Hyperactive pet, or Why does the cat run around the house like crazy?

Increased activity is observed at times in almost all cats. Without any reason, the cat runs around the apartment like crazy and it’s quite difficult to stop. Sometimes this is accompanied by the fact that the animal purrs, screams unbearably and makes other vital sounds. This behavior can usually occur in young and immature cats, as they still have youthful energy. But when such rabies manifests itself in an adult pet, you should immediately understand all the possible causes.

Feline hyperesthesia syndrome (FHS)

Feline hyperesthesia syndrome (FHS) is a rare cause of a cat acting crazy, although it most often affects mature cats and the cause is unknown.

Discuss the possibility of FGC with your veterinarian if you notice that:

• The skin on your cat's back seems to move as it runs.
• Your cat often bites her back above her tail, even if you have properly treated her for fleas.
• Touching the base of a cat's tail or back causes her to scratch, scratch, or bite violently at the area and then run madly around the house.

How to stop your cat from waking you up

How to stop a cat from marking territory in an apartment

There are various rules with which you can retrain a cat so that he does not wake up his owner in the morning by shaking various objects and running around the house. However, some of them require some changes, both in the behavior of the owner and other household members.

The most effective of them:

• Before you fall asleep, you need to decide in advance what your reaction to waking up from your pet will be.
• In the late afternoon, it is recommended to spend some time with your pet and feed it so that it does not get hungry at night.
• If you still managed to wake the cat with his meowing and active behavior, you should ignore his further attempts. Thus, the animal will not achieve its goal and will retreat.
• Many cats often suffer from loneliness, and owners do not always have time to have fun with them. In this case, some people get another cat.
• If a pet asks to be fed in the morning, thereby waking up its owners, then there is no need to give in to this. The animal must understand that it is necessary to eat breakfast according to the owner’s schedule.

To prevent your cat from suffering from loneliness, you can get another pet.

Thus, it was examined why cats rush around the apartment and what it depends on. Also, if a cat runs around the apartment like mad for a long time, screams unbearably or wakes up its owners, it is necessary to carefully study all possible reasons.

What information should you provide to your veterinarian?

First of all, the owner tells the specialist in detail about how the convulsions proceeded. Then he informs the veterinarian about the presence of chronic diseases in the cat, lifestyle, diet, and what medications she is taking. Additionally, the following facts are reported:

• the age of the animal, whether there have been seizures before;
• nature of the pathological process: constant, long-term, fast;
• when convulsions begin: the cat sleeps, eats, at what time of day;
• what is the diet: natural or industrial feed;
• the presence of stressful situations before the development of convulsive syndrome.

ACS diagnostics

To accurately determine the cause of a change in behavior in a cat, a complete examination is necessary. Unfortunately, both diagnosis and treatment of behavioral problems are often complicated by the presence of various diseases in the animal. And sometimes a combination of pathologies makes behavioral disorders especially severe.

On the other hand, sometimes behavioral symptoms that are actually caused by a serious illness are attributed to cognitive dysfunction syndrome.

The owner’s task is to identify “abnormalities” in the pet’s behavior and promptly report them to the doctor.

In addition to changing behavior, it is important to monitor the amount of food and water consumed, weight loss, frequency of bowel movements and urination, etc.

And, of course, older animals need to regularly (1-2 times a year, more often with significant deviations) visit the veterinary clinic for a comprehensive examination (measurement of body weight, blood pressure, determination of the condition of the retina, concentration of thyroid hormones, physical activity, orthopedic and neurological examination, ultrasound diagnostics, tests and blood tests (general and biochemical), urine, etc.).

Dear owners! Timely detection of the disease and its correct treatment mean extended years of life for your pet.

Behavioral disorders

Cats are vindictive and can take good revenge on their offenders. In fairness, it should be mentioned that they also remember good things very well. If an animal is often offended, poked, not caressed, not paid attention to, or driven away, you should not be surprised that it begins to take action. And he has only three methods of revenge available to him:

• shitting or urinating in the most inappropriate place;
• bite or scratch a careless or evil owner;
• prevent owners from living in peace, annoying them with loud and unpleasant screams day and night.

