Why Is My Cat So Needy? - 7 Reasons Explained

Is your cat constantly looking for your attention? We know that feeling. Some cats can get incredibly clingy to the point where it is almost annoying. Not that we don’t love our fluffy friends, we just don’t like to get woken up by constant meowing in the night. In this blog post, we are stating 7 reasons why your cat is so needy and what you can do about it.

1. Your cat is insecure

Do you remember, back in school, when you had to step in front of the class to present a topic that you didn’t know anything about? You probably wished somebody was with you at that time.

Just like humans, cats can be insecure and get nervous because of outer circumstances. In this case, your kitty wants to have you around to feel safe, protected and comfortable.

It’s important to get to the root why your cat may feel insecure in your home. May it be a new couch, a moved armchair or a different scent in the living room, pay close attention to your cat and observe its behaviors. This way you can avoid your cat feeling not so comfortable in the first place.

However, if your cat is extra clingy because it doesn’t feel cozy due to a minor change in your home, you can generally rest easy. Cats adapt to their circumstances quickly, especially if it’s just a new chair in the room.

2. Your cat loves you

We all like to express our love physically one way or another. It’s no wonder that cats like to do the same, is it?

Some cats are cuddlier than others. If you happen to own a cuddly cat that loves you a lot, you got yourself a needy feline, simple as that.

This is probably the sweetest reason as to why cats can be clingy at times. It’s a heartwarming feeling to know that this wonderful being meows, hugs you and cuddles with you because it simply wants to be with you.

It’s also the one reason where you can’t really do anything except accepting it and hugging your kitty back. But let’s be honest, what are a few sleepless nights compared to unconditional love?

3. Your cat is hungry

Notably in cities, you are the only food provider to your cat. Since they can’t hunt for mice regularly, cats are completely dependent on their owners to nourish them.  

So as cats can’t communicate quite as we would like them to, there aren’t many ways of showing you that they are hungry. Most of the time, this results in the cat hugging and rubbing your legs until you finally hand out some delicious food.

4. Your cat is bored

Cats need activity. When not played with, they can get bored when staying at home all day very quickly. We all know that it’s almost crazy how much they sleep, but even they can’t sleep all day. The rest must be filled with activity!

You need to spend some quality time with your cat for it to be content during the day. Mind you, in this context, we do not associate quality time with cuddles!

Let your cat chase you around the house, play with its favorite toy and exhaust it in any way possible. Not only is your cat too tired to be clingy anyway, it is also emotionally satisfied with you caring for it.

Howcast has an amazing video on how to make sure your cat isn't bored:

Take it from Catster, the famous cat magazine from the US: “Play provides vital stimulation”, which is exactly what you need to make your cat sleep through the night instead of wanting your attention at 3AM in the morning.

5. Your cat is ill

If you experience radical behavior changes in your cat, it is always best to plan a quick trip to the vet. Your feline being overly needy is no exception and it can be a way of telling you that something is wrong.

Now keep in mind that this is the least possible reason for your kitty constantly sticking onto you, but we deem it the most important one in this list. The well-being of your sweetheart has the highest priority.

When it comes to the health of our felines, it is best to do too much than too little, and a quick check up should fit in every cat lover’s schedule.

So, if your cat was never needy before and suddenly sticks on you like glue, consider a vet appointment.

6. Your cat doesn’t want to lose you

This may sound like the second reason we stated above but hear us out: A cat that suffered from being abandoned in the past is different from a cat that generally loves you. Quite different actually.

Kitties that were separated from their mommy or their owner got their heart broken early on. It is only natural that they don’t want this to happen again.

Think about it: Nobody likes heartbreaks, why would cats?

Therefore, your kitty continually hangs on to you because they don’t want you to leave it alone. It’s literally your cat telling you “Please don’t go!”.

This scenario is quite difficult to deal with and needs a lot of time investment from your side. You must make sure your cat understands that you will always come back, otherwise you can’t enjoy one single minute alone with yourself or somebody else.

This is done through a lot of cuddling, playing, and generally chilling together. You must overwhelm your cat with love. This way, you will leave no doubt that you will always stay by your sweetheart’s side – no matter what.

You can also pick up the hobby of creating an Instagram page for your cat to make it famous!

7. Your cat is the new kid

We are sure you noticed that we like metaphors by now, so brace yourself for another one: Did you ever walk into a room full of humans you didn’t know at all? A scenario like this can become a bit uncomfortable, especially if you are not the outgoing, extrovert type of person.

When you introduce a cat to a household with other members, it can feel the same way. “Who is my friend? Who is my enemy?”. Your kitty unconsciously thinks about that.

You, as its caretaker, radiate a sense of security that your kitty will hang on to. It’s a smart move. It stays in the safe zone while analyzing the environment, slowly getting to know its hierarchical structure and other aspects.

If this applies to your situation, you can rest assured that it will solve itself within the next few weeks. As sad as it may sound, your kitty will get more confident and move out into the world more often, sitting less and less by your side. Oh, how fast they grow.

Conclusion

In the blog post we covered the most common reasons for why your cat is so clingy. You can see that the range of possibilities is quite wide and that in practice, it is difficult to pinpoint the situation to one single reason.

While we all enjoy our cats at our side, too much is too much, and we hope to have helped you with finding a solution against your overly needy cat.

If you have any questions or experiences regarding this topic, you can always leave a comment down below and tell us!

As always, thank you for reading and we wish you a wonderful day filled with lots of cuddles.

Maria.