Have you noticed that recently your cat is pacing a lot? It’s not the normal behavior your feline bud displays every once in a while; this time, your cat is pacing excessively as if it’s bothered by something. Since cats can’t speak, people who take care of them has to rely heavily on cat behavior. If there are irregularities such as excessive pacing, it’s best to figure the causes early on in order to prevent and find fast remedy.
Pain
Your cat pacing a lot is clearly a sign of discomfort. That’s the first thing that people usually consider. Since your nap-loving kitty seems to be losing a number of naps and do a lot of pacing, you can think of pain as the primary reason. While this is a rather broad one, consider injuries first. Check your cat if he or she has visible wounds which you can help mend. If not, see if there are lumps or a part that your kitty keeps licking to know in which part it’s feeling pain or discomfort.
Hyperthyroidism
Cats with overactive thyroid has their metabolism up. As such, your cat can get easily hungry and quite hyperactive. Both of these can cause discomfort and anxiety to your cat because it can’t stay put and feel rested thus the excessive pacing.
Old Age
Another common reason why your cat is pacing a lot is due to old age. Felines can become senile and this causes them to develop unusual behaviors. For older cats that seem to keep wandering, it’s either they are feeling confused in their own house as to where their food or water bowl is or they are simply wanting to do something but can’t figure out what. It’s important for people to be extra patient and help elderly cats to stay in focus and reduce their age-induced chronic pacing.
Stress
When your cat is pacing too much, you can immediately tell there is something bothering him or her. Just as how people usually pace back and forth when they can’t stand or sit still either due to nervousness or excitement, the same goes for cats. But unlike for us humans that understand what we’re feeling, why and how to resolve this, cats may also know but the way to relieve themselves can be quite limited. As such, pacing turns into one of the ways a cat relieves its jittery feelings especially when it’s anxious or stressed. This roaming behavior becomes even more obviously related to stress when you either moved houses, renovated some stuff, have a new baby and other changes in your house that your cat considers its territory.
Emotional Distress
All of the above can be put under or be part of emotional distress. Pain and stress for example are easily related to distress. But in this part, we focus more on your cat’s emotions over other factors such as nerves or medical issues. So while it continues to be a subject of debate and further study on whether cats feel an attachment with their fellow pets or their owners, many do believe they have feelings. This considered, when a cat suffers from the loss of a family or friend whether it’s a human or pet, this can cause emotional distress to your kitty pushing him or her to develop this excessive pacing behavior. When your cat is also in conflict with a fellow pet if he or she lives in a multi-pet household, this can also be a factor.
Boredom
This is a pretty self-explanatory reason that answers why your cat is pacing a lot. To resolve this, best to engage your kitty in stimulating puzzles and play high-energy games together. By high-energy, it usually means you just chilling in one place and letting your cat chase the red dot or some other toy you’re controlling.
In Heat
If your feline bud hasn’t been spayed or neutered yet, pacing is a behavior that indicates your cat is in heat. Cats can get into excessive pacing habits when they’re looking for partners during this cycle and male cat would usually get into this roaming behavior especially when it can detect the scent or pheromones of a queen cat around the area. Additionally, when your pregnant cat is pacing a lot it’s a signal that you’re welcoming the kittens anytime soon.
So, depending on which one has caused or is causing your kitty this abnormal pacing behavior then the remedy is also different for each case. It’s best to observe your cat for some time to figure if it’s a medical or behavioral issue. Then, as your cat’s guardian, you can decide if it’s behavioral modification or a vet’s recommended therapy or medication that will help solve your cat’s unusual pacing habits.
