Using their voice, cats express their feelings or needs. The voice is an additional tool for attracting the owner's attention. Gradually, a pet, if it wants to get something, for example, a treat, begins to deliberately use sound signals, which sometimes leads its owners to irritation and aggression. But if the owner communicates with the cat, talks to him, then the animal begins to respond with meows and purrs.
The communication of cats with their relatives and their owner, of course, is not limited only to meowing; these animals also have very developed behavioral manifestations of communication. Expressing its emotions and desires, the cat meows with different intonation and volume. Quiet and infrequent signals usually do not irritate or alarm animal owners, but what does constant and loud meowing mean?
Night activity of cats
Based on all of the above, there are two reasons why cats run at night. The first thing we found out is that they are predators, which means they see perfectly in the dark. With the onset of darkness, their hunting instincts awaken and they play with almost all objects in the house. Everything is used: a bowl of food, flower pots, bags scattered around the house, and so on. But what infuriates the owners most of all is that domestic predators attack the legs that appear from under the blanket. In general, cats' nocturnal activity is instinctive hunting.
The same “tygydyk-tygydyk”
The second reason cats run around at night is that they want attention. As a rule, during the day they are left completely alone and bored - all they can do is sleep and wait for their owners to arrive. And after their arrival, the owners rarely pay attention to them, but the animal, which has gathered energy during the day, wants to play. This is why cats ask to open the door and do not enter the room. And for the same reason, they can sit by the sofa and just meow, for no apparent reason. In general, they are excellent manipulators and with the help of noise they want to gain attention to themselves.
Do you know why cats purr?
Why does a cat rush around the apartment and what to do about it?
What does a cat do most of the day? If you say that she is sleeping, then in the vast majority of cases you will be right. A healthy adult cat can actually sleep up to 16 hours a day.
But sometimes the lazy (at first glance) purr seems to switch on a different mode and she begins to rush madly around the house, from one end of the apartment to the other, sometimes pushing and crushing carpets and rugs and knocking over things that get in her way. Is this normal? What to do about it? “Murkosha”, as always, will give answers.
- 1) Why does the cat most often rush around the apartment?
- 2) How to ensure the safety of things and healthy sleep
- 3) If the cat is alone for a long time
- 4) Health problems
- 5) Sexual instinct
- 6) The cat is trying to wake up the owner
Why does the cat most often run around the apartment?
Some owners believe that the cat is having some kind of “seizure” at this moment. No. In most cases, this is absolutely normal behavior, determined by instincts and lifestyle. Cats rush around the apartment because they are predators, their instincts tell them so. They constantly need to move to keep their body in good shape. In this way they improve their hunting skills. After 5-10 minutes, the cat usually gets tired and lies down to rest. These bursts of activity are completely natural, especially for kittens and young cats.
Sometimes a cat has an additional goal - to attract the attention of the owner. Especially if the owner does not spoil his pet with attention too often. But even if you often play with your cat, even if he has a wide variety of toys, this behavior can still be an invitation to play. All cats have very different habits and preferences, including in games. For some cats, there is nothing better than hide and seek and chase, and this requires at least two. Don't deny your cat attention, at least don't do it too often. Cats are very sensitive animals, and such neglect can cause your pet to become stressed. And stress often leads to various behavioral problems.
If you cannot support games of hide and seek and chase, or such activity is unacceptable for you for some reason, you can redirect the cat’s energy in another direction (more on this below).
So, this behavior in itself is normal - the kitten runs around to let off steam and keep itself in good shape. It’s good when this happens during the day and your things don’t suffer. Then it's even fun to watch. But sometimes this can turn into a problem.
- When a cat rushes around the apartment, he often also jumps to higher places. Often there are already some things in these places, sometimes fragile and valuable. Naturally, these things can fall or even break when the cat jumps.
- Cats are nocturnal animals after all. During the day they rest more. But if by night they have accumulated a lot of excess energy, they will definitely decide to throw it out. The kitten will begin to rush around the apartment, preventing the owners from sleeping. And none of your screams and exhortations will help here, if only because for him such behavior is quite normal in this situation. Locking a kitten somewhere is also not a solution - it will meow loudly and ask to be let out. Put yourself in his place: you are full of strength and energy, thirsty for action, ready to move mountains, but you are told to just sit quietly and not disturb anyone - and nothing else. And so on all the time.
How to ensure the safety of things and healthy sleep
Here you probably have a question: is it possible to make sure that the cat lives a full active life, and things remain safe and sound, and the owners get enough sleep? Of course you can! Moreover, it is not difficult at all.
