According to the "cat years to human years chart," Minnie is actually 6 years older than I am. She is 18 which translates to 88 in human years. Poor baby.
So what happened the other day was quite impressive for her age. I am a bit envious.
I was in my first day of being snowed in which to me is worse than Covid lock down for you can't even go in the yard or take a drive. We had sleet then snow so footing is quite treacherous and I have reached the breakable stage. I hadn't even ventured to the mail box which is a down hill journey.
Snow bound is like when your car is broken down. You may have no where you need to go but you just want to and resent that you can't. Still, no real complaints for I have power and a full pantry. Feeling fortunate if a wee bit frustrated..
The first day of being snowed in, I was watching the evening news when Minnie started pacing around the house. She is normally a sleepy cat when she isn't warming some part of my body being affectionate. Her walks usually are to the water bowl, feed dish or litter box. She is old but even when she was young, that was the extent of her daily work outs.
Normally she just saunters through these activities but that evening she was moving fairly briskly about the house. Her eyes were darting around as she surveyed the walls, ceiling and windows like she was looking for threats or a way out.
I started to laugh as I asked her, "Girl, are you having a geriatric version of the zoomies?" The zoomies are things that affect both dogs and cats. Cats have momentary bouts of the crazies that only bouncing off the walls at top speed can ease. According to Google, it is a vigorous release of pent up energy. What she was doing was a slow motion version. She had me smiling.
However, she looked at me as I asked her that and maybe took offence at my ageism reference for her eyes went nuts. She actually rolled them and the race was on. That 18 year old cat put on a show a kitten would have been proud of. Full speed she flew around the house, leaping on the couch, on the back of the couch and down the arm just missing me. She literally bounced off the walls trying to climb them. She became a bit of a blur. Unless she had done these before when I was out of the house, this was her first zoomie.
The whole time she growled. I was a little concerned about my safety for the claws were out. She left her mark in several places on the furniture. Still I was in awe and a bit amused. Finally she slowed down a bit so I grabbed her and calmed her by caressing her head which she LOVES. Then it was over.
When I told a friend about the episode she laughed and remarked, "You know with all that is going on, we are all probably just one click away from the zoomies ourselves." She might be right:)
It would have looked kinda fun if it weren't for the crazed eyes. Minnie's zoom looked quite demented.
Did you ever have a pet do the zoomies? Did you find it amusing or frightening?
My middle aged cat friend, Ellie Mae, gets the zoomies every evening. She starts out asking me to toss a toy (usually a pony tail elastic) and she winds up removing and batting about a plastic cap from a toilet bolt. Good for Minnie! She's still got her spark!
ReplyDeleteFlorence,
DeleteI hear the nighttime zoomies are more common. Minnie may have done them in the wee hours but this was the first one I had seen.
We call it going "bug f#ck" usually late at night, starts at one end of the hour, downstairs, through to bounce off the back wall of the kiln room, repeats, repeat, repeat! 🤭 🐱🧡
ReplyDeletesmartcat,
DeleteThat night time explosion is more common and yours seems to follow the pattern perfectly.
Only had dogs, and they had their zoomies outside.
ReplyDeletejoeh,
DeleteCallie has them too but like you said, outside. She runs around the property like a greyhound on fire.
Cute story! Yes with our cat. No with our dog. Absolutely yes with out kids!
ReplyDeleteTom,
DeleteHa ha, yes, I had forgotten kids get them too.
I thought all cats got the zoomies. I didn't know it also happens to dogs, since they are always a little zoomy, it seems. Love the description of her episode. :-)
ReplyDeleteDjan,
DeleteDogs have a better chance to release pent up energy than a house cat does. It was interesting to watch:)
Haha! Patti, I never even knew this had a word for it until today! I could just picture Minnie going on her crazy jaunt thanks to your way with words, and wow 18 years old to boot! Growing up, we had two cats Gretchen and Mimi. I don't recall Mimi ever doing this sort of thing, but when Gretchen did our mom would say "that cat's going helter skelter again". Thank you for the Minnie story, this was long overdue. 😊👍👍♥️
ReplyDeleteDoug,
DeleteI was kind of proud of her too. Her first one (that I witnessed) was impressive.
Gretchen was more the norm. Helter Skelter pretty much describes it:)
See my reply to Anni for the scientific term.
Yes...but, I've never heard of it being "zoomie". Even the term seems a little crazed.
ReplyDeleteBud wonders what is in cat food to make 'em act a bit wild.
Anni,
DeleteThe technical term is FRAPs (Frenetic random activity periods.) Somehow that became the zoomies, which is fun to say. Bud has a point though it is not what is in the food but that it just appears in a dish daily with no hunting required.
I used to own 2 outdoor cats and 1 indoor dog, but I never saw them behave like Minnie. How strange!
ReplyDeletegigi,
DeleteDon't feel badly. I had Minnie 18 year before seeing the first. Of course she may have had them at night which is more common and I just slept through them.
I don't think I've ever seen a cat act out quite like that. If I remember correctly our kitty cat Bonsai used to have his wacky moments, but never quite like this.
ReplyDeleterobin,
DeleteLike I mentioned to gigi, it took me 18 years to see the first one. If Bonsai got out at all, he probably was able to burn off the excess energy.
Since she was growling, I have to wonder if she was seeing something you weren't?
