Animals communicate with us in numerous ways by vocalizing, posturing, and moving, to name just a few. When it comes to our dogs, most owners understand what it means when they wag their tails in joy or bark at the delivery person (we’re not sure if this is joyful as well). However, fewer pet parents have a clear idea of what different ear positions, like dogs’ ears back, are trying to say to us humans and what to look out for.

Learning to decode your pup’s feelings from their ears can help you understand your furry friend and give you a good sense of their needs. This is what it can mean when your dog’s ears are back.

Why do dogs pull their ears back?

It might make you nervous to see your dog pull their ears back, and sometimes this indicates that something has spooked or upset them. But there are a number of different interpretations for this behavior. In time, you’ll learn what they mean and more importantly, what they mean for your specific pet. These are the things your pup pup might be feeling when they pull their ears back.

Sad

When you turn to leave your precious bud behind, you may spy them shifting their ears back in sadness. Don’t stress on this too much though. We hate to say it, but the second you close the door behind you, they probably lay down for a solid nap. It’s good to know in this situation that nothing’s really wrong, even if your pet gets a temporary pang of loneliness.

Scared

If the pulled back ears accompany a tucked tail, you know fear or submissiveness enter into the equation. Pay particular attention to body language when you suspect that Fido is quivering in terror over a perceived attack (which as often as not turns out to come from the vacuum cleaner or an impending storm).

Anxious

Your buddy might squeeze their ears back every time they have to take a trip to the vet, for example. Anxiety often also comes with excessive licking, panting, or even shaking in some breeds. Nine times out of 10, you’ll know what causes this and when to expect it.

Comfortable

Luckily, ear pinning doesn’t always indicate a bad thing. It frequently tells you the complete opposite: that your pooch feels perfectly safe and at home. Sometimes, this helps one dog tell another that they will submit and allow the other animal to lead the interaction. No worries here if your dog exhibits deference — it just shows who’s the boss in the moment.

Aggressive

Sometimes, a dog with their ears back is a dog about to bite. That certainly doesn’t mean you’re the target, as it could be another pet, but you should remove them from the situation as carefully as possible. Pull your pup away if they’re on the leash or distract them with a command to divert attention from the object of their frustration.

Pain

Pinned ears occasionally mean that the body parts themselves hurt and so your furry friend has brought them back to alleviate that discomfort. Alternatively, many times your buddy might pin their ears while otherwise stressed from a physical ailment. If you can’t find any other cause, you may need to investigate whether they’ve sustained an injury and take them to the vet if you find something wrong.

Neutral

While our pets perk up their ears in excitement or to hear something better, they tend to default to a pulled-back vibe for everyday ear wear. Some breeds look like this all the time, making ear position something of a moot point in figuring out their feelings. However, in many instances, your pet will simply hold their ears in a way that feels safe, comfortable, and easy to them, meaning pinned back might actually be entirely neutral. When this turns out to be the case, give them a little scritch behind the ears.

Dog ears tell us lots of things about their moods and feelings. Since there are so many ear positions, it can become tricky to differentiate one from the other. For that, we suggest working with a trainer or online resource to get a better sense of what different ear positions mean. At the end of the day, however, every animal is unique, and you’ll have to study your specific puppers to get the full picture of their emotions and ear positions. Once you get to know your dog, you’ll become an expert on all their body language and can easily determine their underlying state from the ears.

Our pets bring us huge amounts of joy with their wet noses, adorable pointy ears, and happy tails. While the ears and nose both serve pretty similar functions in humans, we don’t have the benefit of a tail. But why do dogs have tails? It all comes from the evolution of their ancestors millions of years ago, and these appendages still prove quite useful to pups and other animals today. Here’s everything you need to know about tails in dogs.

How did tails develop?

Early fish may have sprouted tails to better swim in the ocean. But when those ancient creatures first stepped out on land, they kept their tails, which changed shape and size depending on their specific needs. Truly, nearly every vertebrate species in the animal kingdom has a tail, with very limited exceptions, including us.

