Can you cuddle your cat too much?
5 Scientific Reasons to Cuddle With Your Pet Every Day
When we’re busy with our daily lives, it’s easy to lose track of the things that matter most. Between the stresses of work, social obligations, and an ever-growing to-do list, cuddling with your pet often falls by the wayside.
Next time your dog is smashing their toy into the back of your leg or your cat won’t get off your laptop, don’t brush it off as an annoying inconvenience. Instead, stop what you’re doing and give your furry friend the love and affection it’s craving. Not only is cuddling with your pet a nice thing to do, it’s actually good for both of you! Here are five science-backed reasons why you should work some quality cuddle time into every day.
1. It Can Improve Your Physical Health
Humans and dogs have been together since prehistoric times, and both have a primal need for physical touch. When you cuddle with your dog, it stimulates the brain’s production of Oxytocin (also called the “love hormone”) in both you and your dog. This is the same hormone that is released during childbirth and when a mother breastfeeds her baby. It’s associated with the feelings of trust, empathy, and strong bond formation.
Oxytocin also inhibits cortisol production. High levels of this stress-hormone can lead to weight gain, reduced immune function, and an array of other problems. Cuddling with your pet can lower your heart rate, reduce your blood pressure, and may even stimulate muscle regeneration.
2. Cuddling Makes Your Pet Feel Loved and Secure
Dogs are pack animals that naturally want to bond with others. While cats are known for being fiercely independent, they too sometimes crave human touch. Giving your pet plenty of affection empowers it and makes it feel loved and secure.
Lack of affection from their human owners can cause dogs to become inactive, withdrawn, and change their eating patterns. It’s hard to tell if dogs feel sadness and depression in the same way humans do, but many vets agree there are times when that’s the only explanation for a pet’s change in behavior. If your pet is acting strange, a trip to the vet is definitely in order, but some extra cuddling also can’t hurt.
3. It Helps Relieve Anxiety and Depression
Cuddling stimulates the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which help relieve depression and may make you feel happier. The act of holding and stroking your pet is also an effective way to combat anxiety. It creates a calming effect and helps you focus on the present moment.
When we’re constantly busy and on the go, we can start to feel guilty about not paying enough attention to our pets. Setting aside a few minutes each day to cuddle and bond can alleviate this guilt and help you maintain a positive mental balance.
4. Regular Physical Contact Helps You Stay in Tune with Your Pet’s Health
Daily physical contact with your pet makes it more likely that you’ll notice right away when something is wrong. While you’re stroking your pet, take notice of any new lumps or bumps, unpleasant smells, or areas that seem sensitive or tender.
Your pet can’t verbally tell you when something’s wrong, so the more in-tune you are with your pet’s body, the faster you can get them the medical attention they might need.
5. Snuggle-Sessions Are the Best Way to Start and End Your Day
Cuddling with your dog for 10 minutes before you get out of bed in the morning can help you feel calm, relaxed, and happy. Use this morning cuddle-time to get your mindset right and the positive vibes will flow through to the rest of your day.
A before-bed cuddle-session can also help you relax and let go of whatever happened throughout the day. It can promote feelings of restfulness and help you get a better night’s sleep.
How to Cuddle With Your Pet the Right Way
If you haven’t been regularly cuddling with your pet, take it slow. Not all dogs and cats like to snuggle, and some prefer a gentler approach. Pay attention to body language and don’t push it if they’re not into it.
Some pets prefer that you show your affection in other ways like going for walks, playing with toys, or simply spending time in close proximity without physical touch. No matter how you choose to do it, spending some time every day focusing your energy on your pets will strengthen your bond and keep both of you happier and healthier.
Cat Affectionate All of a Sudden? Here’s 9 Possible Reasons Why
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
If your feline is acting affectionate all of a sudden, you’re probably wondering what’s going on. Cats don’t commonly change their behavior unless it’s experiencing specific changes in its life. As a few situations may cause your feline to act more affectionately than usual, we want to provide more details about them.
