challenge for a second. Now, change that trend title to “put an ice cube on a human” and reconsider. Most everyone who gets an ice cube unsuspectingly placed on them will not react with joy. And cats generally feel the same, with the U.K.’s Battersea Dog and Cats Home feline welfare manager, JoAnna Puzzo, telling Newsweek, “It could appear harmless but may agitate cats and cause them anxiety.”
“Cats don’t enjoy getting wet and the extreme cold of the ice could startle your cat, potentially leading them to respond and by redirected aggression onto their owner, for example, by swiping or biting.”
Puzzo also warned, “Anything that could provoke an adverse or negative reaction in cats shouldn’t be done for amusement or social media purposes.”
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And to those that argue cats don’t care and it’s just funny, experts advise you to stop and think about your role as a cat parent.
Blue CrossUK animal behaviorist, Claire Haynes, explained, “Pet owners should create a safe and loving environment for our animals, and consider the impact our actions have on our pet’s welfare and emotional state.”
“Whilst this new trend might seem entertaining for us, it may not be a nice sensation for our cats, and your cat might find it confusing and uncomfortable.”
BISSELL Pet Foundation veterinarian Dr. Alana Canupp, DVM, likened the ice cube challenge to the scaring cats with cucumbers trend, “which may have seemed funny, but I saw cats who were terrified.”
“Anything done to risk scaring your pet is not good for the human-animal bond,” stated Dr. Canupp.
Help Cats Beat Summer Heat in Nicer Ways
For cat parents who are trying the challenge to keep their cats cool in the heat of summer, there’s a nicer way to offer your cat ice cubes.
The in-house veterinarian for Everypaw, Dr. Anna Foreman, explained, “While there aren’t necessarily any medical dangers associated with this trend, there is no reason to put an ice cube directly onto a cat, especially if it causes them distress or makes them feel scared.”
“Cats can be offered ice cubes in a bowl to lick if they chose to, but they tend to self-regulate well in hot weather, unlike dogs, and so there is no reason to use this method to cool them down.”
RELATED: 5 Amazing Ways Cats Stay Cool In The Hot Summer
So, simply put, don’t ice cubes on cats for fun. If you do, your kitty may put their claws on you in retaliation!
Feature Image: maplegingerboi/TikTok & whitechubbs/TikTok