What are strange things that freak your pet out?

I accquired a Maine **** cat last Feb when he was 4 years old. He is the most affectionate cat/pet I've ever owned. He loves to lie on top of me when I am lying on the couch watching tv. If I have a top on that has buttons on it, he freaks out! The first time he did it, he put his paw on a button while he was walking on me and he spat and jumped straight up in the air and ran as fast as he could. Now, he checks out what I am wearing before he jumps on the couch-must be he had a bad experience with buttons when he was younger.

My older cat will crawl under the covers every time it thunders. She also has a problem with vacuum cleaners. The younger cat runs from me. All I have to do is "Wah-hah-hah" at her in a scary manner and she takes off like a greased pig. My daughter claims I terrorize her, but I know that I'm just establishing my rights as alpha female.

We have two cats. One is 5 years old, the other is 3 years old. Both are male.

THUNDER storms terrify our 5 year old cat. He hides in the closet. If a closet door is not open, we know to quickly go open one for him, so that he can relax until the "monster" goes away.

The 3 year old just looks amused at his "brother's" actions and goes about his business until the storm is over and the 5 year old cat comes out.

After the storms, the 5 year old is like "Scared? Who me?? Nah, just taking a closet nap!"

My cats are scared of plastic bags to. But what's funny is that I have a 165 pound Rottweiller who is afraid of car keys. If someone shakes their keys he will run in between my legs and try to hide.

My nephews Pit is scared of his kitchen. Mikey will go everywhere in his house except the kitchen. That's pretty funny to.

My cats don't like the sound of the door bell, vacuum cleaner, and the cats that like to sit outside the windows and look in at them. Sometimes they get freaked out by little things. One of my cats will get freaked out by a little piece of paper on the floor or some other little thing. Sometimes sudden movements freak them out.

Oh, strangers freak them out too.

We still have a 40'' red "0" balloon left over from a birthday party. The thing scares my cat so much he hides for hours if he sees it.

So right now we have it in the one room we want him to stay out of.

my cats get scared by the vacuum

one of my cats loves to lick plastic bags!

My cat is 1st gen domestic, so he still freaks when anyone stands up suddenly, or moves too quickly. He's still got the fight or flight response down to a fine art. Sharp sounds also will make him jump and run.

My male cat Archie freaks out every-time i get the mop out to mop my kitchen floor. When i first got him as a kitty he was in the kitchen when i started to mop the floor. He took one look at it and his fur went up on end he started spitting and jumping (like the kitten from the aristocrats) Hes still like it now. Very weird.

My Mincho is terrified of any bag being opened near him, plastic and paper.