Why Does My Cat Follow Me Around?

So you’ve been walking around your house lately and noticed that your cat has been following you everywhere.

Naturally, you start to wonder what the reason for that may be. Could it be hunger? Well, a hungry cat will also tend to meow a lot at its owners and show other signs.

And if your cat is following you even after getting fed recently, then the chances of it being hungry are pretty much nill.

Being the independent creatures that they are, this behavior seems really out of place for most owners. They do not understand why their pet cats are just following them around everywhere, even the bathroom at times!

But do not fret! There are explanations for this behavior, and in this article, I will be going over nine reasons why your cat may be following you around.

Table of Contents show

Why does my cat follow me around — Image credit : Sipa from pixabay

Breed differences

There is also something you should keep in mind when you notice this behavior. Some cat breeds are just more playful and interactive than others. Siamese cats, for example, are well known for following their owners around everywhere. Siamese cats love to be active all the time and are always searching for an opportunity to share some playtime with their owners.

On the other hand, breeds like the Maine Coon are much more relaxed and tend only to play occasionally. You will not often find a Maine Coon cat to be following its owner around, but that doesn’t mean that it never happens, either.

So you shouldn’t be surprised if your cat is following you around, especially if it is a playful breed like a Siamese or an Abyssinian cat. Even more laid-back breeds will be at your tail sometimes, and I will explain why in this article.

Reasons why my cat follows me around in the house

1. Attention

This is perhaps the most common reason for your cat to follow you. If your cat has been feeling neglected recently or has been wanting to play with you, then it will try to let you know.

The easiest way for them to do that is to be right before you. Your cat may want to cuddle with you a little or look for an excuse to engage in some quality playtime with you.

Needless to say, if you have not been able to spend some time with your cat lately and they start to accompany you around the house, then a quality petting session might be in order. After all, as a cat owner, it is important for you to keep your feline friend happy and entertained. And when you get to spend some quality time with your pet, you have nothing to lose, either.

2. Play

Cats are very energetic creatures; they need some way to release all the energy stored in them. In the wild, they can do this when hunting or searching for food.

An indoor cat does not need to hunt for food and tends to have many more chances of having excess energy throughout the day. The easiest way for them to get rid of that energy is to play around with some toys or with their owners.

And you, the owner, are the best source of playtime around the house. You can keep your cat engaged with all the different toys that you have around the house.

Even if you don’t have any toys nearby, you can figure out ways to keep your little friend moving around and burning excess energy.

Your cat knows this, of course, and will stay close to you when they are looking for some opportunity to play.

3. Territorial Instincts

Cats are very territorial creatures. They can often be seen spreading their scent around the house to mark territory. Cats spread their scent around areas to warn potential intruders that they are on someone’s territory.

If a cat does not like an unwelcome guest in its territory, then it will try its best to keep it away. Even resorting to fighting to keep their own space free of intruders.

In the wild, cats like to roam around their territory to check for any potential intruders, they do this often, and just like wild cats, even a house cat has the same instincts.

Your cat sees your house as its territory and considers you a part of that territory. So, when you are just casually moving around your house, your cat might think you are on patrol and looking for potential intruders.

Naturally, your cat will join you on your patrol as it considers you a trusted creature. To you, it may seem weird why your cat suddenly decided to follow you into the bathroom, but to them, it can be much more than just that.

4. Your cat wants more food

You may have fed your cat recently, but you notice that your little feline friend is on your tail once again. They may just be feeling a little greedy today and are looking for some extra food/snacks.

Of course, you shouldn’t immediately give food to your cat if you see them following you. Try to play with them first and see how they respond. If they do not respond, you can try to cuddle with them. If you don’t notice anything again, then the chances are that your cat isn’t satisfied with its meal.

Generally speaking, cats also meow a lot when they want food, so if your cat is following you and is also meowing more than usual, then there’s a pretty good chance that you can fix their

little issue with a few treats or some extra food to satisfy them.

