Why do cats run at night?

According to statistics, at the moment on ourThere are over 600 million domestic cats on the planet. They were domesticated about 9.5 thousand years ago, and during this time humanity has developed about 200 different breeds. They all differ in appearance and behavior, but most of them have one thing in common - running around at night. Cat and cat owners often notice their pets running around their rooms with bulging eyes in the evenings. And the animals are not at all embarrassed by the fact that the owners are asleep, so nothing prevents them from running over them, rustling bags and brushing objects off the table. In general, complete chaos. But why do domestic cats behave there? Are they temporarily going crazy, or do they see some mythical creatures that we do not notice? Let's take a look at this issue once and for all.

Something like this happens every night in apartments with cats.

Features of cats

First, let's look at cats from a scientific point of view. They are mammals of the feline family and, attention, are predators. They love meat and by nature love to hunt rodents and other small animals. That is why our ancestors tamed them, because mice often got in the houses, which ate bread and other products. And the cats and cats caught them perfectly, stayed full and sometimes did not even ask the owners for additional food. Just perfect. And the ancestor of modern cats is the forest cat of the species Felis silvestris.

Forest cat (Felis silvestris). How much wildness in those eyes!

It is also worth noting that cats are verysocial animals. That is, they love to communicate with each other and with people using sounds, smells and body movements. In 2019, Canadian scientists proved that cats and cats even use facial expressions to express their emotions. However, many of us simply do not notice the movements of their facial muscles. But this skill is possessed by people who often spend time with animals. For example, veterinarians.

Read also: The remains of one of the very first domestic cats were found in Kazakhstan

Nighttime activity of cats

Following from all of the above, we can distinguishtwo reasons why cats run at night. First of all, we found out that they are predators, which means they can see perfectly in the dark. With the onset of darkness, hunting instincts awaken in them and they play with almost all objects in the house. Everything is used: a bowl of food, flower pots, bags scattered around the house, and so on. But most of all, the owners are enraged by the fact that domestic predators pounce on the legs that appeared from under the blanket. In general, cats' nocturnal activity is an instinctive hunt.

The box is one of the best cat toys

It is also worth considering the diet of cats. Veterinarians recommend giving small amounts of food in the morning and afternoon and at strictly defined times - for example, at 8:00 and 14:00. But in the evening, the animals can be fed to the dump. As a rule, after a hearty dinner, they do not want to run and prefer to just sleep well until the morning. And in the morning, the likelihood that fluffy creatures wake up the owners, demanding food, decreases.

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Cats should not be punished by pouring water fromatomizer and throwing slippers at them. It is best to be patient and explain to them day after day what you can and cannot do. In the evening, it is better to play with them on your own and restore the emotional contact lost during the day. Believe me, these furry creatures really want it. After all, the fact that cats perceive their owners as parents has already been proven by science. An article on this topic can be read at this link.