Humans and apes like chimps are some of the few that have lost their tails to time. This probably happened because Homo sapiens walk in a very different way from our four-legged friends. Tails do a lot for our pets and help them in all kinds of ways that we don’t benefit from.

Why do dogs have tails?

Help them move

Improve balance

Facilitate communication

Can a dog live without a tail?

Certainly, and many get by tailless with no problems. Historically, some dogs have had their tails docked to fit breeding standards, though that’s no longer recommended by vets. But if you adopt a sweet furry friend with no tail, like a Corgi or a French bulldog, which are frequently born without full tails, you don’t have to worry about your beastie getting along in their life. Our pets adapt quickly and won’t have any memory of needing their extra length to get on.

We probably would do better with a tail, but actually, we’re one of few mammals that lack this. Our dogs use theirs for numerous things including balance and communication. It’s important to allow your sweet pet to keep their tail if at all possible but plenty of dogs live successfully without one and adjust easily. Don’t worry too much if you bring home an animal that has no tail — you’ll learn how to interpret their moves no matter what.

We humans have many great qualities, but we are left lacking without one of the most important aspects of the average mammal: the tail. Our pets can communicate extensively with this appendage, not to mention use it for balance (and, of course, some animals can even grab things with it).

When your dog or cat gets a tail injury, it can become serious and nearly always requires medical attention. Can a cat’s tail fall off? The truth is, it can happen in some cases. While rarely fatal, depending on the underlying cause, cat tails need attention just like everything else on your pet. Here is what you should know about your feline’s rear extremity.

Can a cat’s tail fall off?

Don’t worry, this extreme event doesn’t happen often, but a kitty’s tail can fall off or need amputation in unusual circumstances. Your cat’s tail is an extension of the spine and contains vertebrae that need protection the same as any bone or body part.

Think of the tail like a hand or foot, but remember, the long swisher could be more likely to get stepped on or caught in a door. That means you need to take extra care of your cat’s tail to prevent injury. In addition, sometimes infection can spread to this area. If your cat has been excessively biting their behind or has a cut that won’t heal, take them to the vet for a check-up and antibiotics if necessary. You don’t want it to get so bad that the tail has to be removed.

What other injuries affect cat tails?

As mentioned, tail problems can be serious. These are the most common, but keep a good eye on this region since it’s so easily hurt in daily life.

Fracture

Since we’re talking about a bony part of the body, your cat’s tail could fracture with trauma. This frequently happens as a result of a car accident or fall, but can occur any time that something bad happens to their sweet duster. To avoid any issues, stay on top of your kitty and make sure they don’t get into tousles with other animals or vehicles.

Cut

Cuts and scrapes happen to basically all people and pets sometimes. There might not be anything you can do to guarantee that your mouser will never get hurt. Here, you really want to monitor scratches or other abrasions for signs of infection or serious complications.

Nerve damage

Because your animal’s tail is really part of their back, the nerves inside are connected. If they didn’t have any feeling in the tail, they wouldn’t be able to swish it around and wouldn’t get angry when you pulled it. That last one, pulling, can have a particularly negative impact in this scenario as severe nerve damage might make your cat lose feeling in the low back as well. In some cases, beasties can become incontinent from tail nerve damage.

Do cat tails grow back?

It’s true that some animals possess this amazing ability to lose a tail and then grow a new one, like geckos. However, no mammal has this trick up their sleeve, which means if your cat loses their tail, they won’t get another. That’s all the more reason to take really good care of your pet and especially their sensitive areas. At the first sign of trouble, call your vet and assess what can be done, which might mean amputation as an absolute last resort.

What do you do if your cat loses part of their tail?

While it won’t grow back, you shouldn’t worry too much as long as your cat’s tail heals after injury or surgery. They often use it to communicate but will definitely get used to their new tailless life. In fact, they likely won’t even seem to notice and will adjust to their new body just fine afterward. You can help your kitty along by keeping the rest of them healthy, especially the lower back. You’ll want to take extra care to maintain a healthy weight and keep your pet active, as they might have less balancing ability.

