Pet cats have ways of communicating with their owners. Many actions and gestures of feline beings might catch our attention or go unnoticed, but like human beings, they also have a way of putting forward their demands. The owner must understand these signals and do the necessary. Following the owner is one such act that many cats perform. One may observe a cat following its owner everywhere where they go, be it to the kitchen or even the bathroom. This isn’t unusual, but pet parents wonder why does my cat follow me everywhere and what are the reasons. So, read on further to know the reasons behind your cat acts.
Why Does my Cat Follow me Everywhere?
While following the owner is a harmless activity, but still some times we observe and think that my cat follows me everywhere. This regular occurrence may require the owner to look into the possible causes behind this act of their cat. The clingy might be because of the following reasons-
1. Their Need for Attention
Everyone loves attention from their loved ones. This applies to animals as well. Sometimes, a cat starts following you around and you think why is my cat suddenly clingy. This is because, a cat might enjoy little patting, your indistinct chatter with them, or when you tickle them under the neck or belly. By following you, a cat might be looking out to get some attention. This is their way of asking you to make them feel important.
2. The Need for Food
Cats tend to follow owners who keep feeding them casually. Let’s say you get out of bed and make a cup of coffee. Your cat might be following you to get a piece of cake that you like to eat with your regular caffeine. This is one such instance. But, if you have a habit of giving treats to your cat, maybe that’s the reason for their behavior. It’s also important to take care of the nutritional needs of your feline if you aren’t feeding it timely and properly.
3. Compassion
There are times when you wonder how do cats show affection? They show it by following you everywhere or clinging to you. Your cat might love you too much. Maybe you are the only closest being to your little furry partner, and they enjoy your company more than sitting in solitude. Like dogs, cats also seek physical comfort from their owners and these are signs your cat loves you.
4. Entertainment
Who would like to sit idle in boredom? Human beings find various means of entertainment to keep themselves happy and intrigued. On the other hand, your cat might not have the privilege of turning on the television or flipping through pages of magazines. Thus, your daily, mindless tasks might be a source of entertainment to them. Observing your activities might be their favorite pastime. Following you is their subscription to this view.
5. Habit
Did you keep yourself close to your cat while it was growing up? If a cat has a habit of seeing you being around for most of their lives, following you becomes one of the behaviors of a cat. Seeing you all the time might be their way of experiencing familiarity with situations.
6. Separation Anxiety
We have already seen several reasons for your furry friend to be so clingy. But sometimes, they do not leave your personal space and leave you wondering why do cats follow you to the bathroom? If you travel a lot and tend to get separated from your cat after being with it all the time, maybe following you is a sign of separation anxiety in your cat. Who would like to get separated from their close one who has spent a good amount of time with them? Cats also fear losing their favorite person as humans do.
These are some of the reasons for why my cat always wants to be near me. Your cat might be following you because of either one of these or even all of them.
How to Stop your Clingy Cat From Following you?
Though the cat behavior of clinging on to you everywhere might be harmless, few cat owners might get troubled by this. Sometimes, you face the issue of the cat sleeps next to me or makes noise while you are indulging in some important work. A clingy cat can sometimes be too much to handle.
The best way to stop your clingy cat from following you is by diverting their attention to something more intriguing. One can create a perch near the window from which they can gaze. Another way is to occupy them with toys like furr balls, laser light, small moving toys, etc. One shouldn’t give the cat treats whenever it follows because this might become a habit. Creating a separate comfortable and cat calming bed for the cat also gives it a chance to take naps away from the owner.
Despite all these measures, if the cat remains persistent with its behavior, the owner should treat it with the utmost kindness and adjust accordingly. You can also consult a vet to know how to train a cat to stop it from being clingy. This will give you the answer to why does my cat follow me everywhere? question.
FAQs
No, you need not be worried. A cat manifests this normal behavior out of compassion, habit, or interest in your activities.
If your cat silently follows you, it may be out of curiosity or compassion. Some cats make noises while following their owner. It might be their way of asking for attention, food, or physical touch.
Conclusion
Pets have a way of showing their emotions and feelings. Following the owner is a very normal activity that cats and dogs tend to do. Why does my cat follow me everywhere? But one should look for the possible reasons behind this. If the cat does this out of hunger, one should feed it. If it doesn’t eat anything and keeps repeating the behavior, the owner should look for health. Most importantly, efforts should be made to relieve them of separation anxiety. Some of the plausible alternatives are making them habitual of staying alone at home, giving them options for distractions, or getting them comfortable with other members of the family who can take care of them while the owner is away.