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8 Likely Reasons Why Your Cat is Pacing All the Time

Brooke Billingsley

By Brooke Billingsley

Walking unhappy ginger homeless cat

Anyone who’s ever been to a zoo has seen a big cat pacing back and forth in its enclosure. It’s not uncommon to see this behavior in just about any feline you might spot at the zoo, but you may have also seen your own cat doing this. Of course, it might be concerning to see your cat pacing, and some people might find pacing behaviors downright annoying.

Why is your cat doing this, though? Here are some of the likely reasons that your cat may be pacing.

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The 8 Likely Reasons Why Your Cat is Pacing All the Time

1. Stress

The top causes of pacing in cats of all species are stress and anxiety. Cats are particular animals that can become stressed by something as simple as their litter box being moved. With simple things being potential stressors for cats, then you can bet that situations that are stressful for the whole household can wreak havoc on your cat’s sense of safety and comfort.

Pacing is something that your cat may start doing for multiple reasons related to stress, including burning excess energy from stress or releasing “happy” hormones to help calm themselves.


2. Boredom

It seems like many people focus heavily on boredom in dogs and the undesirable behaviors that may occur with a bored dog, but many people underestimate the ill effects that boredom can have on cats as well. Bored cats may get into mischief to entertain themselves, but they also will work to find other ways to burn energy.

Pacing is an effective way for your cat to release energy, especially if there aren’t any available climbing towers, scratchers, or fun toys available. If you spend time playing with your cat every day, they will be less likely to pace from boredom. They will also do best with things around the house to burn some energy when you aren’t home, like scratchers.

birman cat pacing
Image By: Jeannette1980, Pixabay

3. Pregnancy

If your cat is pregnant, she may be uncomfortable, especially late in her pregnancy. This discomfort can lead to stress, discomfort, and a sense of anticipation that can cause pacing. You may not even realize that your cat is pregnant before she starts pacing. Cats that are near labor or in labor may also pace for similar reasons.

Providing your cat with a comfortable and quiet space to labor may help reduce the pacing, but many cats will also labor wherever they feel like it, no matter how nice the space you’ve prepared for them is.


4. Sexual Maturity and Hormones

As your kitten reaches sexual maturity, their body will start releasing lots of hormones to encourage them to reproduce. These hormones can lead to pacing for multiple reasons.

Female cats that are in heat will commonly pace, partly due to their discomfort with being in heat and partly because moving around is what the hormones are telling them to do. In nature, this would increase the likelihood of encountering a mate.

Male cats may also pace once they reach sexual maturity, especially if they sense a female in heat nearby. If there is an intact cat wandering the neighborhood, your cat may begin pacing even if they can’t see or reach the cat. If these behaviors are driving you nuts, then it’s time to talk to your vet about getting your cat spayed or neutered.

Red tabby cat walking from house to the garden
Image By: Jan Jirsa, Shutterstock

5. Pain

While it may seem like a cat that’s in pain should be moving around as little as possible, that isn’t always the case. Pain and discomfort can lead to your cat pacing to help release hormones, work off stress, and prevent discomfort from not moving.

Anyone who’s ever spent the whole day sick on the couch, only to realize that they feel better after getting up and moving around can relate to pacing to reduce pain. Pacing can also help with pain related to things like digestive issues because movement supports the mobility of the digestive tract.


6. Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is an endocrine disorder that is not uncommon in cats, especially older cats. Uncontrolled hyperthyroidism results in an increase in your cat’s metabolic functions, which may lead to pacing due to discomfort, anxiety, or excess energy related to the disorder.

While hyperthyroidism is treatable and can typically be controlled with medications, it can be a difficult disorder to manage, leading to continued pacing until the disorder is under better control.

man giving a pill to sick cat
Image By: Daria Kulkova, Shutterstock

7. Toxins

If your cat has been exposed to toxins in the environment or has consumed poison, then you may see pacing. Pacing can indicate that your cat is experiencing confusion due to toxin exposure, or discomfort, pain, and general feelings of illness.

If there is any possibility that your cat could have come into contact with toxins, they should immediately be taken to a vet. Outdoor cats always have the potential to encounter toxins, no matter how safe your property might be. Indoor cats are at a lower risk, but they can still become poisoned or encounter toxins via medications, cleaning products, and houseplants.


8. Cognitive Changes

As your cat ages, they will begin to experience multiple changes. One potential change is cognitive changes or changes in your cat’s ability to process and appropriately interact with their environment.

This can result in pacing because your cat doesn’t fully understand what’s going on, but your cat may also pace if they get lost in the home. Cognitive changes can cause your cat to become confused and lost, even in the most familiar environments. These changes typically occur in older cats, but they aren’t expected in all senior cats.

old calico cat
Image Credit: Kristi Blokhin, Shutterstock

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Conclusion

Pacing is rarely a sign of a happy, relaxed, comfortable cat. It’s a way for your cat to soothe themselves when something isn’t right, and it can serve as a way to help you recognize that there is an issue. You may have to work to determine the cause of your cat’s pacing, but the best starting point is typically a vet visit.

This is especially important if your cat is experiencing pacing as a new behavior. Your vet will be able to help you narrow down the causes and rule out any medical conditions.


Featured Image Credit: Stavklem, Shutterstock

Brooke Billingsley

Authored by

Brooke Billingsley spent nine years as a veterinary assistant before becoming a human nurse in 2013. She resides in Arkansas with her boyfriend of five years. She loves all animals and currently shares a home with three dogs, two cats, five fish, and two snails. She has a soft spot for special needs animals and has a three-legged senior dog and an internet famous cat with acromegaly and cerebellar hypoplasia. Fish keeping...Read more

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