Your cat probably won’t lose their tail, but injuries can happen. The good news is that they will most likely fully recover, even if they do find themselves without a full tail. Importantly, remember that you might need to take your cat to the vet if something happens and you discover an injured tail. Visiting the vet at this point can stave off more serious issues and you can learn to help them keep healthy and happy.

Your dog’s favorite snacks might include dog biscuits, fancy chews, or even that bacon you dropped on the floor one time, but can dogs eat celery? The truth is lots of dogs like veggies, even bland ones such as celery. While you wouldn’t want this green and healthy nibble to become a staple in their diet, you can absolutely give your pup a celery snack now and then — and they might grow to love it.

Can dogs have raw celery?

As omnivores, our pet dogs need a balanced diet of both meat and plants. That’s likely because their domestic history made them into scavengers thousands of years ago when our ancestors were still in the hunter-gatherer phase. In modern times, this diet preference has huge benefits because you can throw in some healthful treats that will give your pup a nutrition boost and keep them full.

Celery is particularly recommended for dogs with weight problems, as it’s extremely low in calories but can take a long time to eat (we’ll cover that part next). Do be mindful that you wouldn’t want celery to take over a meal as it’s not a sufficient source of protein and other important vitamins that they get from kibble.

Is celery OK for dogs’ teeth?

Chewing on celery isn’t just OK, but it might be beneficial for your dog’s teeth. It’s part of the reason veggies make such a good snack for pooches in general, as it gives them something to gnaw on. To test if celery agrees with your pup, start by giving a few small pieces chopped and then up it from there.

Don’t go overboard, though — no more than a stalk per day for most dogs any size. In terms of cooked celery, that’s fine, too, provided it’s plain (no salt or pepper, please). However, the softness of prepared celery means it could lose some of its dental benefits.

What veggies can dogs eat?

In addition to celery, your canine can eat beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, peas, corn, and green beans, to name a few. In fact, you’ll find many of these listed on the ingredients list of your pet’s favorite food. The key here is moderation. As with celery, many of these veggies lack protein, which is necessary for your buddy to stay healthy. Also, excess vegetables could cause gas or other digestive issues. Start with very small amounts of each one, like one piece, and increase to a small handful if your pup and their tummy seem to like it.

While we might think of dogs eating meat, many four-legged friends love celery and other vegetables. Provided they don’t seem to have any digestive issues and it doesn’t replace healthy meals, you can feed your dog this low-cal snack and watch them enjoy ripping the stalk to shreds.

Finding hot spots on dogs can lead to outright panic. These sores can look — and feel — painful, not to mention scary. They also spread frequently until the underlying condition is properly addressed, sometimes with the aid of your vet and medication.

But don’t stress too much if you find itchy hot spots on your canine’s skin, since they’re almost always fixable. With a little help from you and the dog doc, you’ll have your pup back to 100% in no time.

What are hot spots on dogs?

If you don’t know what we’re talking about, picture an itchy red blotch on your pooch’s skin and you’ll understand what a hot spot looks like. A form of dermatitis, these skin lesions can send you spiraling down an internet rabbit hole, though rarely stem from something super serious. Instead, the most common causes of this condition include allergies, insect site reactions, ear infections, arthritis, and even scratching from boredom.

While they can technically appear anywhere, you’ll most likely stumble upon a hot spot when examining your pup’s head and legs. Part of the problem comes from your sweet pet licking the itch, which only makes it worse. That’s why you’ll take a multi-pronged approach to treating this condition.

What dog breeds get hot spots?

While the above causes certainly best explain the root of hot spots, these scratchy areas often appear in certain breeds, particularly those with long, thick hair. They also frequently present in buds with floppy ears and actually can follow certain activities that affect both ear and fur.

Warm weather and swimming may increase your animal’s risk of developing a hot spot, as do issues with their anal glands. In particular, keep an extra eye out if you have a Newfoundland, German shepherd, or golden retriever.