Basically, this behavior is characteristic of cats that have gone through cruelty and neglect of their owners. Even if they have a different, kind and affectionate owner, they will not immediately overcome their character. It will take a lot of time and effort to regain your pet's trust, pacify his temper and get rid of constant howling and whining.

The cat is trying to wake up its owner

Almost all pets of the cat family behave extremely actively in the morning, when their owners are still sleeping. When a cat runs and meows, and sometimes even licks, he is trying to wake up his owners. Such actions may be associated with the animal’s diet. Many people are accustomed to feeding their pets in the morning. That is why the cat tries to get its first meal as early as possible.

How to get rid of cat hair in an apartment: examples at home

In order to eliminate this problem, it is necessary to provide a little more food in the evening than usual, so that the animal has enough not only for the night, but also for the morning.

Poor diet and low mobility

If the diet is disrupted, the cat often wanders around the apartment, which may indicate the presence of certain factors, namely:

• physical inactivity;
• excess body weight;
• eating high-calorie foods.

With a lack of an active lifestyle or after castration, cats often develop obesity, which can cause various diseases in the body. In such cases, it is highly recommended to contact specialists.

Advice! And in order to avoid negative consequences, it is necessary to follow a diet and spend a sufficient amount of time with the animal in order to develop its mobility.

Anomalous theory

There is an opinion that cats can see the other world. Some owners notice that animals often look in various places where there seems to be nothing attractive for them, hide in a corner or chase something that is absolutely invisible to the human eye, while for others this does not happen at all nothing like this. All this depends on the faith of the pet owner. But in the case when the owner does not believe in the other world, a logical explanation for what is happening is immediately found.

Cats can see the other world

Feline hyperesthesia syndrome (FHS)

Feline hyperesthesia syndrome (FHS) is a rare cause of a cat acting crazy, although it most often affects mature cats and the cause is unknown.

Discuss the possibility of FGC with your veterinarian if you notice that:

• The skin on your cat's back seems to move as it runs.
• Your cat often bites her back above her tail, even if you have properly treated her for fleas.
• Touching the base of a cat's tail or back causes her to scratch, scratch, or bite violently at the area and then run madly around the house.

Juniper

When eaten fresh, juniper is not of particular interest to cats. However, in the form of essential oil, this plant has an effect similar to catnip: the animal appears in a playful mood. Most often it is used when they want to accustom a cat to a new place of residence, a bed, a scratching post or a toilet. The effect can be enhanced if you mix juniper and catnip, then the pet will not move away from the treated area.

This plant also has healing properties:

• good diuretic effect;
• antiallergic effect;
• treatment of joint inflammation (arthritis).

In addition, cats enjoy chewing juniper branches: this way they sharpen and clean their teeth.

Predatory instinct

Cats are natural predators, and domestic cats retain this instinct to a certain extent. Sometimes a cat that is freaking out may actually be exhibiting hunting behavior, fighting maneuvers, or escape techniques.

A domestic cat that doesn't need to hunt for food still has to burn off pent-up energy, and this can manifest itself in the form of what appears to be crazy behavior. Toys such as catnip mice, laser pointers, food puzzles and feather wands encourage your cat to use her natural instincts to grab, chase and jump. This exercise is especially important for your cat if she doesn't spend time outside.

Strong smell

A cat's nose is much more developed. The human factor is a fact that makes them much more sensitive to all sorts of odors, both by detecting the presence of another cat or an open can of their favorite food, or by sensing something unpleasant and repulsive.

In this sense, there are certain scents and aromas that cause exaggerated reactions such as running, jumping and nose wrinkles. Among these aromas we would like to mention citrus fruits such as lemon, orange and grapefruit, perfume, alcohol, smoke, onion, vinegar, cigarettes, tea, coffee and spirits, among others. For more information, don't miss the smells cats hate most.