5. They Feel Safe With You

If your cat has been feeling a little tense or worried lately, then it will try to stick around you to feel more secure. This is a good sign as it means your cat trusts you to protect it.

You may especially notice that your cat will follow you into your bedroom if this is the case. It will try to sleep close to you and may not be all that playful or chatty on that occasion.

If this happens once or twice, then it may not be a cause for concern, but if it happens quite frequently, then you may want to check out what may be bothering your cat lately.

6. Curiosity

Cats are inquisitive creatures. They love to know about everything that goes on in their territory. Being a part of their territory, you are also subject to that curiosity.

Your cat may want to know what you are up to all day when you are moving around the house. This is also why your cat can’t leave you alone while you are working.

They are too curious about all the different objects you are using and want to know what exactly is going on. There is, of course, no way for you to mitigate this curiosity other than just to let them see what you are up to throughout the day.

7. Separation Anxiety

While this phenomenon is much more common with dogs, some cats can also suffer from separation anxiety if they have been away from their owners for some time.

They will try to hang out with you a lot more as they have been missing your presence for a while.

This case is quite easy to identify, of course, if you’ve been away from your cat for a few days. You notice that your cat has started to spend an unusual amount of time with you, then there is a pretty good chance that your cat is suffering from separation anxiety and wants to be with you for some time.

8. They See You As A Parent

Kittens rely on their moms for just about everything. Their mothers are responsible for providing their kitten’s food, shelter, and protection. And the kittens do not leave their mother alone for a second. They will stay close to their mothers wherever they go.

You are, in many ways, very similar to a parent to your cat. You are responsible for providing your cat with food, protection, and shelter. And seeing this, your cat also sees you as a parent. It is thus in their instinct to try to stay close to you.

9. They are hurt

This is, of course, the most alarming reason on this list. Cats generally hide their pain really well and tend not to show it at all, but they may start to hang around you much more often if they have been suffering from some illness lately.

You can identify if your cat is genuinely following you because of this reason by trying to see if your cat plays with you first. If your cat does not play at all, then you can try to give it some food.

A cat that is experiencing pain or discomfort will not eat food at all, and if you notice that your cat is not even trying to eat the food, then there is a good chance that they are suffering from some illness.

Of course, the next step is to immediately take your cat to the vet and get it checked. A vet will be able to correctly identify the problem and offer suitable treatment for the possible illness.

Final thoughts

So, those were all the different reasons for your cat to follow you. As humans, it is challenging for us to understand the behavior of our cats truly, and in this article, I tried to explain why your cat may be following you everywhere.

Now, you should remember that cat breeds have different personalities and behaviors. Some cat breeds are naturally more likely to stick around with their owners as compared to other breeds. But these reasons are even applicable for breeds that are not well known for being very interactive.

Let’s go over them briefly

Your cat wants attention; feeling neglected can be a reason for your cat to be around you.
If your cat is bored and wants to burn some energy, it will look towards you to engage in some playful activity for them.
Cats are very territorial. They will aggressively guard their territory, your cat sees your house as its own territory, and you are a part of that territory.
If you are moving around the house, your cat may assume that you are on patrol and will join you to assist.
Your cat may need something from you. It may be looking for some extra snacks or food.
Another reason could be that your cat feels a little anxious or afraid. It sees you as a protector and wants to stay close to you.
They could also be curious and want to keep tabs on what you are doing; this behavior isn’t something alien to cats.
Your cat may be suffering from separation anxiety; this is especially obvious if you have been away for some time and notice that your cat is much closer to you afterward.
An alarming reason for your cat to follow you is if it could be in pain or discomfort.
Cats hide their pain well, but if they suffer a lot, they will try to express that pain somehow.
Your cat may be doing that by following you around. You can check if this is true by just trying to play with your cat or trying to feed it.
If your cat does not play at all or does not try to eat any food, then there’s a chance that it suffers from an illness and should be checked immediately.