Why the ‘Cats With Human Hands’ Trend Isn’t As Funny As It Seems

If you’ve spent much time on TikTok recently, and the algorithm sends lots of cute cat videos your way (who are we kidding, of course it does) you might have seen the ‘ cats with human hands’ trend. 

On the face of it, it looks like it’s just a bit of fun, but it’s not as fun for the cats themselves as it is for the people watching it. With concerns over their welfare, we decided to take a look into this trend to find out whether it’s something that’s fine to try at home. Here’s why the trend isn’t as funny as it seems. 

Navigating life with a new pet? Head to littleKin!

littleKin™ is Kinship’s home just for puppy and kitten parents. Bop over to check out expert advice, new pet tools, and special deals—all curated for your newest family member.

Get Free Advice

What is the ‘cats with human hands’ trend? 

In the ‘cats with human hands’ trend, cats wear small ‘human hands’ – the sort of thing you can buy online or from joke shops to fit on your finger – for comedic effect (if you haven’t seen them, a quick scroll on social media will probably do the trick). As the cats move their paws, the hands move with them, making them seem almost humanlike. 

Cats provide us with plenty of laughs, and we’ve been enjoying funny photos and videos of cats online for almost as long as the internet has been around. So, this trend is simply the latest of many. However, like other cat-related trends – such as the tinfoil trend – it might not be one that’s great for the cats themselves. 

Do cats like it?

Dr Anna Foreman, Everypaw Pet Insurance’s in-house vet, describes wearing small ‘human hands’ as being “extremely distressing” to cats, suggesting that this trend isn’t the best idea. 

“Cats do not like wearing accessories or clothes and find it very restricting,” she explains. “Putting something on their feet and filming their reaction – often walking around, etc. – is cruel. Most cats in these videos are highly distressed and trying to get the hands off.”

What if your cat doesn’t seem to mind? 

Even if your cat doesn’t seem overly bothered about wearing human hands, they might still be feeling stressed as a result. Your cat might not be actively trying to get the hands off, but you don’t know how the stress could be impacting them both physically and mentally. 

And, you won’t know how your cat feels about wearing them until they actually wear them, so why risk making them unhappy? 

Are ‘human hands’ dangerous?

There’s always a risk that a cat could hurt themselves with a small human hand they’re wearing. However, the stress that being restricted and limited can cause cats might be the main concern, given that stress can cause various behavioural and medical issues in our felines. 

“Urinary blockages, over-grooming and concurrent skin conditions, and pica (eating things that are not food, which may cause a gastrointestinal blockage) are just a few of the conditions that can occur from chronic stress in cats,” says Dr Foreman. “In some cases, conditions can be fatal if left untreated, or if stressful conditions are not resolved and recurrences continue to occur.”

A cat’s paws and claws are hugely important, and have all sorts of benefits, helping with everything from balance and co-ordination to communication, temperature regulation, and stress relief. So, it’s important that their paws aren’t restricted unless it’s for a medical reason. 

How to keep your cat happy when taking part in trends

There’s another trend involving cats and human hands, in which two or more people stand opposite each other or in a circle and put their hands in the middle to see if their cats do the same, and this could be a fun alternative to try with your cat.

Dr Foreman says that this trend could still be distressing if your cat is forced to be involved, perhaps being shut in the room or held and restrained by someone. “Equally, a cat may become distressed when the hands are thrown in the air at the end,” she adds. “A cat may think they are being shooed or about to be smacked.”   

If your cat has the choice of whether to partake or not, and human participants gently drop their hands rather than throw them into the air, it could be a good alternative. Just don’t forget to give your cat plenty of fuss or a treat afterwards so they associate the activity with something rewarding. 

But, as anyone with a cat will know, they’re so often hilarious anyway – without needing any encouragement from TikTok trends. “Cats often spontaneously do funny or cute things, for example having the zoomies or making biscuits, without prompting,” says Dr Foreman, “And with these being natural behaviours they are not stress-inducing.” 

So, it’s a good idea to give the cats with ‘human hands’ trend a miss, as you risk making your cat stressed and uncomfortable. Instead, simply keep an eye out (and your phone ready) for the entertaining natural behaviours we know and love. After all, they’re sure to be a hit with your followers, too.