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If you can keep your cat awake for much of the evening, they may then be tired enough to sleep once it is time for you to go to bed. Crepuscular animals tend to be most active during the late evenings and early mornings—so just as we are winding down, they are winding up. This is the peak time that cats prefer to play, hunt, and do all their basic activities. Queens that have recently given birth and are nursing kittens may demonstrate aggression toward individuals that approach them. Owners should provide a quiet, low-stress environment, keep visitors to a minimum, and avoid contact with the queen and kittens if they observe aggression. Maternal aggression will usually subside as the kittens get older and more independent.

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Acclimating a cat to a carrier can take several weeks for some cats. Place a blanket around the carrier and carefully put the carrier in the back seat of the car. In the interrogation room, he sees Mom, who is a bit frazzled. His familiar kids are hanging from the vet’s mini blinds or playing “puncture my brother’s ear drum” with the otoscope. Mom’s cellphone begins to ring, and the kids direct their attention to Mr. P as they try to drag him out of his box by some newly enhanced interrogation technique.

A visit to the veterinarian can bring terror to the independent cat who doesn’t venture out of their secure home very often. It sounds as if in the beginning the cat had NO reason to trust anyone. I feel sure she assesed the energy and felt no harm with you.

Sign up and make sure you are always on top of the most important info for you and your pets. If your vet hospital is small and doesn’t have a separate cat waiting area, ask to be put into an exam room or a quiet space as soon as you come in. Dogs with ears flapping in the breeze are a common sight. Getting your cat into a box when the cat is not on board with the plan is no small task.

I found with my cat that in kind at home and reverts to feral on trips. I bought a kennel that opens from the top so kitty can be lifted out. Also just by chance we learned on one trip, when mommy stepped out of the room, it confused kitty a little bit and she did MUCH better without me in the room or close enought to even smell me. Sometimes it’s difficult to know exactly what caused your cat to go a little wild all of a sudden. Many people understand basic dog vocalizations and behaviors but don’t recognize basic cat behaviors.

Jackie Brown is a content creator specializing in the pet industry. Jackie is the former editor of numerous pet magazines and is a regular contributor to pet magazines and websites. Despite having easy access to food, domesticated cats are still driven by their instincts to hunt and chase prey. “Zoomies” is a word used to describe seemingly random periods of bursts of energy in cats. Cats with the zoomies might suddenly leap up and race around the living room or even the entire house, running, jumping, climbing and otherwise going crazy with activity. No cat should suffer veterinary neglect over a simple issue like cat carrier transport.

Once they’re comfortable in the carrier and actually enjoy sleeping it it, take your kitty to the vet just to say ‘hello! ’ – provided they’re not stressed out by the car or mode of transportation (otherwise, build it up step-wise as with the cat carrier and the following routine at the vet’s). Keep a towel in the carrier that can absorb their scent, so that it will be something soothing and familiar when they go to the vet.

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It’s not uncommon for a cat to have a ‘backup home’, especially if they’re being spoiled. These play sessions also address another common reason cats keep you up at night, which is that they are bored and lonely. If your cat is home alone all day while you are at work, they may be anxious to spend time with you in the evening. Unfortunately, this may conflict with your unwinding time for bed. Male, and more rarely female, cats may demonstrate aggression toward other male cats as they approach social maturity between two and four years of age. The first step in addressing this behavior is to neuter or spay all cats involved, as sexual hormones may play an important role in this type of aggression.

One option is feeding your cat meals from a food-dispensing toy. Feeder toys simulate a wild feline’s hunt-catch-consume behavior, providing both mental and physical stimulation. This educational content is not veterinary advice and does not replace consultation with a qualified veterinarian. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy.

She suggests a cat stroller, rather than a regular old carrier — especially for those of you who walk to the vet instead of taking car rides to the vet. Give treats as immediate rewards once they enter the carrier. If your cat loves fishing line toys, this is a good exercise to play in and around the carrier openings.

Possible explanations include overstimulation and an attempt by the cat to control when the petting ends. Handling, bathing, grooming, and nail trimming can also cause this type of aggression. In many cases, the cat will demonstrate dilated pupils, tail lashing, and ears moved backward on the head before becoming aggressive.

In between the long periods of rest and sleep, cats often experience a surge in energy . That burst of feel-good vibes can sometimes trigger the zoomies in cats. There are several different reasons cats get the zoomies; some are related to cat behavior and some reasons are medical. If nothing else, your kitty may be disoriented enough to make it easier to capture and confine her. Others felines may be chilled out by a little catnip in the carrier. Even cats who seem more carefree and easy-going sense stress and fear more than we realize.