To begin with, valuable and/or fragile items should be placed out of reach of the cat. When we say “inaccessible,” we do not mean those where the cat “cannot” climb, but those that it cannot reach even if it wants to. This must be done in any case, even if your pet does not like to run and jump too much. Firstly, the mood may change. Secondly, all cats love to explore the territory, and if your pet has not explored something yet, but he has the opportunity, then he will almost certainly eventually do so.
Next, the cat needs to be provided with an alternative. If your cat runs around at night, play with it (perhaps like catch) just before bed. But only so that she gets tired, that is, she lies down and does not show any desire to continue playing. If the cat is not tired enough, it will continue to run around at night. This can be noticed if the pet does not lie down, expects some action from you, looks at you while its pupils are dilated, touches you with its paw, etc. But if you really exhaust your cat, she will sleep without her hind legs and won’t wake up until the morning.
Are you not satisfied with the format of races around the apartment? No problem - show your cat other games. Special “fishing rod” toys are best suited. A game for a cat is something like hunting. Let the toy be his “prey.” Accordingly, it should resemble prey: remain at some distance from the cat, “run away” or “crawl away,” fly up, to the side, change the direction of movements, and look for shelter. Almost no cat can resist chasing this one.
Read more about games: Why do cats play and how to do it correctly with them?
Such games have two goals at once. Firstly, they will exhaust your pet no worse than running around the apartment. Secondly, in the process, the person guides the cat with the help of a toy. Play with her where she can, and take her away from places where she doesn't want to run or jump. A maximum of 15-20 minutes of such a game (if everything is done correctly) - and the cat itself will want to rest. 2-3 sessions a day will fully satisfy an adult pet’s need for games and a burst of energy. Of course, you need to play with the kitten more. It's best to play before giving your cat food. Then the cat’s behavior model in natural conditions will be reproduced: hunting - catching prey (the game should always end with the pet catching the toy) - food - sleep.
If the cat is alone for a long time
It’s not very good if an overly active cat (a kitten or just a representative of a super-energetic breed like an Abyssinian or Egyptian Mau) is left alone most of the day. It’s not very good both for him, because it will be hard for him to endure loneliness, and for the apartment, because such a pet will definitely look for something to cheer himself up. Therefore, the Murkoshi team insists that the owner’s work schedule and pace of life should play an important role in choosing a pet.
More information about choosing a breed: https://www.murkosha.ru/nashi-stati/interesnoe-o-koshkakh/kakoj-porody-kota-luchshe-zavodit
We recommend getting a kitten only if there is an adult in the apartment who can look after it (and play with it) most of the day.
And yet, if you have a playful pet and you don’t want him to get bored (and knock over your things, trying to occupy himself), but you have to leave him alone from time to time, then we recommend, in addition to the standard balls, mice and teasers, purchase various interactive toys: tracks, puzzles, mazes, toys with hidden treats, etc. - in general, everything that can attract the cat’s attention for a long time. The more he occupies himself with these toys, the less he will just run around the house.
Read more: Interactive toys for cats: why they are needed and how to use them
And for cats who love to run, we recommend installing a running wheel like this:
Your pet will definitely appreciate it!
Until now, when we talked about the kitten running around the house, we only meant its desire to play. In most cases, this is actually explained by the game. But other reasons are also possible.
Health problems
Sometimes the pet attracts the owner’s attention in this way, trying to show that something hurts or that something is causing him discomfort. Or it could be some kind of neurological disorder. Especially if the cat is running in circles or running sideways, this is almost always the result of a medical problem. In this case, you should immediately show your pet to a veterinarian.
Perhaps the cat runs actively because he wants to, but cannot go to the toilet, and after such runs he succeeds. If this is not the first time you notice a connection between running and going to the litter box, you should also contact your veterinarian. Perhaps the cat's intestines are not working as they should.
Sexual instinct
Running around the apartment often happens if you have an unspayed cat or an unsterilized cat. During a period of hormonal peak, an animal looks for a partner in this way. This is usually accompanied by other behavioral problems: loud meowing, constant marking, refusal to eat, and cases of aggression are also possible.
If this is the case, then in fact only castration/sterilization can help. Everything else will either have no effect, or will give a purely short-term effect, or will lead to serious health problems (in the case of using various hormonal drugs). But castration/sterilization is a completely safe operation that will save both you and your pet from many problems. Moreover, the operation will not affect your character at all!