ReplyDeleteMy Saku (age 13) still gets the zoomies, but Sasha rarely did after he reached 15 or so. When I had six of them, it was a nightly affair. One would start and the rest would follow...it got noisy very quickly.
Eileen,
DeletePretty sure the energy overload makes them a bit psychotic. Wow, can't imagine the excitement of six going at once. I was worried about my lamps with just one:)
My dogs have always had the zoomies but I did see a cat have the zoomies after getting into cat nips. While the zoomies are normal one time my dog got them from trying to unrun itchy skin after taking a medication.
ReplyDeleteJean,
DeleteOoh, medical zoomies are not funny. Sounds like he had an allergic reaction.
Cat nip really drives cats nuts. I found out it can cause cats to have lung problems so I don't let Minnie near it any more.
Jeepers! I'm concerned about the growling while doing the zoomies. Keep an eye out (and some work gloves handy?) in case she's having a neurological change. Maybe she's hearing mice in the walls and can't get to them? Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteGloves might not be a bad idea as she still has claws. I checked and growling or yowling are normal during the zoomies.
My cat often gets the zoomies! I know what you mean about feeling trapped. If I choose not to go anywhere, that's different from NOT being able to.
ReplyDeleteMargaret,
DeleteThen they probably don't surprise you like Minnie's did to me. Got ya on that not being able to.
The concept of zoomies is new to me. I have had cats kick up their heels, but never like that.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteThink it is mostly cats that are always indoors. They just don't get enough exercise.
Kitties are so funny. When I had several they always got the zoomies if it got cold out, no idea why. I only have my Nugget left and he sometimes does the zoomies after using the litterbox which is not at all convenient - litter flies everywhere and he leaves a trail of it as he run through the house. No fun at all lol.
ReplyDeleteMartha,
DeleteOh my, a litter box zoomie would be unpleasant. Hope Minnie doesn't learn that trick.
My cat did that once. racing around, jumped on the bed and looked out the window growling away. Just before a small earthquake shook us all. Another time he was frantic up and down the stairs. I swear he wanted us to follow him, so we did. He went to the back door and there was a moose walking through the meadow. We went out on the deck to watch it lumber into the woods. Jaxson was growing at it and when it disappeared, he looked up at us as if to say, "I took care of that guy for you!"
ReplyDeleteOlga,
DeleteNow Jaxon had legitimate reasons for the zoomies, not just being bored and needing some exercise. I'd pay attention to a cat with his record.
I remember Angel's zoomies, always around 2am. I'd lie in bed listening to him bounce and jump off things for about ten minutes, then he'd go to sleep.
ReplyDeleteLola doesn't do zoomies, maybe she did when younger, but she was 8 when I got her and will soon be 13 which makes her 68 in cat years, still younger than me, but next year at 14 she will be older than me.
River,
DeleteMost cats do seem to zoom in the wee hours. Isn't it odd to think of our pets being older than us?
It depended on the cat. One short hair orange cat I had would get this crazy look in his eyes and he was out for blood when that happened. It was time to grab a pillow to block him. I had another long haired orange cat that was amusing. He was so funny, so sweet and just the nicest cat ever. His zoomies were fun.
ReplyDeleteSue,
DeleteKnow that wanting a pillow feeling. Minnie's claws had me a bit worried. I have seen videos of fun zoomies. Glad you got to enjoy them.
Tried twice. My comment disappears!
ReplyDeleteLC,
DeleteSorry about that. Don't know what happened. Thanks for trying and letting me know you stopped by.
Oh yeah. But teeth aren't out or claws, it was always playful. Then came the crush of 😴
ReplyDeletePeg,
DeletePlayful zooms are the way to go.
My grandson told me a new pet, a 10 month old dog they had thought they would adopt, had exhibited instances of the zoomies. I'd never heard of the term with pets. Maybe it is just excess energy, or at her age could it be something neurological -- who knows? Guess it seemed funny initially with the dog, but unfortunately, more serious other problems with the dog surfaced concerning even the experienced dog trainer who advised they give him up which they did.
ReplyDeleteJoared,
DeleteI am so sorry that dog didn't work out for your grandson. Callie was pretty much like that but once she got out of the cage at shelter and could run around each day, she became a delight. However if a trainer couldn't correct her, most likely they were wise to give him up.
Cats we've had typically do this regardless of Age, we had a 20 year old Cat who would feel her oats sometimes. I think I was just envious, not scared. *winks*
ReplyDeleteBohemian,
DeleteMe too on envious:) She could clear the coffee table and land on the back of the couch. Impressive. What a girl.
I can't relate because cats have never been a part of our family ... always dogs as long as my husband was alive .. and lots of them ! But I thoroughly enjoyed reading your entry.
ReplyDeleteGinnie,
DeleteI have seen dogs do it. Usually after a long bout of bad weather when they didn't get enough exercise. Callie does it now only outside.
We had a potbellied pig, Bud, who lived to be nearly 19. When he was a piglet living in the house, he got the zoomies a few times. So funny!
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteNow that I would love to see. A piglet zooming.
That must have been very perplexing. I've never had a larger pet during my grown up years, but I don't think I've seen that even in my son's older dog.
ReplyDeleteEvery cat and dog we've ever had has had episodes of the Zoomies (which we sometimes called "hauling butt") Unfortunately, none of our cats made it to old age, but the dogs would have spurts even when elderly.
ReplyDeleteBuddy used to do something like that. I called it his Happy Dance because he always seemed to be smiling when he did it.
ReplyDelete