How to prevent hot spots?

Luckily, a little goes a long way in preventing hot spots from developing. Although no one thing completely eliminates all the underlying concerns, you can take steps to keep them at bay or prevent the problem altogether. For starters, always thoroughly dry your beastie after swimming, a walk in the rain, or a bath.

In addition, keep their ears totally free of water as much as possible (never put the dog’s whole head under a faucet during bathing, for example). Even brushing, anal gland expression, and flea meds will take care of a huge part of the problem and hopefully keep your canine hot spot free.

How do I treat a hot spot on my dog?

While we want all pet parents to get to prevention, sometimes hot spots are inevitable, especially if you have recently taken in a new dog and are still working on getting them up to snuff. First, make sure the spot isn’t infected. Hot spots are called that specifically because they can run a little warm, but you’ll notice the flaming heat of infection. Also, oozing generally indicates that something more is up and may require formal treatment (more on that in the next section).

Assuming you’re already a pro or have gotten the OK from your vet to continue on your own, you only need a few things to address this issue. First, you should clean the spot with soap and warm water. Afterward, pat it dry gently before applying any topicals. You can use Neosporin and a hydrocortisone cream to further fix the issue. Once it heals up, stop treatment and allow it to heal on its own.

When do hot spots require vet care?

Your dog doctor can help you through this whole process, helping with prevention, care, and emergencies. When the first hot spot appears, you really should check in and make sure there aren’t any underlying issues. However, you could wind up with a buddy that’s prone to these and will need to get the routine down. Any time you find one, keep an eye on it to watch for signs of infection or other more serious issues. That’s the signal to get further care, which can include antibiotics or prescription steroids.

Hopefully, you’ll never encounter hot spots, and your pup-pup never gets these unhappy wounds. However, if you wind up with a dog that has them, don’t worry. You can take a few preventative measures to keep these from coming back. Regular checkups, parasite preventatives, and consistent bathing will all make hot spots less likely. There’s one more thing to be mindful of: Try to stop your fur baby from scratching, as that will only make it worse and risk infection. Creams will help, and you can stop them by catching your pet in the act. You’ll have their skin perfectly healthy in no time.

We know all about dog tail wagging, and most pet owners can spot the difference between a happy twitch and a cautious one. But did you realize that cats use their tails to express themselves, too? Like with dogs, the cat tail swish could mean a few different things, and it’s important to have some sense of feline behavior — and your specific kitty — to decipher their movements. So why do cats wag their tails while lying down? We’ll walk you through the most common causes and when you might need to step in.

Why do cats wag their tails while lying down?

If you stumble upon your kitty lying down and only moving their tail, it’s probably because of one of these four reasons.

They feel happy or playful

You might see your cat lying lazily in the sun, but suddenly they give a little tail twitch as you approach. It’s not your imagination. They’re excited to see you and ready to play. Assuming you don’t note any signs of aggression (we’ll get to those later), you should head on over to pet your cat or grab their favorite toy and start a game.

It’s hunting time

We can all picture the lion stalking their prey while slowly moving their tail back and forth — your cat does this, too. Oftentimes, this one will happen when they’re lying on a perch or near a window and can spy on birds or small mammals in the yard. It could even be that they’ve spotted a fly and will pounce at any minute. All you need to do here is reach for your camera and enjoy your silly kitty at their best.

They’re stressed

A cat that feels stressed will often floof their tail and start to wag it. Kitties generally puff up their fur to appear larger and more menacing. This action may also combine with an arched back or a hiss. Alternatively, sometimes tail thumping comes from overstimulation. You’ll recognize pretty quickly which movements indicate fear and which mean fun.

They’re dreaming

Sometimes, you’ll observe your mouser twitch their tail while sleeping. It could come from a simple muscle spasm just like you get when you sleep (it also might mean they’re hunting down prey in their dreams). Additionally, your sleepy kitty may be, well, faking it. They might look asleep but are actually just resting and waiting for you to come over.