The cat demands to open the door to the room, but does not go there herself.

It happens that a cat stubbornly meows in front of a closed door to a room, scratches the door with its claws, demanding to be let in immediately. But as soon as the door is opened, she loses interest in this room, turns away and leaves, or freezes on the threshold and does not want to enter.

People involved in the supernatural claim that cats communicate and sometimes become friends with brownies. This is how the cat looks for its friend in the rooms. Therefore, she demands to be allowed into a closed room. But as soon as she sees that there is no brownie in this room, she leaves to look for him further.

From a scientific point of view, the animal’s behavior is explained by the desire to control its territory. All cats consider themselves the owners of the apartment where they live. As the owner, they want to have unhindered access to all premises. The cat must keep everything under control, then it will be calm. Having made sure through the open door that everything is in order in the room, she does not go there as unnecessary.

There are different explanations for the eccentricities of cats. Some people believe in the psychic abilities of pets, while others explain their behavior in terms of reason. But everyone agrees on one thing - the cat is one of the most unusual pets with its own well-established set of habits.

The cat is running around the apartment - why is he doing this?

Throughout their existence, cats have earned the favor of people due to their attractive appearance and unique character. Many also know that there is a sign that speaks of the healing properties of such animals. That is why today such pets are owned by a large number of people who love them with all their hearts and are attentive to their health.

Why does the cat constantly run around the apartment, yelling, licking and biting?

However, there are times when strange behavior in pets causes concern for the owner. Suddenly the cat runs around like crazy and meows, and sometimes even shows aggression, which certainly infuriates its owner.

Often the animal feels anxious at this time, which may indicate a deterioration in its health. In such cases, it is recommended to devote significantly more time to your pet than usual. It is necessary to take care of it, play and delight it with new toys, which can also significantly improve the animal’s mood.

If your cat is running around the apartment like crazy, you should examine his health status.

Often cats show vigorous activity for only 10-15 minutes. However, in the case where it lasts longer, it is necessary to find out the reason for the sudden attack of frantic behavior. It is especially important to know the main reasons why a cat runs around the yard or apartment.

The cat wants to go outside

Quite often, owners who live in apartment buildings have the habit of walking their cats in the fresh air. And if a cat is running around the house like crazy, this may indicate that the pet needs to go outside. Also, the desire to leave the house may be due to the fact that the animal is trying to find a female for fertilization.

Cats, like cats, can be quite restless, and this behavior escalates in the spring. Running around the apartment may be accompanied by other problems in their behavior. Pets can damage furniture, make loud noises at night, and even become aggressive.

Important! During this period, experts recommend using sedatives in small quantities, which they usually give to pets in large doses to administer anesthesia.

Pet nervousness

If he feels anxious or is very frightened by something, he can also run around the apartment, hide, fluff his tail and even bite his owners, thereby showing excessive aggression.

How to protect a cat from household members

In such cases, it is recommended to calm the animal as soon as possible by protecting it from household members using a carrier or cage. Afterwards, it is imperative to go to a veterinary clinic, whose specialists must diagnose the cat’s health condition.

The cat wants to go to the toilet

Often cats, before relieving themselves, begin to show increased activity, running around the house. To date, experts cannot establish the reason for this behavior, however, there is an opinion that running contributes to a quick and painless trip to the toilet.

This assumption is explained by the fact that the active running of the animal stimulates the peristalsis of its intestines, as a result of which the cat rarely has problems during times of need.

The cat is trying to clean his butt

Regardless of the thickness of the fur, various miniature-sized objects, such as pieces of napkins or Christmas tree tinsel, often stick to the pet’s butt. The animal does not feel comfortable at this time, and in order to get rid of unwanted objects, the kitten rushes like crazy from room to room.

That is why, if a cat behaves strangely, the owner needs to diagnose the entire body of the pet for the presence of foreign objects that may bother him.

