Mary Allen
Cat behavior is often a closed book. First, they doze peacefully, then they storm off as if bitten by a tarantula. Read here what triggers the wild five minutes in cats – and why they are so important for the cat.
Who doesn’t know it – the somewhat strange sudden frenzy in which the cats all of a sudden climb the walls, attack the toes of the owner, and rush through the apartment over tables and shelves without considering losses as if the wild hunt were after them. After a few seconds or minutes, the spook is over and the cat sits politely in its place again and cleans itself relaxed as if nothing had happened. Why do cats do this and when is it better to intervene?
That’s How Often Cats Have Their Wild 5 Minutes
The younger the cat is and the more limited living space it has, the more pronounced these odd bouts will be – ranging from occasional to once or twice a day. Cats are naturally most active in the twilight hours in the evening or early morning – and these are therefore also the typical times for their wild sprints through their surroundings.
That’s Why Cats Have Their Wild 5 Minutes
The wild behavior of our cats is mostly related to hunting. Cats are highly efficient hunters, but they can’t always adequately express this behavior. Especially if they have to spend a lot of time alone in the apartment or have hardly any opportunities to run free. When cats have nothing to do all day, the wild five minutes is a great way to release their excess energy.
It’s also fitting that frenzy involves chasing imaginary prey – the cat will just pretend and do what it’s designed to do when it’s not sleeping. Such energy outbursts can also be observed in free-roaming cats – although perhaps not quite as frequently as in an indoor cat.
This Is How The Wild 5 Minutes Expire
The most astonishing thing is probably the suddenness with which a cat can accelerate from zero to full throttle – but this is precisely what its hunting style is: a long phase of waiting and waiting is followed by an explosive burst of energy with high leaps – if necessary with another one lurking phase.
Another everyday situation from which cats often take off dynamically is the end of their visit to the litter box. It almost looks as if the animals are relieved and happy, not only in the physical sense, to have put something down. That can seem pretty weird.
In These Cases, The Behavior Becomes Critical
However, it can be quite critical in a multi-cat household. Playing together can easily devolve into a hilarious synchro frenzy for well-befriended cats. However, not all partner cats find it okay if they become involved in such outbursts of energy without being asked and suddenly become the victim of a wild hunt.
Even in all situations where the cat feels threatened in any way, it can accelerate in fractions of a second – but then it’s no longer fun, it’s already an escape.
In particular, sudden pain, severe itching, or discomfort such as burning can cause a behavior very similar to frenzy. These cats will begin to flick their tails, twitch the skin on their backs, and charge off.
In worse cases, the cat even attacks its tail, frantically cleans its flanks and back, and has dilated pupils. This complex of symptoms is summarized under the term feline hyperesthesia syndrome and can have numerous causes. The common factor is the cat’s inherent explosive nature of bursting into movement – be it out of sheer joy and excess energy or a desperate attempt to escape from a hopeless situation.
Conclusion: It Is Important To Note This
It’s worth observing if the cat puts on its game face during its wild 5 minutes or if it’s desperate and ready for aggressive defense against unseen enemies. If there is a suspicion that the cat is not doing well, videos of the wild minutes are a good help for veterinary diagnostics.