What a great way to start the New Year – with enough energy to have a zoomie. Some of our cats might celebrate the new year (or just life) by the art of the Zoomie.
It is called FRAPing in veterinary behavior circles.
Frenetic random activity periods is what the FRAP stands for. A whirlwind of hair enters the room then is gone – up the curtain, into another room or under your chair.
The classic kitten version starts with a sideways dance toward you, with back arched and tail high and kinked. There may be hissing and some kind of meows.
The warning signs of an oncoming zoomie is a twitching tail and dilated pupils. Best to avoid this animal until the energy has been released or be on the receiving end of a cat bite or scratch – delivered by accident, of course.
Cornell CatWatch offers descriptions and explanations for this common young cat behavior. As cats age they tend to decrease this behavior and when they do it tends to be less extreme. It seems to occur less in farm or outdoor cats – maybe because they have to hunt for a living?
Or maybe because they don’t get as many catnaps as our house cats? Be wary of the potential for the kitten to hurt itself during these skirmishes. While you are unlikely to stop them, encouraging frequent play might decrease the blind force of the zoomie as it removes some of that excess energy.
What about our dogs? Absolutely. And the description is the same for dogs and cats. According to Jill Goldman, Ph.D., zoomies are a type of frenetic random activity period where a dog seems to suddenly explode with energy.
Goldman explains, “anytime your dog has been denied the opportunity to express his natural energy levels; you can predict a case of the zoomies.” This tends to be all out running in a straight line, but more commonly in circles – especially around a tree or table.
Again, the risk is there that they will hurt themselves as they seem to be quite oblivious to obstacles in their way. Predicting the circumstances, or time of day, this energy release happens helps you get your dog in as safe a space as possible.
The American Kennel Club has a free eBook called “Why does my dog do that” which dog owners might find interesting and helpful. Your dogs and cats seem to gleefully enjoy this energy release behavior and we get as much enjoyment watching their antics.
It is an example of the bond between companions. A good New Year resolution is to do all you can to allow every dog and cat a safe home, help eliminate the acceptance of stray, unwanted and abused animals.
Not everyone wants to be subjected to animals, but those of us who do would like for every animal to be safe and comfortable enough to enjoy an occasional zoomie!
• JO OLVER is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the views of this newspaper.
