Is it Cruel to Put Clothes on Pets?

In our everyday lives, we often make choices on behalf of the one who isn’t capable of making their own. For example, when someone is new to a family, we might decide what kind of clothes they wear. While visiting a shelter or vet clinic, it’s often not up to the dogs or cats in question whether they get on their back and relax for the grooming session or let humans handle them easily by gently pulling their limbs behind them so that you can more easily groom them. You may find this post helpful as it is going to share with you about if it is cruel to put clothes on your pets or not.

And when you’re like me and scratching up your cat’s belly all night because she loves it so much, I might just pull her pajama pants down right now and do whatever I want with her cuz this feels good to me. Okay, that sounds like a bad joke but I’m actually serious right now. As a pet parent, you ultimately get to make big decisions like these on your cat’s behalf. How should they be trained? Should they wear pajamas? And if so, should they wear the shirt or the pants? Isn’t it cruel to put clothes on pets? Because I just can’t get enough of the belly.

First of all, it’s worth noting that there is nothing cruel in any of these practices we’re talking about here. Dogs and cats are at the hands of their people when it comes to a myriad of things everyday. Perhaps the most perplexing question of all when discussing the topic of dressing our pets is why people care so much about it. I mean, who cares if a cat wears pj’s? Why has this been a subject of much debate on every single online forum and chat that I’ve come across?

When a dog or cat is doing something we don’t like, we get upset, right? We call out the pet in question and tell them to stop. We scream at them, swerve our cars and honk our car horns at them to get their attention. And, we really leave no stone unturned to seem cruel to our pets, specially while dealing with a misbehaving animal. Yet the topic of what clothing they wear doesn’t get nearly as much focus. It is argely because it’s not as readily noticeable to us as it is when they’re acting up in other ways.

Personally, I don’t really get why people are so adamant, even being a bit cruel, about insisting on putting clothes on their pets. I know one person who would never set foot in a pet store again if he could convince all his friends to not buy those silly things for their pets that smell like flowers or dog leashes or belly rubs or whatever else might make their lives better.

But it’s not as terrible as everyone seems to think. There are some positive aspects to considering it. When you’re trying to get your cat into some pajamas, they’ll likely put up far less of a fuss than they would if you were trying to get them into a collar and leash. And while they may not be able to put the clothes on themselves, there’s something powerful in the act of choosing what they wear in some regards. If a dog really loves their people and wants to please them, putting on clothes might be an easy way for them to do so without anything else required of them.

When the dog is trying to sniff something you don’t want to be sniffed, you can simply ask them to turn around (without looking cruel) and put on the clothes; and they are being compliant. Then you can reward them for putting on the clothes. Now you have a dog that’s more compliant with your requests because he or she wants to please you.

Keep in mind that it’s your job as their caretaker to be fair and reasonable though. If your cat doesn’t like wearing pajamas, she shouldn’t have to wear them. The same goes for your dog. If they can’t stand the clothes, they shouldn’t have to wear them.

But if you’re trying to get a cat that doesn’t like being picked up into a carrier, putting on some pajamas might help them become more comfortable with being picked up. Maybe they’ll really love the belly rubs and then welcome the carrier on their own accord. Maybe the shirt will help your dog feel secure enough to get in a car and go for a ride without fighting you or getting stressed out.

Or maybe it will get you nowhere. Animals don’t always do what we want them to. And they certainly don’t care whether the little shirt with flowers or dog leash smells good or not. They have their own minds and are still learning what you will and won’t allow them to do. It’s your job not to be cruel, but to be patient, kind, firm and consistent in how you handle them, even while putting clothes on them. It is because they’re used to being rewarded for certain behaviors that may not be acceptable in your home.

And once again, we can’t forget about those people who think putting clothes on pets is cruel and immoral. If it helps you to decide whether or not your cat should wear pajamas, ask yourself if it’s a lot of work for you. Can you handle getting the shirt on her and then trying to get her to go in the carrier? Will she still claw your face and hiss at you even after putting the shirt on? If so, maybe just don’t do it.

There’s really no need to make any changes in how your cat lives their life. It’s just because someone else feels they should be clothed. How someone else sees something isn’t necessarily how everyone sees it and we all have different opinions about things like this.

FAQs about Pets:

1. How to choose a halloween cloth for my cat?

• Halloween cloths are available on pet sites, catalogues and online shopping. Though they aren’t cheap they are relatively inexpensive. If you require more than one cat you could purchase a costume for each and dress them differently.

2) Why do cats hate belly rubs?

• This is all about the mindset of the cat. If a cat has been conditioned to be fearful of humans, it is easier to train this behavior out of him or her if he or she has been belly rubbed in the past, provided that you do in a positive way so his/her mind can be rewired to associate touching with pleasure rather than fear.

3) Is there any good way to get a cat into a carrier?

• Yes, there is. Before attempting to get a cat into the carrier, take some cat nip, Meow Mix or other small treats and lay it out on top of the carrier. If a cat likes the product he will be more than willing to go into it.

4) How do I teach my dog not to jump up on people?

• Do whatever it takes to discourage jumping up on people. If you have time use an ultrasonic device that emits a high frequency sound that only dogs can hear (over 90 db), for example. This will cause him/her discomfort but not in any way cause him injury or harm.

5) Is it harmful for you pets to wear clothes?

• Well, you’ll have to ask your vet. If they like the look, I am sure there are many good reasons why they would want them on.

Cats and Halloween!!!

If Halloween is your cat’s favorite holiday, it’s probably because of the opportunity to go trick-or-treating. You may have already heard that cats can’t taste sweets that humans can. But they enjoy the experience of getting treats on Halloween just as much as you do. Cats especially enjoy going out on trick-or-treat nights since their treats come in cute little plastic bags instead of big boxes.