Low-Stress Ways to Get Your Very Feisty (Claws-Out) Cat to the Vet

According to studies, cats usually don’t travel further than a one mile radius of their home. When cats are missing for 2-3 days or less, they were probably just exploring their territory, seeking a mate, or hunting a prey. Check out our guide on how to care for a new kitten or cat to make sure you’re properly providing for your feline furbaby. If you have outdoor cats, be sure to provide them with a warm place to stay in winter. Neglect and abandonment are two other potential reasons why your cat may not come home. Similarly if your home has been neglected, or you’ve failed to give your cat the care they need, they may run away from home.

Unfortunately, dognapping is on the rise and our feline friends may be affected by pet theft too. Professional cat thieves would most likely target expensive cat breeds, so they can sell the cat and make a profit. Therefore you should keep an extra close eye on your cat if they fall into one of those breeds. Hopefully, your cat will get well soon and be back home in no time. Cats who are sick or injured are more vulnerable in the outdoors alone.

In all of this, the important part is to keep an eye on the cat. If it signals that it is not ready for this step, back up a few. Don’t worry about how fast it goes, how much progress you made, focus on your cat. They’ll let you know when they’re comfortable and ready for the next step.

Potential reasons why cats go missing and don’t come back

However, if it happens often, or if it is combined with inappropriate urination or defecation outside the litter box, you should have your cat seen by a vet to rule out any health issues. In senior cats, zoomies are sometimes a sign of dementia and cognitive decline related to conditions such as cognitive dysfunction syndrome . This condition, which is common in middle aged and senior cats, occurs when the thyroid gland becomes overactive, making too many thyroid hormones. In addition to hyperactivity, other signs of hyperthyroidism in cats include weight loss, increased appetite, increased thirst, excessive urination, vomiting and diarrhea. Whether you call them cat zoomies or cat crazies, this feline behavior is unmistakable. In the interest of avoiding this worst-case scenario, here are my top tips for cornering, capturing and confining cats for safe transport to the vet.

Living inside is safe for a house cat, but it’s also far less interesting than surviving in the wild. Some indoor cats are desperate for something to break up the monotony, so they make up their own fun time in the form of the zoomies, which can combat their pent-up energy. Veterinarians recommend the use of a carrier for travel because it is the safest and most secure way to transport animals. Once you arrive at your veterinarian’s office, your cat who is in a secure carrier will be safe from being bothered by other curious pets and will feel less vulnerable.

Its causes in cats can be complex, both in terms of triggers and targets, making it challenging to find strategies to eliminate aggressive feline behavior. Spray bad-tasting commercial pet repellents on fabrics to deter chewing. It is best to rotate the positions and types of items sprayed so your cat learns that all fabric tastes bad. Your cat should not be able to predict by smelling which items are sprayed, so choose a repellent without a foul odor. Finally, in severe cases, your veterinarian may prescribe medications that decrease your cat’s desire to chew or suck on inappropriate targets.

If you want to put the breaks on your cat’s zoomies, redirect her energy with play. If your older cat starts showing more frequent zoomies, especially if she hasn’t really been prone to them before, have her checked out by a veterinarian. If your cat is experiencing the zoomies more than usual, and is also displaying other symptoms of hyperthyroidism, have her checked out by your veterinarian.

When the cat’s person comes home in the evening, the cat may be very active and want to play. If it has no outlet for all this energy, the cat may exhibit some crazy behavior. As mentioned above, outdoor cats are more susceptible to sickness and injury than indoor cats. That could come from disease-carrying ticks, other cats, toxic plants or mushrooms, predators, or other natural or man-made dangers. This is why it’s always a good idea to know where your cat is at all times. Naturally, the domesticated feline friends we share our houses with today share a genetic lineage with wild, big cats, who are expert hunters.

The most important thing to keep in mind when dealing with territorial aggression is not to rush an introduction or reintroduction. New or returning cats should be confined to their own room with separate litter box, water, and food. The goal is not to scare the cat, but to distract him and refocus his attention. Walking away and ignoring a cat engaged in play aggression may teach him that inappropriately aggressive play results in no play at all. If you have a chance to do so, and the vet isn’t too far away, go to your vet for no reason at all with your cat.