Keep reading to learn more about the possible causes of sudden feline affection and how to deal with this behavioral change.
The 9 Possible Reasons Why Your Cat Might Become Affectionate All of a Sudden
1. Your Cat Is Aging
As cat age, it’s not uncommon to notice various changes in their behavior, including becoming clingier. When the cat becomes older, it could feel an urge for love and attention and become less independent.
Typically, this happens as old cats prefer to have some routine and like to stick to people they’re familiar with. In some ways, the feline craves the comfort and protection it feels around you.
How to Remedy the Behavior?
Honestly, this is nothing to worry about, and there’s not much you can do in this situation. It’s not uncommon for an old cat to have some sort of sickness or disease, so the one thing that might be helpful is taking your cat to the vet to verify if there are health risks you should know about.
2. Your Cat Is Experiencing Hormonal Changes
If you have a female cat, it could show sudden signs of affection when it’s experiencing hormonal changes. The hormonal changes occur in non-neutered cats, as they can experience these behavioral differences when pregnant or in heat. Both could lead to excessive clinginess and more affection from your feline than usual.
If your cat is in heat, you’ll also notice other signs, including:
Hormones cause behavioral changes: female cats in heat become receptive to a male mate. A cat in heat commonly behaves more lovingly and affectionately towards its owners as well.
If pregnant, your feline will gradually start to show more and more affection as the pregnancy develops. You can also notice other signs of pregnancy like:
How to Remedy the Behavior?
If your cat is more affectionate than normal due to hormonal changes, it’s good to determine if it is pregnant or just in heat.
When your feline is in heat, it will allow a male cat to mate and will likely become pregnant. If you are not planning to breed your female cat, spaying is recommended. Although this might seem harsh to some, it’s better to spay your cat than to bring unexpected kittens to this planet.
If your cat is pregnant, we suggest taking her to the vet to ensure everything is okay with the pregnancy. As for the clinginess from pregnancy, you must stick it out for a while until the kittens are born. Once they reach this world, the cat will worry and care about them and stop clinging to you.
3. You or Your Partner are Pregnant
While cats become affectionate when they’re clingy, they can also become affectionate if you or your partner are pregnant. Animals have a way of sensing the changes in a woman, and they tend to become affectionate and protective of that person.
Your cat might even be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat and notice even the slightest changes in your behavior as your belly becomes larger.
How to Remedy the Behavior?
If your cat becomes suddenly affectionate due to your pregnancy, it’s simply trying to support you and protect the new life inside of you. Of course, not all cats act the same, so this won’t happen to all felines, although it’s typical behavior for many cats.
We suggest simply allowing your cat the extra cuddles for the time you’re pregnant, as you might have extra time on your hands anyway!
4. Your Cat Might Suffer from Stress or Anxiety
Another thing that’s common for cats is they can experience stress and anxiety, leading them to lean on you for reassurance and tranquility. Felines have strong senses, and they can get scared by an array of things; fireworks, loud cars, too many people, or simply an unknown guest could all be triggers for your cat to feel anxious and become overly attached to you.
How to Remedy the Behavior?
If your cat is suddenly attached to you because it feels stressed, anxious or scared, you should try to comfort it in any way you can. After all, it would help if you remembered that your cat is not being clingy on purpose and that it needs reassurance and a safe place to relax. Your feline should return to its usual behavior as soon as the stress fades away.
However, something else might happen if you notice situations like this frequently, and the cat is clingy for a long time without signs of stress reduction. Typically, when you make sudden changes in the food you give to your cat or your overall routine, it might be hard for your cat to adjust to the changes.
We suggest finding the source and the trigger for these feelings in your cat and trying to remedy them directly. Also, remember that cats can quickly get aggravated, especially when there are major changes down the line.
