Does your Bengal cat have the “zoomies”?
In case you’re not familiar with the term, zoomies refers to that time in the day when your cat simply seems to go completely crazy.
These periods of hyperactivity can be displayed as:
- Running around the house like mad
- Climbing your furniture, curtains etc
- Attacking (usually in a fairly friendly, playful manner) you, other pets, and household items
- Going crazy with toys (make sure you read our guide to the best toys for Bengal cats here)
If you’ve not owned a cat before – or you had a more docile cat in the past – then Bengal cat zoomies might be a little bit nerve-wracking for you.
But are your Bengal’s “zoomies” good or bad?
Let’s take a look at what you need to know:
- The zoomies are completely normal – A period of time each day (or sometimes more infrequently) in which your cat seems to have boundless energy and goes crazy is not abnormal at all. These periods of hyperactivity are perfectly normal, especially in younger cats.
- They have a technical/scientific name – Frenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAPs) … Zoomies is a little less scientific, but a lot easier to say!
- For kittens, this hyperactivity is critical to helping hone their “inner predator”, learning and exploring skills that are largely redundant in the domestic context, but nonetheless an innate part of your cat.
- It also helps your cat to burn off excessive energy. Remember that your cat spends most of his/her day either sleeping or eating. This leads to a lot of pent-up energy, which needs to be burned off somehow.
- This behaviour can be more common at night, and also in the morning. This is because cats are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. The reason for this is to allow hunting in the wild during cooler parts of the day. Cats are not nocturnal, as many mistakenly believe.
- If your Bengal gets the zoomies frequently, then having good toys that he/she can play with can reduce the risk of them damaging your furniture, curtains etc. Check out our guide to the best toys for Bengal cats here for more information on this.
- One word of caution – if an older Bengal cat starts developing symptoms of zoomies, then consider taking them to the vet. This could indicate a thyroid issue, as hyperthyroidism can lead to excessive bursts of energy. The warning sign here is generally an older cat that is not normally hyperactive during the day, and who then develops these bouts of hyperactivity. If that happens to your cat, then definitely consider paying a visit to the vet to find out
Long story short, Bengal cat zoomies are natural, normal and healthy – especially for younger Bengal cats.
There may be some concerns if an older Bengal starts showing periods of hyperactivity, as this could indicate thyroid problems. You want to keep an eye out for this.
However, for younger cats it is nothing to worry about – enjoy the entertainment while it lasts! As your cat gets older they are going to mellow out, and you may well find yourself missing some of that more active, younger cat behaviour!