How not to react to cats meowing

You need to understand that you cannot hit a cat. He will become afraid of his owner, hide in hard-to-reach places and scream from there. A click on the nose or ear will scare your pet away from the table or forbidden room, but will not silence him.

Spraying with water from a spray bottle will disperse the bullies gathered to fight or silence the screaming monster, but only for a short time. The cat respects the actions of the leader if they are strict but fair. And he perceives ill-conceived punishments as hostile aggression. The animal will begin to hide from the offender.

Rabies

Inappropriate cat behavior can also be caused by the rabies virus.
Many people know that dogs suffer from rabies, but cats are also susceptible to this disease. Rabies is a fatal viral disease of warm-blooded animals. Even humans can get sick from it. A cat can become infected by eating a sick rodent or from a sick animal, through saliva or injury. The incubation period can be from 2-3 weeks to several months, and in rare cases up to a year.

shutterstock

The disease in an animal is manifested by the following symptoms:

• profuse drooling;
• photophobia;
• lack of appetite;
• the cat can eat inedible objects;
• diarrhea and vomiting;
• inappropriate behavior: the animal rushes at the owner, bites, tries to scratch the face, goes crazy.

There is no cure for rabies and it is prohibited to treat it so that the doctor does not become infected. The sick animal is isolated. If a person gets saliva from a sick cat or is bitten by it, then that person must undergo a course of treatment. Otherwise, it will be fatal. To protect your pet from such a dangerous disease, it is necessary to get vaccinated against rabies.

shutterstock

Where does SKD come from?

Possible reasons:

1. disturbance of cerebral blood supply - a change in the circulatory system of the brain due to hypoxia caused by heart disease, hypertension, anemia, impaired blood clotting, the formation of small hemorrhages near blood vessels, arteriosclerosis
2. tissue damage from free radicals As cells age, they process nutrients less and less well, the amount of energy decreases, and the number of free radicals in the cells increases, which the body’s antioxidant defense does not have time to neutralize. An excess of these radicals leads to tissue damage, with brain tissue being especially sensitive.

Hallucinations

This symptom is the surest way to determine that it is time to see a doctor. Hallucinations come in different types of perception:

1. Auditory. Almost all patients in a psychiatric clinic hear extraneous voices in their heads. It can be absolutely anyone. In a normal person, only the inner self sounds in his head. This is a common phenomenon; while thinking, we talk to ourselves. There is no pathology in this.

How do you know if you're going crazy? It's sad when an outside voice starts giving advice or conducting dialogue. It happens that animals or objects begin to talk. Here you should be wary and urgently undergo an examination.

2. Visual. People with mental disorders are more likely to experience creepy hallucinations. The appearance of devils and living creatures from walls and windows is a standard phenomenon for this type of disease. Naturally, this is terrifying, but there are also beautiful hallucinations. Colorful trees, flying animals. You should also not get carried away with the spectacular spectacle; the doctor will help you get rid of them.

3. Tactile. The sick person feels as if someone is touching him. Pulling hair or limbs. It is common for a person with a mental disorder to feel dirty or dirty. How can you tell if a person is going crazy? Endless hand washing, rubbing the skin until it bleeds, or scratching the skin are clear signs of an incipient nervous system disease.

What's normal and what's not?

If you have never had a cat in your apartment before, you need to know why kittens vocalize most often:

weaned from their mother, they experience stress; animals want to eat, but don’t know where the food is; ready to play, so they do their best to attract attention.

Knowing about these cat habits, it is easy to project them onto the toilet situation. In the new walls, without a mother who took care of everything, including the hygiene of her baby, the kitten is lost. Even if he was already litter box trained, everything was different in the old house! Well, how can you not start meowing all over the apartment!

The owner is faced with a rather tricky task - to help the pet “remember everything” and convince him that the new tray is no worse than the old one. The situation is more difficult when the kitten has not yet acquired the necessary skills.

