Why Is My Cat So Needy & Clingy?

This type of behaviour in cats can be caused by a variety of factors. Continue reading to learn more about it and what you can do if you and your cat have this experience.

What are the reasons cats are needy?

There might be several explanations for your cat’s neediness. Each of these factors should be addressed separately. We’ve put up a list below to assist you in coping with your cat’s clinging behaviour.

• Your cat is a new addition to the family: If your cat was just acquired, it may feel uneasy and cling to you for comfort. If you already have another cat in the house, make sure you introduce them to each other in a non-aggressive manner. Also, if you bring a kitten home from the shelter, it may mistake you for its mother and mistrust other members of the household.
• It’s possible that your cat is nervous or insecure: Your cat regards you as its caretaker and trusts you. If you’ve made any recent changes to your house, no matter how little, your cat may get scared or insecure, causing it to seek familiar comfort from you.
• If you acquired a cat from a shelter or pound, it might have been rescued from a home where it was abused. Cats in these settings are known for becoming clinging, especially to those who show them attention and care.
• Your cat may be expressing old habits: If you’ve adopted an adult cat, its prior owners may have conditioned it to be dependent and attached.
• If your cat has spent the entire day resting and lazing around the house while you were at work, it may be ready to play and need some exercise, as well as a want to be shown attention as soon as you get home. However, from your perspective, this may appear to be desperate behaviour.
• Your cat might be sick: If your cat becomes too dependent or attached for no apparent reason, there could be a medical issue underpinning its sudden change in behaviour.

How To Help A Needy Cat

Do you believe one of the following reasons relates to your own cat? While there are a variety of causes for your cat’s neediness or clinginess, the situation isn’t bleak.

There are methods to cope with these behaviours so that your cat is content and safe, making your life simpler! Continue reading to learn what to do if your cat is clinging.

• To begin, arrange your cat’s living quarters so that it is as near to you as possible, for as by placing its basket or bed next to yours. This will improve its sense of safety. It will be simpler to change your cat’s behaviour once it feels like it has its own secure dwelling environment.
• Remember to treat your cat with kindness and patience. If you want to change your pet’s behaviour, you’ll need a lot of time and patience to do it.
• Maintain consistency in your responses to your cat’s attention-seeking behaviours. Reward it with attention or sweets if it does the activities you want it to. Make an effort to disregard acts that you dislike.
• When you decide to leave the house, do it quietly so that your cat does not feel threatened.
• Encourage your cat to play with other members of your household while you’re nearby so it learns to feel safe among strangers.
• Schedule outside playing with your cat to build its confidence and improve its health. A cat who is exposed to a variety of surroundings and experiences will become more self-reliant.
• If you’ve done everything and still have a suspicion that your cat isn’t feeling well, take it to your veterinarian for an examination.

Conclusion

Knowing why your cat may be needy is quite beneficial, especially for new cat owners.

You now now know how to deal with a clinging cat in order to help it become more secure and independent.

Most tactics will work whether you’re raising a kitten or caring for an older cat as long as you apply them with true love and concern. Keep in mind that keeping a cat is a major responsibility, not just a pastime to be enjoyed when you’re bored with it.

Caring for your cat patiently and using the strategies listed above can help you bring out the best in your cat.

It will be much easier to care for a happy and healthy cat, making it a lovely addition to your home!