WHY DO CATS ZOOM AFTER POOPING? THE ANSWER WILL SURPRISE YOU

Why do cats zoom after pooping? After using it, have you seen your cat running away like crazy from the litter box? If you did not know better, you could think that a huge lion was behind him. But that is not the case!

Cats zoom after pooping because of the sense of release and euphoric feeling they feel because they want to play or have a health problem. In addition, cats may not like something about the litter box or a simple survival instinct driving them to run away.

Here is all that you need to know about it.

WHAT IS ARE CATS ZOOMIES?

Cats zoomies are those moments of frantic and random hyperactivity moments when your cat is running like a maniac around the house, jumping, and meowing. It is like a switch has flipped, and your cat suddenly went into a running mode for no apparent reason.

The word “zoom” means moving very fast or traveling quickly, which is why those cats’ moments are called “zoomies.” Zoomies are also called Frenetic Random Activity Periods or FRAPs for short.

You may see kittens do it often and associate the event with cats being young and wanting to play. But also adult cats have their zoomies. Too many of them can be concerning, but it is normal to see cats zooming around, especially at night.

WHY DO CATS GET THE ZOOMIES?

In general, cats are used to getting the zoomies at least once a day. So you see them running like crazy for no apparent reason through the house. They run, jump, climb, meow, crash into things, and do many weird things during these moments.

Indoor cats have very little chance of running out their energy. Cats hunt, run fast, climb trees, and much more in the wild. So although cats seem cute sleeping balls of fur, in actual fact, they are energetic pets.

Cats are used to sleeping a lot and conserving the energies for the moment they need to run and hunt their play. In other words, they need to have their zoomies or need to have moments of higher activity.

In my experience, when cats do not get the zoomies, at least sometimes, they are depressed or sad. For example, my cat, who stopped playing, zooming around, and slept all day, became uninterested in things around him.

Once he got a playmate, he started to play again and get the zoomies again. While some may think that it is a sign of a health issue to have a cat zooming too much, in my experience, if cats do not get their zoomies, it is also a sign of concern.

Here are some of the main reasons for cats getting their zoomies:

1. RUN OUT ENERGY

Cats sleep a lot during the day. They need to run out of their energy in some way. They do it by running back and forth and playing with toys. Hopefully, they have toys, cat trees, or another cat friend to play with.

Two cats can run behind each other, play fight, and keep each other in shape, running out their excessive energy.

2. HUNTING OR CHASING A PREY

Sometimes cats are running like crazy to a point of the house or run back and forth because they are chasing a small bug or fly. Of course, we can’t see it when the insects are too small, but cats can see them.

It looks like they are having a zoomie, but they are actually chasing prey.

3. PLAY

Cats can get a zoomie during play. When cats play with each other or with humans, they can start getting zoomies if they get too excited. Zoomies are normal during playtime.

Young cats and kittens can get more excited during play and get zoomies easily.

4. THEY ARE KITTENS

Kittens and young cats are more energetic and have a lot of energy to spend. However, their bodies are still fit and can run longer. In addition, when cats are young, they tend to be curious and want to get into experiences.

Kittens sleep a lot, so when they are awake, they concentrate their activities in those few hours, often acting crazy.

5. FEAR OR ANXIETY

Cats can get zoomies if they are afraid of something or anxious. So it is possible to see that it is not a zoomie derived from play or hunting instinct. It is possible to know that it is not a zoomie because cats may look upset or run differently.

6. MEDICAL PROBLEMS

In some rare cases, cats can also have medical problems. For example, due to medical conditions, cats can start running like crazy in the house to ease some pain or feel they have to run because of an illness.

Some of the conditions that can cause cats zoomies are:

• Hyperthyroidism
• Fleas
• Allergies
• Skin problems
• Problems with eyesight
• Problems in hearing

Health problems can occur mainly when a cat starts to become old. Things like eyes and hearing problems often develop at a certain age. When cats do not see or hear well can get scared quickly and run to hide.

Hyperthyroidism can cause a cat to have an increased energy level and thus zoom around. In addition, flea bites can upset a cat that will run around trying to find release from it. The same happens for allergies and skin problems.

7. THEY JUST POOPED

After pooping, cats often get zoomies. This is because they just got a release and a moment of euphoria by getting rid of their poop. As a consequence, they start running around the house.

Zoomies after poop are also connected to the stimulation of the nerve vague. It connects the colon with other organs and is responsible for the sense of release or euphoria in cats after pooping.

WHY DO CATS ZOOM AFTER POOPING?

After pooping, cats experience a release and euphoria due to the stimulation of the nerve vague. Due to this, cats have zoomie after using the litter box. In some cases, cats are already mid-play or a zoomie, and it happens that they pause to go to the toilet.

In that case, they just continue their crazy running after they have pooped. Another reason for cats zooming after using the litter box is that the litter is dirty. Cats do not like to use a dirty little box. They need it to be clean.

If cats suffer from constipation or anal gland infection, cats may feel the urge to run away fast after pooping. In addition, cats might run away from the litter box because of an urge to protect themselves.

This is because poop is smelling and can alert predators to their whereabouts, thus the urge to run.

In summary, cats get zoomie after pooping because:

• They want to protect themselves
• They get euphoria and a sense of release
• They have medical problems
• The litter box is dirty

If your cat suddenly begins zooming away from the litter box, check the contents and see if there is diarrhea, abnormally hard stool, or blood in the stool or urine. Call your veterinarian if you find anything unusual, and be sure to keep the box as clean as possible.

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