Its owner has to start training from scratch: watch with sympathy as the baby walks around the rooms and cries, clearly worried about where to relieve himself, and in the toilet, where he is dragged, cannot figure out that it is the tray that will give the long-awaited relief, and squeaks even more pitifully. However, no matter how difficult the lessons turn out to be, this is a normal process and there is no reason to worry.

Another fairly typical cause of concern may be the desire of the mustachioed-striped one to certainly attract the attention of his owners: he wants someone reliable to be nearby, if necessary, to help, to protect him from “external enemies” who strive to “offend the weak” in situations when he is particularly defenseless and not ready to escape. However, this is a purely individual question.

Some kittens will prefer an intimate setting for toileting, while others will want to remain the center of attention. There are many cases when respectable cats, accustomed to independence from youth, having matured, begin to attract the attention of people in precisely this way (in the absence of any physiological problems).

However, this is a purely individual question. Some kittens will prefer an intimate environment for toileting, others will want to remain the center of attention.

There are many cases when respectable cats, accustomed to independence from youth, having matured, begin to attract the attention of people in precisely this way (in the absence of any physiological problems).

However, in order to be sure that your pet’s health is all right, you need to know some of the characteristics of the cat’s body and notice any deviation from the norm. Here are a couple of important points:

• if plant foods occupy a significant place in the diet, then the kitten often does “big things” than if it was fed mainly protein foods;
• Kittens walk “small” more often than older animals, since their bladder is very small.

The point, of course, is not to record on paper every visit of your pet to the toilet, but if you realize that he hasn’t been there for a long time, perhaps you will prevent the development of any gastrointestinal diseases in your baby and find a way to help to him.

Recommendations

To avoid the manifestation of inadequate brain reactions to what is happening around you, you need to train it. Periodic changes in activity, rest and new experiences are a lifeline for a workaholic.

If a person, due to circumstances, does not work or is lonely, he needs to find a hobby. Get a pet or do charity work. Helping others will distract you from focusing on your own personality and relieve brain activity. If there is a sudden manifestation of “extrasensory” abilities or uncontrollable conditions, you must immediately consult a doctor.

Symptomatic treatment

If the cat’s usual behavior has changed for the worse and remains so for several days, then the animal should be taken to the veterinarian to find out the reasons.

The following symptoms should alert the owner:

• the coordination of the animal’s movements is impaired;
• changes in heart rate and breathing;
• detached gaze at one point, reluctance to move;
• unjustified aggression;
• licking the fur until it is wet;
• Unreasonably jumping into nowhere, hitting with paws into nowhere, hunting for an imaginary but non-existent object, hitting walls.

If an animal suffers from a physical illness or has internal injuries, it must be treated accordingly. The doctor will conduct an examination and prescribe medications.

If the cat is nervous due to psychological problems, the specialist will prescribe mild sedatives.

At home, you can calm your cat with a few drops of valerian or motherwort. Drugs such as “Stop-stress”, diazepam, cat bayun have proven themselves well.

In severe cases, for example, if the cat is afraid of absolutely everything, and it needs to be transported on crowded public transport for a long time, veterinarians may prescribe sleeping pills. The animal will fall asleep in the carrier and will not show any anxiety. But you should not get carried away with such drugs, and even more so, prescribe them yourself. Sleeping pills are serious medications with a lot of side effects that may not appear immediately. The use of tranquilizers is a one-time measure when there is simply no other way to transport the animal.

Wants to “walk”

This applies to variants of absolute norms. The cat's natural desire to continue its breed can result in overly active behavior. Females also ask for a cat with a certain frequency. There are 2 solutions here:

Owner's behavior after surgery. Surgical removal of genitalia procedures are performed quickly. But recovery will take some time. During this period, the animals are too weak and need special attention from the owner.

It is unacceptable to leave pets after surgery with sources of possible dangers, in particular water.

The toilet lid should always be down. Other containers must also be closed. In addition, it is important to take care of a balanced diet and avoid the development of obesity.

