Does your cat suddenly start running and jumping all over the house, seemingly chasing invisible prey? He sometimes even savagely attacks your hands or feet, as if he were possessed by the devil himself? We call this phenomenon the fifteen minutes of madness, or zoomies, and it is quite common among our feline friends. Explanations.
A way to release energy
Cats are most often victims of madness when the sun sets or rises. Indeed, particularly at the end of the day, this is the time when all the energy they have accumulated during the day asks to be released. They then become uncontrollable : they run in all directions, jump from furniture to furniture, climb the curtains, stop then start again… Then, suddenly, they become “normal” again, as if nothing had happened.
Thus, it is more particularly the young catsTHE cats living in apartments and those who are often alone who adopt this strange behavior. That is to say those who are subject to a lack of activity !
Indeed, cats are predators who have always had the habit of hunting for food. And this activity required a lot of energy. However, from now on, the lives of our feline friends are often limited to eating without having to make any effort and sleeping.
How to react?
If your cat often has crazy periods of time, this means that he has need to be more stimulated on a daily basis. Whether physically or intellectually. So, you will have to increase playing time that you dedicate to it every day. This is to enable him to let off steam enough.
Likewise, think about arrange your interior to allow your cat to occupy itself during your absence. For example, install high shelves, invest in a scratching post and a cat tree, hang hanging toys from door handles, etc.
But above all, don’t scold your cateven if he starts wildly scratching your curtains or knocking over objects in his path! Indeed, he only obeys his instinct and would not understand why he would be reprimanded. Especially since, if you think about it, it’s a bit your fault if he acts like this…
What if it was a real problem?
If your cat suddenly starts going crazy although he had never done it beforeit may be because he is under intense stress. Running like crazy for a few minutes is therefore his way ofrelease all the anxiety which eats away at him. This can be triggered in particular by a move, the arrival of a new animal in the home or even a change in routine.
In this case, don’t panic, just make sure to give him a little more attention than usual in order to secure it. Once he accepts his new environment, everything should return to normal.
However, if this behavior does not stop, you may need to consider a medical problem. Indeed, certain conditions can cause cats to go crazy. This is particularly the case for hyperthyroidism, allergies and skin diseases, flea infestations and even blindness and deafness.
