# Why Does My Cat Get So Upset When I Use My Microwave? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 14, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448 "2006-11-14T22:32:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448/1 "2006-11-14T22:32:12Z")
Using my microwave sends one of my cats into an absolute frenzy. He cries and moans until it stops. Best I can figure is that he’s either excited because he thinks he’s about to get something to eat, or something about the noise is upsetting him. Does a microwave oven emit some kind of sound that he can hear but I can’t? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448/2 "2006-11-14T22:41:41Z")
[QUOTE=HeyHomie] Does a microwave oven emit some kind of sound that he can hear but I can’t? [/QUOTE] Probably, as it has moving parts; it could be emitting sound too high for you to hear. An ultrasonic metallic _squeeeeeeeeel_ must be mighty irritating. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448/3 "2006-11-14T22:50:23Z")
I’m not sure what you’re asking, are you saying your microwave oven does not emit any sounds that you can hear? My microwave emits a completely unbearable fan noise and I have to be in a different room if it’s on for more than a minute or I feel nauseated and angry. Maybe your cat just doesn’t like the noise, like me? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448/4 "2006-11-14T22:52:49Z")
Does it have a turntable? If so, can you remove it to see if the turning is making the anti-feline noise? Other than that, I never heard of such a thing. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448/5 "2006-11-14T23:09:10Z")
[QUOTE=groman] I’m not sure what you’re asking, are you saying your microwave oven does not emit any sounds that you can hear? My microwave emits a completely unbearable fan noise and I have to be in a different room if it’s on for more than a minute or I feel nauseated and angry. Maybe your cat just doesn’t like the noise, like me? [/QUOTE] I’m saying that, in addition to the fan noise, perhaps it’s emitting some noise that is beyond my range of hearing but that is driving Kitty up the wall. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448/6 "2006-11-14T23:17:40Z")
**Power Salad** has a song in which the singer speculates as to why his cat may be afraid of the vacuum cleaner. > [@](#): > > [**My Cat is Afraid of the Vacuum Cleaner** see link for full lyrics (scroll down)](http://www.themadmusicarchive.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=12341) > > My cat is afraid of the vacuum cleaner > The way it goes “Vroom, vroom, vroom” > Vroom, vroom, vroom > Vroom, vroom, vroom > > My cat is afraid of the vacuum cleaner > The way it goes “Vroom, vroom, vroom”. > And the way it makes calls in the middle of the night > To shadowy men with underworld connections > Its conversations sound innocent enough, > But then, why is it whispering > And saying things that are obviously codes > Like “Go to the laundry and pick up my shorts”? > It’s a vacuum cleaner, it doesn’t wear shorts. > But it does have a secret hidden room > Full of instruments of torture from ancient times > That were stolen from a little-known Idaho museum. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448/7 "2006-11-14T23:22:33Z")
Do you have power settings, which cycle the microwave magnatron on and off? If so try it on the lowest setting (defrost is one such setting, about 30% power). You should be able to hear the magnatron on-off cycle, perhaps 10 seconds apart. You can see if your cat is just effected when it’s on (cooking cycle) or just the fan and turntable running. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-get-so-upset-when-i-use-my-microwave/380448/8 "2006-11-14T23:39:44Z")
Maybe you should consider taking your cat out of the microwave before you turn it on? ::: d & r :::