Why Is My Cat So Hyper?

When we think of cats, we typically associate them as quiet balls of fur that like nothing better than cuddling up next to the fireside?

​So why has your usually quiet and reserved feline friend suddenly become a fierce ball of energy, darting around the house incessantly? 

If this has happened recently, you’re probably wondering what the cause might be, especially if your cat is no longer a kitten. It is normally a regular old case of the zoomies, where your cat is expelling pent up energy, but it can be sometimes linked to other causes too. 

If you want to find out more about your cat's recent bursts of energy, keep reading, as we take a look below.

The Most Common Reason Your Cat Is So Hyper

Usually, as we touched on briefly above, you can safely presume that your cat's recent hyperactivity is due to some pent up energy that they’re harboring. Depending on the age of your cat, those that are of a younger age may be more hyperactive than those who are older. 

Older cats can still get the ‘zoomies’ however, when they haven’t had enough play time during the day. If they haven’t had the opportunity to exercise, this pent up energy will come out in the evening time, when they should be relaxing.

Medical Causes

Although not often, medical causes may be responsible for your cat being hyperactive. One of the most common disorders attached to this is when there is too much of the thyroid hormone being produced. Medically this is called hyperthyroidism. 

When there is an excessive amount of the thyroid hormone in your cat's body, this will cause them to have an increased amount of energy. 

Another common medical cause that could be causing your cat to be hyperactive is fleas. The reason why fleas could be making them hyperactive is because if they are bitten by one, it will send them into a state of disease and rouse them. 

These are not serious and a visit to your local veterinarian can help to solve this problem. Nearly all cats will get fleas at some point in their lives, so this might be what’s plaguing your feline friend. 

Finally, another medical condition that might be responsible for causing your cat discomfort and sending them into a hyperactive state is an urinary tract infection.

This can be particularly painful for your cat and send them into a state of panic which might present itself as hyperactivity. 

One of the things that you can do to figure out if this is the issue is to observe when your cat is behaving in a hyper manner, and if it’s right after they’re seen using the litter tray. 

Their Instincts

Another common reason why your cat may be presenting as hyper recently is because of their predatory instincts. These are hardwired into their DNA, and are something that they have no control over. 

Perhaps you have a mouse lurking in your house that you don’t know about. Because cats have an increased sense of hearing as well as sight, they will be able to spot this far quicker than you are able to. 

Cats can become incredibly frustrated when they don’t manage to catch their prey, so if they fail to catch whatever they’ve been chasing in your house, they may become hyperactive as a result. 

If you are sure that there is nothing in your house, they may just have seen or heard something outdoors which has roused their instincts.

Don’t interrupt them if this is the case, as when they are in a predatory state of mind they can become aggressive. This anger could be redirected towards you if you interact with them, so wait until they’ve calmed down. 

They Are Bored

Just like we human beings tend to get bored when we have no outside stimulus to keep us occupied, your cat will try to amuse themselves.

If you don’t have very many toys around the house, or don’t engage in play with your cat very often, it might be time to invest some time and money into keeping them entertained. 

Although cats are commonly thought of as being incredibly independent, they can get bored too, and this is a very common cause of why your cat may be hyperactive.

​They might engage in unwanted activities, such as scratching the furniture, so it’s important to try and rectify the situation.

Some Things You Can Do To Solve Your Cat’s Hyperactivity

One of the first things you can do to calm your cat's unwanted behavior is simply setting aside some time each day to engage in play. These sessions should last for approximately 20 minutes, or until your cat appears satisfied. 

Another thing you can do to calm them is to simply take them for a walk, where they can expend some of their energy.

​Taking your cat for walks will also help to prevent them from developing obesity which can occur as a symptom of inactivity. 

Finally, if you are able to invest your time and money in getting your cat a new companion, this might help to solve your cat's hyperactivity.

Cats are social creatures, and having another feline companion around to occupy their time will likely be highly beneficial.

​Final Thoughts

Your cat's hyperactivity can be due to a whole host of different causes, but most of them are not serious and can be solved easily.

​Most of the time, the reason why cats appear hyperactive is due to boredom, or their predatory instincts kicking in. 

More rarely, it can be due to a medical condition such as fleas, or hyperthyroidism, so if you suspect that these might be the cause, take your cat to your local veterinarian.