Many cat owners have often encountered their beloved pets becoming unusually active as soon as night falls. There can be various reasons for this behavior.
Attracts your attention
In some cases, a furry pet, by displaying excessive activity, is trying to attract its owner's attention. This intelligent animal thus demands to be fed, played with, or shown affection and tenderness.
Many owners, in an effort to quickly fall asleep under a warm blanket, try to satisfy their pet's whims: feed them, play with them, pet them. This is not recommended: cats are very intelligent and resourceful creatures. If you indulge them even once, they'll learn that their nocturnal antics can get them what they want next time. Simply ignoring this behavior won't work; you should try to correct it.
Here are a few tricks you can use to wean your cat off excessive nighttime activity:
- Before going to bed, you should give your pet some attention and affection, and play with him.
- When playing with your cat, you can use toys that imitate hunting.
- Perhaps it is necessary to expand the range of toys.
- After the game, you should reward the animal with something tasty.
- You can install an automatic feeder and set it to open once or twice a night. This way, the cat won't have to wake its owner when it's hungry.
- When the cat becomes more sedate, you need to encourage it with affection and praise.
Getting ready to go to the toilet
One reason a cat starts running around the apartment may be because it wants to go to the bathroom. This can be explained by the fact that running stimulates intestinal peristalsis, making it easier for the animal to use the litter box after such a warm-up. This behavior can also be explained by natural instincts. After all, in the wild, a cat will look for a suitable spot before going to the bathroom and only then do its necessary business.
The pet is overexcited
If your pet is overly agitated, pay close attention to its behavior. If, for no apparent reason, your cat is afraid of its owner or, conversely, displays aggression, exhibits abnormal behavior, or runs erratically around the apartment, this could indicate a serious nervous system problem or a sign of rabies. In this situation, the animal should be placed in a closed carrier that prevents it from biting or scratching and taken to a veterinarian.
Health problems are possible
Sometimes it can be difficult to detect your cat's illness. A major sign that your cat has health issues can be changes in its behavior.
Conditions such as thyroid disease, cognitive dysfunction, painful arthritis, and high blood pressure can cause excessive activity in cats. It's also worth paying attention to your cat's running behavior. Running in circles or sideways can be a sign of a stroke or hypertension. In this case, a visit to the veterinarian is essential.
No matter how smart and intelligent a pet may be, it's still an animal first. By showing patience, care, and affection, you can correct your cat's behavior and stop it from waking up the entire house at night. In some cases, attentive care can also help prevent serious consequences of an illness.
