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Why Is My Cat Being Clingy?

  • Post category:Behavior
  • Post last modified:September 22, 2020
  • Reading time:8 mins read
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Why is my cat being clingy? You might be wondering about this if you’ve managed to stumble upon this article. Maybe your cat is constantly following you, excessively vocalizing, or always needing your attention lately. 

Well in this article, we will be talking about why your cat might be acting clingy towards you lately as well as what you can do about their clingy feelings they seem to have all of a sudden.

Your Cat Might Be Sick or in Pain

When cats get sick or are in pain, this can cause them to become clingy. It’s important to rule this reason out as soon as possible. Your cat will most likely have other signs of sickness or pain too such as lethargy, vomiting, limping, seizures, and the list could go on and on. 

The above symptoms combined with being clingy could signal that your cat needs medical attention. It’s important to note that not all cats will hide out when they are sick. Some do the opposite and it will come off as them being excessively needy.

Your Cat May Be Stressed Out

One reason that you might have a clingy cat is because they might possibly be stressed out about something. For example, did you move recently? Cats are known to really hate change of any kind. 

Moving from one home to another is quite a drastic change for your feline companion, and will most likely stress them out to the point where they will become clingy. 

Pretty much anything that might stress out your cat could end up with them being overly lovey or clingy towards you. Another great example of this is when you bring them to a veterinarian appointment. Most cats absolutely hate going to the vet. 

Or perhaps it’s the car ride itself that is stressing out your furry friend. Again, most cats are known to hate rides in the car, which definitely sets them apart from dogs.

After you get home from a road trip with your cat, do they tend to cling to you for some time after you get home? If so, they may just be stressed about the trip. Allow them some time to calm down, and their clinginess will probably go away eventually. 

Your Cat Might Be Lonely

Another reason that your cat might be unusually clingy is because they might be experiencing loneliness. Contrary to popular belief, not all cats are antisocial or want us to leave them alone. 

If you believe that your cat is in fact lonely, ask yourself why that might be the case. Are you always at work? Are they home alone all the time? After a while, these things could contribute to them becoming clingy.

 A good way to prevent loneliness from happening to your feline companion would be to adopt another cat so they have a friend to play with and hunt mice with. Just make sure that you introduce the new cat to them the right way. You’ll want to make sure that the two get along well so this is extremely important. 

If adopting another cat is not something you are able to do, then you should find ways to spend more time with your cat so they receive more attention from you. There are tons of cat toys available that allow you to play with your cat, such as a wand toy or a laser pointer. These toys require you to use them with your cat, and they can definitely help ease any loneliness.

Your Cat Is About to Give Birth

One way a cat lets you know that it is about to go into labor is when they all of a sudden become ultra clingy or needy. I had this exact experience with my cat a few years ago. 

Right before she gave birth, she started meowing like crazy and she would not leave me alone. And I mean she became crazy clingy. I was sitting on the couch and she got up on my lap and started meowing hysterically in my face. When I got up to go to the kitchen, I practically tripped over her as well.

If your cat looks like they could go into labor at any time, and they all of a sudden start being vocal and clingy, chances are pretty good that they are actually about to go into labor.

Is Your Cat Newly Adopted?

Did you just adopt your feline companion? If so, then this might be the main reason that they are clingy. While some newly adopted cats go into hiding after being introduced to their new home, some cats do the opposite and are clingy to their new owners.

If you have a new kitten in the home, then this could be something called separation anxiety. All this simply means is that they miss their momma. If this is the case, just give the kitten time and lots of love and playtime. 

Also, kittens are not the only ones that experience separation anxiety. Sometimes adult cats can experience this as well. This is especially true if they have recently been adopted or they have lost their favorite toy or blanket. 

Separation anxiety is quite normal and it will definitely go away eventually. The key here is time. Giving your cat plenty of love and affection will help this type of anxiety go away much quicker.

Final Thoughts

There are a handful of reasons that your cat is becoming clingy towards you. Stress, loneliness, ill health or pain, cat labor, and separation anxiety are the main reasons your cat is clingy. Make sure that you rule out any illness or pain first. 

I also think it’s important to mention that not all cats who are clingy have a reason to do so. Some cats are just clingy by nature. It’s just who they are. Some cats might be clingy only at certain times. 

For example, I know a cat who is only clingy when they want wet food. At any other time, they could care less about their human. Clingy? Or simply sucking up so they get wet food? I guess we’ll never know.