Read more about sterilization: https://www.murkosha.ru/nashi-stati/kastratsiya-i-sterilizatsiya/8-mifov-o-sterilizatsii-koshek
At the Murkosha shelter, all children over 6 months old are castrated or sterilized, but this does not prevent them from playing, being active and enjoying life. Come visit us and see for yourself!
The cat is trying to wake up its owner
There may be such a curious explanation. If your cat jumps on your bed in the morning and then suddenly takes off from it (or if the path of the run passes through your bed and your body), then she is clearly trying to wake you up. This happens if you feed your cat immediately after waking up. So she developed a reflex: the owner stood up - food appeared. The cat gets used to the fact that in order to get food, it is necessary to wake up the owner as soon as possible. If you do not want your cat to become a kind of “alarm clock” for you, do not give in to its demands until it becomes a habit. It is best to feed your pet not immediately after getting up, but, for example, before leaving for work. It is highly advisable to play with the cat at least a little before this.
Thus, the fact that a cat runs around the house is a very common and, in general, normal phenomenon. As a rule, this indicates the pet’s desire to play, the need to throw out energy. It is enough to satisfy this desire by directing it in the right direction with the help of toys, and everything will be fine, the cat will calm down. But in some cases, a visit to the vet or spay/neuter (if not already done) will be required.
Next steps
Sometimes it is difficult to understand what made a cat suddenly become a little wild. Honestly, cats are hard to interpret! Many people understand basic dog vocalizations and behaviors but fail to recognize basic cat behavior patterns.
Dogs have expressive faces and body language that is quite easy to accurately interpret. They wag their tails, make various sounds to alert others to their mood, and often follow basic commands to please their humans.
Cats, on the other hand, are usually better known for their emotional uncertainty and reserved behavior. However, there is a growing belief that cats are just as expressive as dogs. The problem is that people simply misunderstand or fail to see what and how their cats are trying to communicate.
The pet is overexcited
In case of excessive nervous overexcitation of the animal, you should pay close attention to its behavior. If a cat, for some unknown reason, is afraid of its owner or, on the contrary, shows aggression, behaves abnormally, runs chaotically around the apartment, this may be a serious problem with the pet’s nervous system or a sign of rabies. In this situation, the animal must be placed in a closed carrier, through which it cannot bite or scratch, and taken to a veterinarian.
Options for how to wean
Why does a cat bite its owner’s legs: when you stroke it and for no reason
It is much easier to wean a young cat from bad behavior than an adult cat. Owners are interested in why the cat bites when you pet it. The method of education depends on the reason for the behavior.
After playing with human bites, the animal gets used to this behavior
Wean the kitten
If the kitten is very active and bites, the veterinarian will tell you what to do. It is recommended to adhere to the following rules for correcting behavior:
- Check the health status and quality of internal organs using laboratory and instrumental examination methods at a veterinarian. If the cause is illness, it is treated so that the pet’s behavior returns to normal.
- Treat your pet kindly. You need to pet him, scratch his belly and ears. But if the kitten resists, it is released, since forcefully shown affection also leads to aggression.
- Maintain proper nutrition. The cat may be hungry because the diet is incorrect or it receives a minimal dosage of food. Ask the veterinarian about the daily diet, the dosage of 1 serving of food.
- Eliminate the possibility of excessive gaming. It should not lead to overstimulation. The animal is made to understand that scratching and biting can only be done with a scratching post or toys; humans are not meant to do this.
- Give treats for good behavior. If the kitten does not obey and bites the owner, he is not given treats. This forms a strong character and affection towards a person.
- If a cat bites, there is a simple way to eliminate the reaction. When a cat bites a hand, it is not pulled out of the mouth, but moved deeper into it. This will cause confusion. Then the hand is pulled out, making loud noises so that the pet is uncomfortable.
- Completely limit the young kitten's ability to attack humans. He should not play, bite his fingers, throw himself on his feet.
- Already at a young age you can go to the veterinarian and have your nails trimmed. Keeping them blunt will prevent the possibility of injury to any family member's limb.
Attention! If the kitten continually bites despite crossing, consult a veterinarian or other animal behaviorist
Wean an adult cat
It is much more difficult to wean an adult. After the owner has found out why the cat bites when you pet it, it is necessary to begin educational actions.
- Violence is not recommended, but you can lightly flick a newspaper or a stack of papers on the diarrhea or tail. In this case, you should make loud sounds that the cat cannot stand.
- Stop bites in a timely manner. If a cat bites, put something bitter in its mouth, for example mustard. Do this every time the habit appears. Gradually, the cat will remember that it will be unpleasant for him to bite.