That’s why you should present anything new gradually and allow your cat to adapt to everything happening around it.
5. Your Cat Is Unwell or Sick
If your cat became needy suddenly and is craving more attention than usual, it could be a sign of your feline feeling sick or unwell. Of course, this doesn’t happen to all cats, as most prefer to hide the fact that they’re sick, but it’s still possible.
Commonly, sickness will include other symptoms besides the extra affections, so ensure you observe your feline and how it acts. Doing that might make it easier to spot the problem and help your cat through it.
How to Remedy the Behavior?
When you feel like your cat is more affectionate towards you and you’ve already ruled out other possible reasons, take your cat to the vet. That way, you can check your feline’s health and provide medication if needed.
6. Your Cat Is Craving Attention
There might be a chance that your cat is acting affectionate because it’s not getting enough attention from you. When a feline wants to remind you it’s there, it will start cuddling and approaching you more than usual.
Like humans and other animals, cats need love and affection; otherwise, they might start to feel depressed. Also, if you disregard your feline, even when it shows you it needs more affection, it might become destructive to get you to notice there’s a problem.
How to Remedy the Behavior?
All you need to do to resolve this problem is to love your cat and show it affection. You should play with your feline every day and pet it more often. Ensure that you provide food and fresh water to your cat and keep its litter box clean, as that is something felines appreciate.
7. Your Cat Is Hungry
Cats are typically not overly affectionate, but they do love to show affection to their owners when hungry. If you notice your feline cuddling with you and following you around mealtimes, it could be trying to let you know it wants food. They are extremely smart animals, and they use it to their advantage.
How to Remedy the Behavior?
In such situations, all you need to do is make sure your cat’s diet is suitable to keep it in healthy body condition. If your cat is underweight, you will need to adjust its diet. Of course, also take some time for cuddling and petting, especially if you don’t get to spend too much time with your cat.
8. Your Cat Has Competition
It’s not unusual for a cat to act overly affectionate when it has competition. This applies to new cats, pets, or even new partners and babies. Cats can become jealous and decide they want you for themselves, which may lead to excessive devotion toward you.
The cat is trying to become the focus of your attention. Cats love to be in the center of everything happening, and they don’t like to be left out, which is why you should give your feline attention, even when you have a new family member.
How to Remedy the Behavior?
Try to include your cat in the new circumstances inside your household and positively socialize it with the new member. That way, your feline will be able to associate the newcomer with a positive experience. When introducing your cat to a new baby, another cat, or a new pet, ensure you’re in a safe, comfortable environment where your cat won’t be stressed or anxious.
9 You Just Adopted the Cat
If you recently adopted your cat, and it’s still adapting to you and the environment you live in, it might become pretty affectionate. This happens as the cat is trying to connect with you, and it feels a certain dose of comfort when you’re around, especially with the new surroundings.
How to Remedy the Behavior?
Help your cat through the adoption process; provide enough love and care, play with your cat, and provide enough food and water. Also, remember to make the environment safe and comfortable for your cat. Invest in scratchers, and some cat toys, which should help your feline to feel at home.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are various reasons why your cat might be affectionate all of a sudden. Whenever your cat changes behavior, it’s always a good idea to check what’s happening. Try to get to the root of the issue while also showing support and love for your feline.
Sources
- “Why Is My Cat So Affectionate All of a Sudden? ”
- “WHY IS MY CAT SO AFFECTIONATE ALL OF A SUDDEN? [12 REASONS]”
- “Why Is My Cat Suddenly So Affectionate?”
- “What Causes a Pet to Become Overly Affectionate?”
- “Possible Reasons Your Cat Is Suddenly Affectionate With You”
- “Why Is My Cat So Affectionate All of a Sudden?”
- “Why Is My Cat So Affectionate? Understanding a Cat’s Body Language”
- “Why Is My Cat So Affectionate Suddenly?”
Featured Image Credit: Дарья Будич, Pixabay
