Why Does My Cat Dart In Front Of Me? (Need Something?)
If your cat is constantly darting in front of you all the time you may be getting frustrated and looking for reasons why and what you can do about it…
Why does my cat dart in front of me?
Your cat will dart in front of you to grab your attention. It can cause you to trip over it but that is not their attention. In their mind, this is a proven and effective way to get you to stop what you are doing and pay attention to what they need.
So, now you know. But, what can happen if this continues? Could your cat have a real problem? Will acting negatively make them stop? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…
What can happen if your cat darts in front of you?
A cat looking up near its owner’s feet.
If your cat persists in darting in front of you there are several issues this could cause such as…
01. Accidentally step on it
It is easy to accidentally step on your cat if it darts in front of you and messes around near your feet. The worse thing is should this happen your cat will not understand that this was an accident and indirectly their fault.
For example, I used to have a cat called Ajax (RIP, by the way). I loved the cat. And, one day I was walking along the corridor in my home and heard a loud cry! When I looked down it was Ajax. I had accidentally stepped on its tail.
This happened because she was playing near my feet and my attention was on my path ahead, didn’t even see her, to be honest. As you can imagine, I was devastated. But, the most hurtful thing was Ajax’s reaction to me right after, basically hissed at me if I attempted to get near her.
This is just one example of many. This is what can happen when cats dart in front of you like this.
02. Accidentally kick it
Similar to stepping on the cat you could easily accidentally kick the cat while it darts ahead of you. Cats either do not fully get the danger or are too focused on getting their message across.
How can you stop your cat darting in front of you?
So, now you know what can happen you may be keen to understand what you can do to stop it from happeing. Here are some suggestions…
01. Ignore it
One method is to simply ignore your cat when it tries this tactic. Do you know why your cat keeps doing this? Because it works. Basically, whatever you are doing is likely to get a reaction out of you. So, the only way to make it rethink this tactic is to not respond to it.
I agree, this is easier in theory than practice. Why? Because human nature forces us to respond to any physical barrier in our way. It can feel almost impossible to ignore this, right? Well, it might be one of the best ways to stop it if you can get around it.
02. Offer them distractions
Another alternative is offering your cat some quality distractions. This can be as simple as some cat toys (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad), this can help to keep them distracted and away from your feet.
Does this darting in front happen when cats are kittens?
Cats do dart around and in front of the littermates when they are kittens. It is believed this behavior is continued as they become adults and they may treat you similar to one of their siblings.
If you see a few kittens playing together (what if they are galloping? click here) you may see this behavior more clearly, especially after you have experienced the issue yourself.
Could your cat be trying to herd you?
When a cat darts in front it could be trying to herd you. This means it may want to guide you somewhere. For example, it may need some food and want you to follow it to its bowl.
If you think of it, it makes sense. Cats do not have the skill to talk so this herding behavior is their alternative to guide you to what it needs, right?
Why would a cat dart in front, then zig zag?
A cat outside.
If you have noticed your cat darting ahead of you then zig-zagging you may be wondering why this would be happening. Here is some suggestion:
01. They want to eat
Your cat may be doing this simply to get you to feed them. This, in reality, could be one of the more common reasons this happens. Have you noticed this behavior indoors, and in the morning? Then, it could clearly be for this reason.
02. They want to communicate
In general, whether they want feeding or not, your cat is using this as a way to communicate with you. It wants to either explain a problem or express a need.
03. Acting bossy
Another reason for this could be a weird form of expressing its dominance. Remember cats may not view you as their leader, they may see you as their server, and this may be a way for them to show you who is the boss.
Why would a cat dart in front of me then sit and wait?
If your cat is darting in front of you then sitting and waiting it could be doing this because it wants you to follow it and the destination is a bit further. If you also notice it licking itself while it waits it is sending a clear message of dominance. Expressing that it’s not that important, but you must follow regardless.
In some cases, there could be a genuine issue that needs to be expressed. But, don’t be alarmed to get to the destination and see nothing much.
Could your cat dart in front because of a medical issue?
Cats can dart in front of you to alert you to a medical issue. For example, there was a report from a cat owner who had their cat doing this behavior. Only to be led to their litter tray. Once there they witnessed the cat struggling to pee and discovered it had a bladder blockage.
This is one example, but there could be many more examples out there unreported. This clarifies that cats are clever and will use body language to their advantage.
Could your cat be hungry and want you to follow it?
Cats often feel hungry and to speed things up dart ahead and herd you to their bowl. This is their way of hinting that they need feeding. This is a clever way of making you know how they feel.
However, you will need to decide if your cat is truly hungry or just overeating. The confusing with this is some cats may overeat, but on the flip side, some cats may overweight but are not actually overeating (click here to see why).
If you act negatively will this stop your cat from darting in front of you?
Acting negatively towards your cat for darting in front of you will not stop it from doing this. In fact, it will make your cat think they have won and got a response from you. Your cat is doing this to get your attention and when you do this they have got just that.
