Cat Is Restless And Can’t Get Comfortable – Causes

Cats are especially good at hiding pain and discomfort.

They won’t complain or point out the problem as a human does.

Cat is restless and can't get comfortable causes

Fortunately, other signs can tell you if your cat is restless and can’t get comfortable or when it is in pain.

As cat owners, we must learn to read our cat’s body language and behavior to identify the cause of their restlessness and discomfort and receive appropriate help.

Reasons Your Cat Is Restless And Can’t Get Comfortable

Since it is cats’ nature to hide pain, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to understand when a cat needs care.

Cats with stiff joints and arthritis might not be as willing to move into different positions or leap onto high objects as they once were.

Cats, on the other hand, might become more active, and restless, and appear to have trouble finding comfort.

Before making any conclusions about your cat, however, understand these three (3) most likely causes your cat to be restless and can’t get comfortable and what you can do to remediate them:

  1. Stress
  2. Pain and illness
  3. Seizures

Other causes of cats’ discomfort or restlessness may include:

  1. Arthritis
  2. Hyperthyroidism
  3. Intestinal blockages

Stress

Stress can create a massive barrier between you and your feline.

It can make your cat uncomfortable and frustrated.

It’s possible for a cat to pace around because they are restless and stressed or anxious.

Changes in their environment are among the most frequent causes of cats’ restlessness.

This might entail a change in address, a change in ownership, or even a modification to their schedule.

Moving homes or getting a new pet are just two examples of routine changes that can make a cat anxious.

Knowing the typical symptoms of a stressed cat is essential.

Stress symptoms in cats can vary, but in general, cats can only honestly respond to stress in many ways.

If your cat is restless and can’t get comfortable and it’s showing any of these signs, then there are steps you need to take to reduce the stress in its life.

Here are 7 of those signs in cats.

Symptoms

  • Problems with the litter box – A cat can start avoiding the litter box when stressed. However, there are several other reasons cats can avoid the litter box. It may include; a dirty litter box or one that is not the right size for them.
  • Territorial marking behavior – Stressed cats will try to mark their territory by spraying urine on them. Objects that smell like them make the cat feel safer.
  • Hide – If your cat is restless or acts restlessly or panicking about minor things, and spends a lot of time hiding, it is stressed.
  • Redirected aggression – If your cat acts wildly and shows aggression towards people or other pets, it is stressed. It can feel threatened by an intruder and pass the aggression on to everyone.
  • Excessive vocalization – Some cats meow more than others, but they get a lot more vocal when a cat is stressed.
  • Decreased or increased appetite – If your cat is eating less or more than usual, it may be stressed. It might also do excessive grooming when under stress.
  • Restlessness – Some cats, when stressed, constantly roam around a room or hallway.

Remedy

When your cat is stressed, you need to understand its situation.

Help them overcome the stress by identifying its cause and showing it a lot more love and compassion.

Stressed cats crave attention, and it’s definitely in need of your help.

Cats still require enrichment to thrive, despite the fact that many of them appear to be independent creatures.

Actually, your cat may become restless if it isn’t given enough enrichment.

You can interact with your cat to reduce restlessness by playing with, training, and giving it toys.

Pain And Illness

Cats, by nature, are hunters, and their tendency to hide discomfort and ailments is a holdover.

It has been from their evolution in the wild where injury or illness is a target for nearby predators.

The appearance of weakness would make a cat vulnerable or risk being molested or abandoned by its group.

Even if you are extremely overprotective of them, you may still not be able to tell when your kitten is in its pain symptoms or why your cat is restless and uncomfortable.

When cats become sick or in pain, they show subtle or sometimes drastic changes in their behavior, accompanied by mood swings.

They can even adopt a whole new behavior.

Behavioral changes related to different types of illness or pain can vary from one cat to another.

In addition, not all cats with a particular sickness exhibit the same behavioral changes.

It would help if you distinguished between changes in normal behavior and behavior that is entirely new or abnormal.

Symptoms

Here are a few behavioral changes in cats when they are in pain:

  • Hiding
  • Sitting still and hunched up
  • Loss of interest in people, other pets, or even activities.
  • Neglecting to groom themselves, or even over-grooming in one spot
  • Excessive purring, meowing, or making unusual vocalizations
  • Restlessness or aggression toward a friendly environment
  • Sometimes vomiting abnormally

Remedy

Your vet can only prescribe the appropriate medication and see it now and then.

But you, as a cat owner, have a greater responsibility.

Remember to spend a lot of time with your cat.

It may not ask for it or even avoid the love you give it at times, but that’s what it needs most.

My cat is restless and can't get comfortable

You may want to move its bed, food plates, water bowls, and litter box so that it can find them more easily.

Ensure the litter box is simple enough for it to climb with ease.

If you live with a large family, remember to keep children away from it, so it doesn’t lose confidence in people while it recovers.

Seizures In Cats

One of the numerous common causes of seizures in cats is your feline’s diet, mainly if it contains various additives.

It is another reason your cat is restless and can’t get comfortable.

Cat food usually contains additives in the form of stabilizers, chemicals, coloring, etcetera that can lead to seizures in cats, among other things.

Household cleaners can also cause seizures in cats.

Parasitic infections, liver or kidney problems, brain stroke, hypoglycemia, feline diabetes, thyroid, infections, head injury, cancer, and lead poisoning are other causes of seizures.

Symptoms

Whether you call it fit, convulsion, or seizure, these symptoms are essential to look out for:

  • Loss of consciousness or disorder
  • Body contractions
  • Changes in awareness
  • Involuntary defecation or urination
  • Changes in behavior.

Phases Of Seizures

Cat seizures can be divided into three phases, each with different symptoms.

  1. The Pre-ictal Phase: This is the first phase in which the cat exhibits behavioral changes such as hiding, nervousness, restlessness, and often closeness to you.
  2. The ictal phase: This is the second phase when actual seizures occur, and this phase often lasts five minutes. The head falls to one side and remains temporarily paralyzed.
  3. The post-ictal phase: The third is severe and lasts for hours, during which the cat loses consciousness. If left untreated, it can be fatal. It is characterized by confusion, pacing, disorientation, etc.

Remedy

It is possible to treat seizures in cats with anticonvulsants while determining the cause of the problem, although they can cause side effects. However, regular medication can prevent such cases in the future.

Your vet will likely do blood tests to see if your cat has ingested toxins, poison, etc.

If you are unsure whether your cat could be a potential victim, see a veterinarian for more advice.

Conclusion

See a veterinarian first as soon as you notice your cat is restless or has any discomfort whatsoever and wonder if it is sick or has a behavior problem.

Immediately treating medical conditions can prevent behavior problems from developing in a cat.

Whatever the cause of your cat’s behavior, correcting it fast is essential.

Having a cat isn’t the easiest thing, but if you can take care of the little thing, you will enjoy it as it will give you loads of happiness.