Most of the time, the tail twitch is nothing to worry about. You’ll quickly learn your animal and truly understand all their wacky behaviors. Since their tail swish often means a good thing, you can rest assured that it’s almost never a sign of distress. However, very rarely, a pet will engage in tail wagging when in pain. If you think that’s the cause, call your vet to discuss further.

Eye boogers: The truth is that we all get them. At least both humans and our canine companions. Nearly everyone will experience this at some point in pet parenthood (human parenthood as well, usually), and it’s certainly nothing to worry about most of the time.

Standard eye discharge doesn’t mean a dog eye infection, but the two can be linked. We’ll go through when this isn’t an issue and what to look for to figure out if there’s more going on. Here’s everything you need to know about puppy eye goop.

What are eye boogers?

You probably wake up with eye discharge sometimes and so does your pup. It’s one of those perfectly normal parts of being an animal with tear ducts. Eye boogers are usually made up of oil, dust, and mucus, which sounds gross but also doesn’t indicate anything more serious going on. If you’ve never had a pet with noticeable eye goo, it could take you by surprise the first time you see a bit in the eye.

Dogs’ faces look very different from our own, too. You may spot a little of that discharge running down the side of the snout or even dried on there. In many cases, these eye secretions are normal, but occasionally eye boogers can mean something is up. You’ll have to look carefully to determine when something might be wrong.

How do you know when your dog has an eye infection?

OK, we’ve covered the standard eye boogers, so what does an infection look like? First, any drastic change to your pup’s eyes should result in a call to the vet. Once you’ve had your buddy a while, you’ll know exactly how much discharge is normal and hopefully can tell when it’s changed overnight.

But more specifically, look for redness and swelling around the eyes. You also might notice a difference in the discharge itself, especially a smell or a thicker mucus. Lastly, watch your animal’s behavior closely. They might keep the infected eye closed or rub at it excessively with their paws. All these signs indicate that a trip to the dog doctor is on the menu.

Can a dog’s bacterial eye infection go away on its own?

Most eye infections are nothing to worry about but do generally require treatment. Remember to give a full picture of your pet’s health history so you can figure out the right approach with your vet. If it’s just a discharge, your pet healthcare worker may determine that no antibiotics are needed and prescribe eyedrops or even over-the-counter medicine. This will especially be the case if the eye boogers are a result of allergies and not an infection or other issue.

However, eye infections do often need treatment, which will likely include a short course of antibiotics. Your pup’s vet will determine if any additional medication is necessary, such as steroid drops or topical ointments. You might struggle to apply these drops or ointments — it can be a two-person job. Talk to your vet about the right way to restrain your pet if they are particularly opposed to your getting close to his infected eye.

What else can cause eye discharge?

At times, discharge stems from something other than infection, which will require a different approach. A physical examination is generally needed to determine the exact cause, but it could include eye injury, ulcers, or (rarely) eye tumors and cancer. Don’t worry, ocular cancer isn’t common, and the vet will check to figure out the issue.

Eye problems can be serious, so it’s good to take your pet in once you discover that something is wrong. Once in a while, further testing, like blood work, might be advised, but diagnosis is usually fairly simple. No matter what, expect to walk away with some eyedrops and a plan to give your pup some extra downtime and love while they recover.

Dogs, like humans, get eye boogers at times, which are usually nothing to worry about. Check in with your animal doctor during their yearly exam if you discover frequent discharge to confirm that it’s not more serious. Then, keep an eye on your pup and monitor their goop in case an obvious change occurs. Thick and smelly discharge is really what you’re looking out for and means you should schedule an appointment with the vet to get to the bottom of the issue. An infection will almost always mean medicine, but it’s almost never anything very serious. Your pup will feel better in no time.

Sometimes you might think you hear your cat using their potty, but when you go into check, it’s actually the dog eating cat poop. Gross! While it seems pretty revolting to us, dogs sometimes eat poop, the feline variety included. Coprophagia, which means eating poop, shows up reasonably frequently in pups, and certain diets, environments, and even breeds can make this act more likely (research says hounds and terriers are the groups most likely to chomp poop, in general).

