Why Do Cats Make Sudden Mad Dashes Around the House?

Posted by Jennifer Copley May 20, 2009

A cat that appears perfectly calm will suddenly go on a tear, running around the house as though being chased by a predator or chasing prey. Those who have never seen this behaviour before may worry that the cat is hallucinating or suffering a fit, but this activity usually indicates boredom rather than illness.

Housebound cats, while far safer than their outdoor counterparts, are more likely to engage in these mad dashes as a "vacuum activity" because they are bored and lack opportunities to exercise their natural proclivities, such as hunting. The dash may occur out of the blue (chasing "ghost prey") or be an overreaction to a mild stimuli, such as a movement or sound. Some bored cats will even launch a mock attack on a human companion or another pet or generally make a nuisance of themselves in order to provoke irritation so that they can overreact and run away as though being chased by an angry adversary.

To keep indoor cats from becoming listless and frustrated, owners can:

• Buy or make cat toys and play with their cats more often
• Purchase or build a cat enclosure or fence so that their cats can safely spend time outside
• Leash train their cats and take them for walks outdoors
• Purchase or build a cat tree to provide the cat with more indoor recreation opportunities

For more information on cat behaviour and communication, see Why Does My Cat Do That?

Reference:

• Morris, Desmond. (1987). Catlore. London: Jonathan Cape Ltd.