Tip #1

If the kitten is very angry, you should try to catch it and pick it up, stroke it and caress it. At this age, the pet grows and develops; it has a lot of energy that needs to be released. Therefore, it is recommended to spend a lot of time with him: pick him up, play, distract him from pranks.

The more you entertain a kitten during the day, the less it will disturb its owner at night, since there will be no energy left for this and its activity will noticeably decrease. You can play especially actively with him a couple of hours before bedtime so that he gets tired. You need to stop playing gradually, making your movements smoother and calmer. If you interrupt it suddenly, the kitten will want to continue and will begin to chase the owner’s legs.

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.

Calming a hyperactive kitten

Many people will be seriously disappointed after purchasing a kitten. As the famous saying goes, “the plans are rosy, the results are birch.” We dreamed of a quiet, purring animal that you could pet and caress! And play and run for a candy wrapper on a string. And a real little monster has settled in the house, who won’t sit still for a minute, constantly jumping and jumping. Who said that kittens sleep a lot? There are so many losses in the form of torn curtains, wallpaper and furniture! So, are all kittens like this, or did you get some special, unique kitten?

You, dear readers, ask a lot of such questions. And you immediately go to the extreme: give it to good hands! Return to the breeder! One can also hear the inhumane thing - put him to sleep! What happened to the cute kitten, an indispensable character in “sweet” greeting cards?

Firstly, a lot depends on your kitten's temperament. His childhood is in full swing! Think back to yourself when you were between the ages of three and seven. Did you play quietly with dolls and cars, without causing your parents any worries or troubles? Hardly! Surely your parents at some stage threw up their hands and complained to everyone they met. And they heard in response the sacramental phrase: “Let it outgrow!” The same can be said about a kitten. He will grow up, mature, gain life experience, and calm down. With kittens this process goes much faster than with children...

Secondly, it is possible that you have come across a hyperactive kitten. The one who had an awl in one famous place... But don’t rush to conclusions! It’s better to watch your baby, try to soberly understand the reasons for his hyperactivity. Are you spending enough time with your pet? Do you play or study with him? Socializing, borrowing? Or do you do it occasionally, “when you have time”? The fact is that the energy in all kittens, without exception, is in full swing. You need to “let off steam” from the kids, in the good sense of the word, “wear out” them so that they literally collapse without strength. What to ask from a kitten who is looking for his own entertainment every day...

Go to the pet store, buy mice, rats, fishing rods, feathers. You can also buy a laser pointer - this device works flawlessly! The main thing is to find time for games and activities! Otherwise, why did you even get an animal?

Do not use force under any circumstances! Do not scream or physically punish the kitten. Never! Perhaps, in the heat of the game, the kitten began to bite you painfully with its sharp teeth. Try the old tactic: just stop the game and leave your pet alone. Let it cool down! No games until your baby completely calms down and comes to his senses. Do not under any circumstances encourage such “biting” - kittens willingly take this model of behavior with them into adulthood. Imagine what will happen when an adult animal bites you as a “joke”? And you will have yourself to blame for encouraging such behavior!

So let's start teaching good manners now. Does your mischief-maker just dream of biting you? Well, smear your finger with mustard or hot chili sauce. It helps a lot!

Medical problems. As you can see, it is necessary to distinguish between false hyperactivity, age-related, and real hyperactivity. Sometimes excessive activity of an animal indicates serious health problems. And you should start with a trip to the veterinarian. Most likely, you will hear valuable advice right away: the doctor will advise you to castrate or neuter your pet. True, after castration his behavior will not change much, but his aggression will definitely decrease. Those who believe that after surgery the animals become more “calm” and more “domestic” are absolutely right. They no longer need to wander around the house and look for additional adventures. So the operation should definitely be done!

But remember: castration or sterilization is not a panacea. It does not kill the cat's nature in and of itself. And the need to engage with your pet, keep it busy, entertain, and “exhaust” it will not go away. Learn active and outdoor games. Well, with age, of course, it will become easier!

Source