The big 3 crazy causes of zoomies!

We’ve all been there. You’re quietly lying in bed or on the couch and then suddenly your cat or dog starts bouncing off the walls. And no matter whether you call it circle work, zoomies or their 'witching hour' there is a reason!

Here's why they happen...

I hear you. Why, after a day of napping, they choose that moment to commence an intense interval sprint workout and do fast laps around your house is a mystery. Until now.

So why does it occur? Well, there are three big causes for the chaos... 

First of all, it’s their body clock. Welcome to Witching Hour.
Prime candidate: Cats
Dogs and even more notably cats, are crepuscular. Which means they nap during the day and the night and then are most active in the hour before sunrise and the hour after sunset. And internally, their body releases a whole load of energy and hormones that get them up and active. And while instinctively this was the time where their ancestors hunted, it now becomes their time to play, find chaos...and find a way to wake you up.

Then, the umm...Number 2 reason. Poo-phoria!
Prime candidate: Cats and some dogs
When cats and dogs have a ‘package’ they need to ‘deposit’, that faecal ball actually does something interesting in their colon. It touches and stimulates the Vagus nerve. This then sends a signal to the brain leading to a feeling of exhilaration and even a natural high. Just look how many times Witching Hour (aka Zoomies) quickly then results in toilet time. It’s remarkable. So if you see a sprint session occurring outside of that dawn or dusk time, this is probably the cause.

Finally, the cortisol surge sillies. Classic Zoomies. 
Prime candidate: Dogs
Give your dog a bath, trim their nails or bring them home from the vet and chances are you'll see these zoomies. The key is a stressful event. As their body releases cortisol (a stress hormone), their body mobilises huge amounts of energy for their fight or flight response. So, once they're free, they have energy they need to offload. And they do it by sprinting (at great speed) around your lounge room or yard. They're so excited, and they just can't hide it. 

So there you have it. Despite the dilated pupils and crazy facial expression, it turns out they’re not possessed. Instead, it’s probably excess energy, a poo-session or a play session that’s more on their mind…