So why do dogs eat cat poop, and what should you do about this behavior? Read on for a few things to check and a couple of tips to prevent this extra meal.

Why do dogs eat cat poop?

Theories abound, but it turns out lots of different mammals eat poop, their own and others’. One possibility is that not all nutrients fully digest when they go through our systems, which means there are plenty of vitamins to have by consuming feces. Sometimes, these cravings result from a nutrient-deficient diet that is easy to fix by changing up your dog’s food.

Talk to your vet about what you feed your pooch and how you might improve it. Additionally, a few medical conditions cause dogs to struggle with digestion or absorption and your dog doc can take a look at those, too. Lastly, and we realize this is a common cause for weird dog behavior, they might just be bored. Add more toys, exercise, and playtime to their life and see if that cuts down on the poo hunting.

Is cat poop bad for dogs?

They’re almost certainly to be OK in the short term, though don’t panic if you find that they throw some of it up. But eating cat poop can harm your bud. Arguably, the most dangerous part is the litter, which can cause digestive issues. Some bacteria and parasites might transfer this way as well, including nasties like tapeworms. You can help prevent these problems by keeping all your animals on preventatives, up-to-date vaccines, and healthy diets.

What can you do to prevent your dog from eating cat poop?

Assuming your beasties all check out at the vet, your best bet is to use plain old separation techniques to keep Fido away from the feline feces. Try putting the litter box in a separate room that’s not accessible to the dog — a baby gate might help here, assuming the kitty can hop it easily. Some cat toilets specifically work to prevent other four-leggers from getting in, such as self-cleaning ones. For the truly advanced pet parent, you can teach your cat to use the toilet! Try out a few options and see what works to deter your canine.

Ultimately, don’t stress too much if your pupper eats poop occasionally. Always book a vet visit when you see a sudden behavior change, and make sure all your animals are in good health. Then try a few tricks to keep your dog away from the litter. When all else fails, let it go. We hate to be the ones to mention it, but the rare log won’t hurt.

As a pet parent, you probably spend an inordinate amount of time staring deeply into your cat’s eyes. You might even, on occasion, see a few tears and wonder why they’re crying (your own tears over their beauty are par for the course).

It’s true that cats do shed tears from time to time, though the reasons aren’t in line with human ones. So, can cats cry? There are two parts to this question and we’ll tackle each separately.

Can cats cry actual tears?

Yes, a cat’s eyes can water and even look like crying. Note that it doesn’t mean your animal cries tears of emotional pain. Instead, think of this as their eyes watering the same way yours might in the cold or while you’re sick. Similarly to us, cats are prone to allergies, dry eye, and eye infections.

Anytime your pet has a sudden onset of teary crying, you should reach out to the vet. In some cases, the underlying cause can be contagious, and you’ll have to separate them from other beasties you have if necessary. After you have seen the cat doc, you might not need to jump in surprise at the first sign of moisture, provided the diagnosis is something like allergies.

The best news is that many cats can take over-the-counter allergy meds, just talk to your vet about it first. Since kitty tears don’t mean your cat feels sadness, you’ll have to rely on deciphering their “speech” to suss out their inner workings.

Why do cats make crying noises?

As pet parents, we know full well that our pets have strong emotions. They feel happiness, excitement, and even grief. Cats, in particular, have literally hundreds of ways to express themselves vocally, from purrs to hisses to the famous meow.

Sadly, sometimes you might hear your kitty cry in distress. When we say cry here, we don’t mean the watery eyes this time. Instead, we’re talking about your cat whining or yowling at you or other animals. Here is what each sound means.

Yowl

You almost won’t be able to miss this since it’s so pronounced and often quite loud. Sometimes referred to as a caterwaul, this piercing noise showcases your feline’s big feelings. Some species yowl frequently and other individuals break this out for attention. However, novel and more importantly, persistent yowling could mean something’s really wrong. You should take your mouser to the vet when you can’t determine the source of the yowl.

