Credits: Social Media
Why your cat has sudden bursts of energy, and how to deal with ‘the zoomies’
The zoomies are a common occurrence among cats who, seemingly out of nowhere, will start sprinting around the house, climbing up the curtains and acting skittish – its something that appears to happen at random but there are several reasons that may cause your feline friend to act in such a way.
What causes the zoomies in cats
The term zoomies is one of several colloquial terms given to what is scientifically known as the frenetic random activity period (FRAP), which is a short amount of time where a cat (or indeed a dog) has unexpected bursts of energy.
There are several reasons why this occurs and a recent video posted to Instagram by Pride of Kitty Cats explains them.
The most common reason for a pet to experience the zoomies is that they are expelling energy that has been pent up during the day. As cats are natural ambush hunters, they use their energy in short bursts and if theyve spent most of the day snoozing, they will often wake up with lots of energy stored up and will need a way of using it up.
Another common cause of the zoomies is a cat needing to use the litter box. Before (or sometimes after) they do their business, a cat may feel antsy – much like us humans when were desperate for the toilet – which can cause skittishness.
And the third most common reason why a cat would experience a bout of the zoomies is that theyre feeling irritated or aggressive towards something. This can sometimes be caused by a cat having fleas or if its experiencing acute pain which may cause it to lurch around.
Older cats, who may suffer from poor eyesight or hearing, may also get startled more easily, resulting in cases of the zoomies.
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How to deal with the zoomies
The best way to ensure that your cat doesnt get the zoomies in the middle of the night and wake you up at 3am is to make sure it has some exercise.
If your cat is able to go outside, let it go out for a wander during the day and tucker itself out. If your feline is an indoor cat, it could be wise to schedule some playtime not long before bed to ensure that your kitty tires itself out.
If your cat is having trouble relieving itself at the litter box or has a colony of fleas living in its fur that are causing zoomies, you may need a trip to the vet to see if they can find out what is upsetting your beloved feline and help to get it sorted so both you and your cat can get back to living in peace.
Social media reacts
As the zoomies are a common occurrence among cats, many owners have their own experiences of the phenomenon and have shared them on social media.
Commenting on Pride of Kitty Cats video, one Instagram user said: My English mother-in-law called the zoomies their daft half hour. I love that phrase.
While a second joked: I thought it was their fondness for turning up when their humans are on Zoom calls aka photo bombing.
[My cats] love to zoomies after litter box deposit and then spread the litter around the unit, wrote a third.
This exasperated Instagram user said: WHY do they zoom at 3am?
A message echoed by this commenter: Zoomies are so fun except at 3am.
And finally, another wrote: Which is why my cats an outdoor one, no zoomies here.
