Learn Everything You Need To Know About A Hyper Cat
Is your cat a hyper cat? It does not matter what breed your cat is, all cats have these moments when they meow like crazy, run across a room, and act like they are on a racetrack. They dart faster, look all across the place and then, stop suddenly in their racetracks.
Sometimes, this wild cat behavior is called the midnight crazies when happened at night. Hyper cats may entertain themselves with wild activities or jump on beds to paw at your elbows, feet, face, or hair, asking you to join them. Now, why is your cat so hyper? There could be various reasons why your cat behaves like this. Learn everything you need to know about a hyperactive cat here!
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Why is Your Cat So Hyper?
So, why is my cat so hyper? Is this something bothering you? As stated above, there can be many reasons behind this wild behavior of your cat. Here are some reasons why your cat gets so hyper:
Predatory Instincts
A cat is a natural predator and domestic felines retain this wild instinct to some extent. So, if your cat gets hyper or acts crazy, it may be displaying hunting behaviors, escape techniques, or fighting maneuvers.
Domestic cats do not have to hunt for their food. However, they still need to burn their pent-up energy. Now, this could be in the form of crazy behavior. Cat toys like laser pointers, catnip mice, feather wands, and food puzzles encourage cats to employ their natural instincts for grabbing, chasing, and jumping. This behavior is quite essential for your feline friend if it does not spend much time outdoors.
Senility
When older cats get hyperactive, it can happen due to senility or cognitive dysfunction. As your pet ages, the brain may begin functioning differently. As a result, your older cat exhibits crazy behavior for no particular reason.
Nocturnal Instincts
This could be another reason why your cat gets hyper. Cats behave like crazy due to their nocturnal instincts. At night, cats become active. If your cat does not exercise much throughout the day, it might act particularly crazy.
Most domestic cats usually spend their days indoors alone while their people go to work. When the owner comes back home in the evening, the cat might become active and like to play. So, if there is no outlet for this energy, it can exhibit crazy behavior.
Fleas
Your cat may behave indifferently when something bites it occasionally. Now, this could be fleas. When your cat meows as well as acts crazy, it could be sensitive to flea bites or an inch in places where it cannot reach.
If domestic cats have fleas, treat them with a prescribed product particularly for cats in the household. There are products that are designed especially for killing and preventing fleas. Also, see your veterinarian for determining whether they have any secondary allergies or skin infections from the fleas that have to be treated.
Also, you should treat the surroundings by doing laundry, vacuuming, and using flea bombs or area sprays if suggested by the vet. Once treated, your feline friend should act normal.
FHS
FHS or Feline hyperesthesia syndrome could be a rare cause for your cat’s crazy behavior. However, the cause is not known and can be often seen in mature cats. If you happen to notice the following things, discuss the chances of FHS with the vet:
How to Calm Down a Hyper Cat
Normally, a healthy cat displays energetic and playful behavior in her regular functioning. Yet, cats engage in hyper behavior can wreak havoc and danger to themselves and their surroundings. Rather than allowing your cat to bounce off walls, follow some simple steps given below for toning her down hyper behavior:
Step 1: Tie fishing line of about one foot to a stick’s end. After that, you can tie a feather’s quill to the fishing line’s end. The length of the stick can be one foot.
Step 2:Hold down the stick toward the floor. After that, move your wrist to make the feather dance on the ground. This will attract your feline friend.
Step 3:Now, hold the stick’s end by moving your arm away from the body. This will make the feather move back and forth. This will entice your kitten to run here and there for catching the feather between paws.
Step 4:Next, move the toy slowly until your cat catches the same in her paws. Then, put it away and start petting your cat slowly from the shoulders to the tail.
Step 5:Now, you need to pet the cat firmly while counting to three, from shoulders to tail. This will deliver a soothing touch to her. Begin at the head and then, work toward the tail’s tip once the cat begins to relax. Keep doing this until your cat starts to fall asleep. So, this is how to calm down a hyper cat.
Other Different Ways to Calm Your Hyperactive Cat
If your feline friend shows a high level of activity, then you can calm her down in various other ways. So, here are some methods for calming down your hyperactive cat if you are wondering how to calm a hyper cat.
Schedule Playtimes
As dogs, feline beings require an outlet to release energy. If they do not find viable methods for letting out that energy throughout the day, they may behave indifferently. So, bring in a structure in their playtime to reduce over-the-top or unwanted behavior. Using a cat-friendly toy like impressive LED lasers or tennis balls modified for containing treats could work.
Also, you can go with food-dispensing toys for cats. This is because they approximate their food-hunting instincts. These scheduled playtimes maybe just for five to ten minutes for some cats. Otherwise, they get aggressive or over-stimulated if they play for longer.
Maintain Harmony at your Place
Having multiple cats or other pets at your place can stress out your feline friends. Inappropriate urination, defecation outside their litterboxes, or urine marking are signs of stress. When you add more cats to your family, personalities can dramatically change within your household.
Although it is possible to keep multiple cats, you need to do more work for ensuring harmony within them. If your cat gets hyperactive, then consult with experienced animal behaviorists for sorting out issues. Also, your vet can look at certain factors like the cat’s history, early life, or triggers to issues. However, mental stimulation and increased exercise really help.
Address Hyperthyroid Problems
Not every unwanted behavior from your cat is behavioral. If your cat is a bit old, the most common for overactive activity can be hyperthyroidism. Older cats having this condition get an overactive thyroid gland. This gland acts as the control mechanism for your cat’s energy levels. Plus, your cat will have energy bursts.
Cats having hyperthyroidism do not sleep much and have an insatiable appetite. Generally, this occurs in older cats. To treat hyperthyroidism, you need to go for the thyroid gland’s surgical removal, radioactive iodine therapy, and the medication Methimazole.
OfferSafe Outside Experiences
When your feline friends do not have structured, safe ways for entertaining themselves, they will find other ways to let out that energy. Although your cat might like outside stimulation, threats like wild animals and traffic make this quite an unfeasible solution.
It is recommended to use a harness for your cats. This allows them to explore along with you. Also, provide outdoor enclosures like a patio, which enables them to enjoy the outdoors without getting exposed to predators.
Watch this video to find more ways to calm your hyperactive cat!
Conclusion
So, this is how to calm down a hyper cat. However, it is important to understand whether your cat actually requires to be pacified. This is because cats usually show sudden energy bursts. When your kitty is merely running and jumping for five minutes, it is not essential to stop it.
However, when the situation goes out of control or becomes dangerous, then redirect the behavior using cat toys for keeping them busy. Cats need to do exercise and mental stimulation. So, keep this in mind and address unhealthy household conflicts or behavioral issues if any.
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