Post Neutering: he is nuts 🥜 !

[Mrcclms]

Hi guys

many scottish male cat, 14 months, was neutered 10 days ago

all went well

matter the first week where he had antibiotics and all, I noticed him being even more energetic and crazier than before the op

I decided to neuter him cause he was showing signs of irritability like running, meowing, crazy jumps like he was under the effect of drugs lol

those loud low meowing

not the regular playfulness

I could tell hormones were involved



anyway, these past 3-5 days I see him even more agitated, he has some moments where he runs from one corner to another of my house, with sudden movements and huge jumps and wide shut eyes


Can this be normal and related to the hormonal change caused by the neutering and will most likely die down ?


im not talking about his character of an energetic and playful cat which I love

thanks!

 

[ArtNJ]

Do you know about "the zoomies"? That is when a normal cat acts exactly like you are describing, literally bouncing off walls sometimes. I haven't seen it last more than 10 minutes or so, but for some young cats there can be multiple episodes a day. They often happen at around the same time every day. Its hormonally related I'm sure, but cats of both genders that are spayed/neutered still get the zoomies. Not all cats get the zoomies, and its much more common in younger cats, but sometimes old cats still have an episode a day or rarely more.

I'm not too sure if there is any chance it could be related to the neutering medically. I think 10 days is long enough that he is feeling normal, and its probably random that he is just starting to get episodes of the zoomies. Maybe he is feeling like he can finally run again and releasing pent up energy. Anyway, episodes like this are normal. But if it is more than just episodes, let us know.

Edit: here is an article on the zoomies. It does mention that itchy skin can cause the zoomies, so if the wound isn't healing right, maybe it could be a cause. It doesn't seem real likely to me given that you are 10 days out, but if the wound doesn't look right, take the cat in. Why Do Cats Get the Zoomies?

 

[Azazel]

Yep, sounds like the zoomies. My cats still get them and they’re definitely not kittens anymore. Don’t worry, it’s normal behavior. And it’s a good thing too - it means he’s healthy and has lots of energy. When it happens you can throw a toy for him and see if he will chase it.

 

[OneMorePerson]

At 14 months old neutering him wont cause any issues. It wont fix the "kitten crazies" or zoomies though. Sometimes aromas / chemicals can trigger this behavior FYI. If its been happening a lot lately, you might want to think back and see if anything has changed. Otherwise, probably just a phase. And, yeah, usually requires they be healthy for this "issue" to occur.

 

[Katie M]

Definitely the zoomies. I had Charlie neutered when he was six months old-now he's three years old and he still goes crazy

 

[Mrcclms]

Omg never heard of these before !!!!

and the description fits that zoomies thing perfectly !

Thanks guys !

I noticed that us as owners/humans we can have a huge influence on their behaviors.

Usually when he gets these "moments" and I'm not working I kind of favor them playing "rough" with him, throwing paper balls, running after him like a chase....

Today I got worries cause I see him going crazier than normal so I changed my behavior and how I interact with him

basically I calmed him down, moved and talked slower and calmer, caressed him and in fact the "zoomie" lasted less than usual and he is now sleeping

 

[susanm9006]

No need to calm down a zoomer. A zoomies episode gets rid of excess energy and is self limiting. That is, when he gets tired enough he will quit.

 

[Azazel]

I actually love the zoomies, especially since my cats are older. They are great opportunities for them to get some exercise. So I take advantage of these moments by bringing out their favorite toys that they like to chase. They'll usually run around chasing their toys for a good 15 minutes and end up exhausted after.

 

[Mrcclms]

Well, mine is a big cat and I don't like him jumping on that cat free from 10 feet away

I want somehow to control those a bit

Maybe I'll upload a video

 

[She's a witch]

Well, mine is a big cat and I don't like him jumping on that cat free from 10 feet away

I want somehow to control those a bit

Maybe I'll upload a video

Even with zoomies, cats knows their capabilities very well, I don’t think he would jump if he didn’t “calculate” that he’ll make it.

When either of my cats get zoomies, it usually engages another cat and it turns into full speed jumping chase around the house, on every surface. They never hurt themselves in the process. I’m not exaggerating that when they do it, it’s one of my favorite times of the day!

But if you’re worried, you can try to spread the entertainment for your boy throughout a day. Zoomies usually happen when a cat is inactive for longer period of time. One of my cat is turning from an active young cat into couch potato, and his zoomies reached another level since he started sleeping much more during a day.

 

[ArtNJ]

Just be careful. There isn't a lot of thinking going on during the zoomies, and a cat WILL scratch you if you get too close. Using a toy is one thing, but dont try physical interactions.

 

[Azazel]

Just be careful. There isn't a lot of thinking going on during the zoomies, and a cat WILL scratch you if you get too close. Using a toy is one thing, but dont try physical interactions.

I think this depends on the cat. Mine will play scratch and bite me if I bring my hands over, but none ever hurt me. If you don't like being play bit/scratched though then it's probably best to stay away. I think it really depends on the cat and their personality.

 

[Azazel]

Even with zoomies, cats knows their capabilities very well, I don’t think he would jump if he didn’t “calculate” that he’ll make it.

When either of my cats get zoomies, it usually engages another cat and it turns into full speed jumping chase around the house, on every surface. They never hurt themselves in the process. I’m not exaggerating that when they do it, it’s one of my favorite times of the day!

But if you’re worried, you can try to spread the entertainment for your boy throughout a day. Zoomies usually happen when a cat is inactive for longer period of time. One of my cat is turning from an active young cat into couch potato, and his zoomies reached another level since he started sleeping much more during a day.

Good point. Even though my cats have each other all day long, they usually still have tons of energy when I get home from work. It's like they've all been saving it for me. I like to just tell myself that they're excited to see me.

 

[Tik cat's mum]

The zoomies are normal cat behaviour but I can definitely see why you worry. My cat has bounced of walls literally and when they go at speed to jump on the cat tree I cringe waiting for him to knock it over. He's never hurt himself playing but stuff has been knocked over and off sides. I do think it's funny though and it normally turns into chase

 

[Mrcclms]

 

[Mrcclms]

Just for your enjoyment ahah

 

[She's a witch]

The zoomies are normal cat behaviour but I can definitely see why you worry. My cat has bounced of walls literally and when they go at speed to jump on the cat tree I cringe waiting for him to knock it over. He's never hurt himself playing but stuff has been knocked over and off sides. I do think it's funny though and it normally turns into chase

Oh yeah, food point, the stuff gets knocked out, Mrcclms make sure that your place is cat prooofed and cat tree properly secured

 

[Azazel]

Hehe. Don't worry, he will learn from that jump on his own. Either he will do it right next time or he won't try it again. Cats are smart and quick to learn, especially kittens.

 

[She's a witch]

You can also buy some simple wall mounting to attach the cat tower to the wall at higher level so it’s more stable when Adam jumps on it. And also, observe if he has patterns with his zoomies. My cats have rather established chasing route: from couch to the tower, to the perch, then bookshelf, then through the corridor to another room, on the bed, on the drawers, back to corridor and to the next room, to the tower and so on. If you know Adam’s route, it’s easier to make sure there’s nothing valuable in his range or nothing that he could potentially hurt himself with.

I usually stay completely away when they have zoomies, I don’t want to spoil their fun, plus, even if I wanted to interact with them, calm them down etc, they’re simply too fast for me in the zone.

 

[Mrcclms]

Ahha Ok will do