Pitiful meow

When we say pitiful meow, you might instantly hear the sound we’re describing. Sometimes, it seems as though your cat feels depression, and maybe they do. A sad noise on its own doesn’t require action, though you certainly should check in with your animal and make sure everything seems OK. Perhaps give them an extra scratch and then wait for their mood to improve. Remember that hiding from you or skipping meals can indicate stress, which, along with some extra sorrowful meows, could tell you something’s wrong.

Cry

This time, think of the classic cat cry. It’s often more for human attention than anything else and frequently doesn’t designate any signs of distress. There’s one thing that the cry means more than any other: Food. When your kitty gets loud, they are telling you that they are hungry. While these loud noises are not to be ignored, they aren’t generally concerning. Try to placate your kitty’s immediate needs and then tell them to grab a nap.

When should you call the vet about cat crying?

As with so many parts of taking care of an animal, you will probably have to reach out to a professional if you see or hear your cat cry. In the case of the eyes, it will likely just take a few drops or possibly some meds. A vocal cry, on the other hand, could be a sign of a bigger issue, and the feline doctor will know what to check on.

Once you have a good sense of your pet’s individual needs, you won’t have to return to get them checked out every time you hear a new noise. Hopefully, you quickly pick up on the cues and understand when your pet wants food and when they might be in pain or scared. Keep in mind that behaviors can come and go with age and might pop up in the later years for seemingly no reason. While a vet trip is still in order, your cat doctor might diagnose simple old age in an elderly pet.

Next time you see your cat tear up, you’ll know it’s more likely to do with the dust in the house than the tragic romance you have playing. Still, mind your furry friend carefully for other warning signs of pain and angst, like persistent yowling. When in doubt, reach out to your vet.

It might be your favorite part of owning a cat, or it might keep you up all night, but zoomies have taken hold in our collective psyche as pet owners. While we as humans may pace around, dogs and cats frequently dash across the house for seemingly no reason and with no obvious cause.

Even if you think it’s totally random, more likely your kitty gets something out of this wild routine. There’s no one definitive motive, but you should be able to figure out why your animal suddenly has the cat zoomies by paying attention to their other behaviors.

Why do cats get the zoomies?

Most feline companions have zoomies from time to time, though it does depend on the cat’s age, personality, and environment. It’s interesting that indoor-only cats seem to exhibit the trope of the constantly zooming cat a bit more than their outdoor counterparts, in large part because an inside cat might have more pent-up energy. Specifically, if you see your beastie getting zoomed up in the evening, that tells you to put a little bit more time into working their mind and body during the day.

Because domestic cats sleep for much of the day and are liveliest at twilight and dawn, zoomies sometimes happen at the worst times for you (it makes perfect sense to them, though). You can buy a few extra interactive items, such as a new cat-scratch post, and select a few toys for you to use with them. Remember, it’s not just about the physical exercise — their brain needs a workout, too. Find something that involves a reward and will keep them fully involved.

When do cat zoomies mean something’s wrong?

Rarely, the zoomies have a negative underlying condition and require medical attention or a change in routine. If you notice a sudden increase in messing around or the playful running becomes truly excessive, have your vet give your mouser a once over. A few conditions, such as hyperthyroidism, can cause huge energy surges and have other harmful effects.

Cats sometimes get zoomies as a result of stress as well — you may notice extra bouncing after a big move or when a new pet joins the home. In those cases, they’ll most likely adjust with a little time, but make sure to give your OG cat dedicated attention, lots of playtime, and a place they can retreat to in peace.

All in all, cat zoomies are something to be cherished and enjoyed. Take your pet’s playtime to the next level by getting a nighttime camera that can capture their most acrobatic moments. Just remember to ensure your kitty stays stimulated and watch for unusual increases in craziness, otherwise, a zoomy cat is a happy cat.