Do your cats ever go into ‘crazy cat mode,’ and run around like they just drank a thousand cups of coffee? The reason they do it is pretty simple: They’re still programmed to be wild animals, but don’t GET to be.
Feral cats go hunting up to 40 times a day, while domesticated cats sleep a lot more. And when they ARE awake, they spend most of their time ripping up your sofa and puking under your bed. Not running around catching stuff. So they end up with a lot of pent-up energy. And when they switch into crazy cat mode, it’s because they need to burn some of it off.
But it also might mean you need to play with them more. And there’s actually a technique to it. Here are three ways you might be playing with your cat wrong:
1. Stop making it too easy. Cats want to chase something before they catch it. And it also gets their heart going, so they burn more energy.
2. Stop waving toys right in their face. Cats don’t see very well inside about ten inches. So that’s why they sometimes lose interest if you dangle something too close to them.
3. Make sure you let them catch it eventually. It makes them feel like they killed it, and their brain releases endorphins that make them feel happy.