- You are not allowed to use your own hands in the game. Toys are used for biting. Any painful contact with the human body is prohibited.
- Eliminate the presence of other animals in the yard. If one cat lives in the house and the others in the yard, jealousy of the owner appears, so the pet exhibits negative behavior. If the owner wants to keep the yard animals, you can close the curtains and not let the cat outside so that he does not see his rivals.
- It is not recommended to touch or stroke an animal if it does not like it. Cats, just like people, have periods when they want to eat and sleep, but not play. If the animal begins to purr, this means that it is ready for contact.
Aggressive behavior
There are many methods that can be used to eliminate bad habits in a cat. But before that, you need to find out why he bites. The reason may be in the owner himself, in his behavior. Negative factors must be completely eliminated for the animal’s behavior to return to normal. Then it will purr and not bite. If you do this at a young age, there should be no problems with the cat later.
Night instinct
Another reason why your cat is freaking out could be that some cats are nocturnal and become more active at night. If your cat doesn't get enough exercise during the day, she may act especially crazy.
Many indoor cats spend their days alone indoors while their humans are at work. When a person comes home in the evening, the cat may be very active and wants to play. If it doesn't have an outlet for all this energy, the cat can act out in crazy ways. Kittens are especially energetic.
How to stop a cat from jumping on walls
Good afternoon. The cat constantly jumps on the door frames and rips off the wallpaper. She used to jump on flowers, but we sprinkled pepper on them and she stopped. and you can’t put pepper on the walls. Does anyone know how to stop her from jumping on walls? I tore up all the jambs and the wallpaper too. It's a pity that the renovation was only recently done
We recommend reading: Deciphering the Test for Leptospirosis in Dogs
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Feline hyperesthesia
This condition is also known as wavy skin syndrome or nervous cat syndrome. This could be another reason why your cat runs around the house, but it doesn't happen all the time. If this happens, your cat will bite and scratch at its tail or other parts of its body.
This syndrome can become a compulsive behavior, and many people think it is related to allergies, toxins, or neurological disorders.
While it may be fun to watch your cat run around the house like a maniac, it could be caused by a serious problem. It is your responsibility to look after your pet. So if you notice that he's doing this too often, don't hesitate to take him to the vet.
What should the owner do?
It is important to understand one thing - a defensive cat can seriously injure you and even cripple you. At the moment of immediate fright, it is better to leave her alone, giving her the opportunity to come to her senses. After this, you should start looking for the irritating factor and eliminating it.
Correct behavior of all family members
If you do not live alone, gather a family council. Their effectiveness will depend on the coherence of your actions. How to solve the problem depends on the situation:
- Negative memories.
Surround your pet with attention and care. Over time, he will understand that nothing threatens him in your home.
- Stress.
Choose a more comfortable carrier for visiting the veterinarian or help your kitten adapt to unfamiliar conditions.
- Fright.
Give your pet a private corner where he can hide and be alone. In addition to the house, it can be a high play complex with an observation deck at the very top (an example of a homemade house).
If you suspect an illness, contact your veterinarian immediately. Be sure to list all symptoms detected at your appointment. They will help identify the location and extent of the damage.
Should I give my cat a sedative?
Anti-anxiety medications are effective during moving and other stressful situations that cannot be eliminated. They should only be given as directed by a veterinarian. The only exception is a special diffuser with cat pheromones. It acts directly on the neurons of the brain and is not addictive.
IMPORTANT!
Do not use valerian to calm your cat. Its prolonged use is fraught with behavioral disorders and the development of drug addiction.
What not to do
Animals' fears are most often associated with negative experiences and mistakes made by their owners when raising them. The most common of them include the following:
- Punishment or reward for being scared. Both actions only exacerbate existing fear.
- Refusal to regularly visit the veterinary clinic. Periodic inspections should be routine, not a surprise.
- Too intrusive communication. Fear of people is not always associated with rough treatment. An animal may avoid its owner due to constant compulsion to play against its will.
It is also important to note that pets should never be intentionally frightened. Such actions may lead to loss of trust.
What do you want?
Before going to bed, you need to make sure that your pet has water and food, and that the tray is clean. Because otherwise the animal will not hesitate to express its needs at night, waking up the owner by meowing, demanding to immediately provide him with everything he needs right this minute.
Thus, there are not many reasons for excessive nighttime activity. And by identifying and eliminating the main one, you will be able to ensure silence at night and good rest for both yourself and the cat.
Has your cat exhibited this behavior? What caused it?
