Cats make great domestic pets and are very happy living indoors with their human. Since most are commonly seen snoozing in a sunny spot or deliberately ignoring the human seeking their attention, there is a common perception that they are inactive and don’t like activity.
Siamese cats are not lazy at all. While they are mostly calm, friendly, and laid-back, they are still very active cats. It seems that there is always something they need to do and most of the time they want to involve their humans in their activities.
Siamese cats are the opposite of lazy. If you are noticing your Siamese is not as active as it should be, monitor your cat’s behavior closely and see what is causing the laziness or even lethargy.
Why is my Siamese lethargic?
Humans that belong to Siamese cats tell stories of coming home to unraveled sweaters, unrolled toilet paper, cereal boxes hunted out of cabinets and contents dumped all over the kitchen, shredded books and many more incidents where the Siamese made it clear they were active, at times too much so!
If your Siamese is not active, there could be any number of reasons, starting from the harmless (cats are moody!) to the serious such as ill-health. Infections, old age, boredom and change in weather could be among the reasons a normally active cat has become lazy.
There are steps you can take to increase activity levels for your cat once ill-health has been ruled out, but before that know what could possibly make for a lazy Siamese.
1. Ill-health
Cats can take ill easily. If you suspect your Siamese is unwell, take it to the vet and get a thorough check-up done.
The doctor will check for parasites or infections and treat the condition accordingly. Joint problems could also be a reason your normally active cat is now lazy. Correct diagnosis and treatment should have your Siamese back to its active self really soon.
2. Medication side-effects
Know how medicines make us drowsy? It’s the same for cats. If your Siamese has been on medication for any reason, they could be lethargic as a side-effect of the medicine.
Once the effects of the medication wear off, your cat should be back to its usual level of activity. However, you should check with your vet for confirmation before assuming this is reason for the lethargy.
3. Obesity
Yes, cats are prone to obesity! Since Siamese are fluffy cats, it’s easy to mistake excess weight for fluffiness.
Your Siamese could be eating more than it requires, which is a real concern if food is always available in the cat’s bowl.
On the other hand, if you’re feeding on schedule but the diet is rich in protein, the cat might still put on weight. This is because cats digest protein slowly, resulting in weight gain.
If your cat is overweight, reduce the amount of food offered till the weight comes down, after which you can maintain it by monitoring the food intake and making sure the cat is getting enough exercise to burn off the calories.
4. Old age
It’s natural for cats to slow down as they age, and your Siamese will be no different.
Just as we human slow down, cats do too. Always factor in age when considering your cat’s activity level but do schedule a visit to the doctor to rule out any other cause.
5. Boredom
Is your Siamese bored? If it is not offered mental stimulation, it is very possible for it to become lethargic and not make any attempt to be active.
Give your cat plenty of toys to play with. Something as simple as a cardboard box, toilet roll, ball of yarn and other basics will keep your Siamese happily occupied for hours while you’re away.
When you’re home, you could engage in some play with your cat using laser beams, balls, feather teasers, bells, etc.
6. Depression
Animals feel emotions and while felines do not get depressed the same way as humans, they do experience some form of it if they go through a traumatic experience.
The loss of a loved family member or fellow-pet, abandonment and an extreme change in living conditions can all trigger depression.
If your cat has gone through any of these, make an effort to spend more time with your cat, play and cuddle with it as much as it allows you to reduce any sense of abandonment so it feels loved and wanted and can come out the depression.
In extreme cases, medicines might be required to treat the problem.
7. Change in sleeping pattern
It’s normal for cats to sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day. Normally, our pets adapt to our sleeping pattern but sometimes they switch it around and spend more time prowling around the house at night and sleep during the day.
Many Siamese cat owners have woken up to a home that looks like it’s been vandalized just because their cat was awake most of the night and bored! When the cat has been this busy at night, it is to be expected that they’ll recoup by sleeping through the day!
8. Conserving energy
This is a throwback from the time of their wild hunting days when cats would sleep during the day and hunt prey at night.
This had the double advantage of avoiding the larger animals during the day that might prey on the cats themselves and also making their hunt easy because nighttime is when many smaller mammals are active.
9. Hot weather
Siamese cats have short fur and usually cope very well with heat.
If you’re living in a place with high temperatures and are noticing your cat has become lethargic, it is grooming itself more, drinking more water than normal or seeking cool surfaces to lay on, it’s feeling hot and is trying to keep its core temperature down.
You could opt to have your Siamese’s fur trimmed to keep it cool, but this method is a hotly debated one since some people say the fur is a natural temperature regulator and will keep the cat cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
10. Lack of exercise
If your Siamese is not getting enough exercise in routine, it is possible it’s gotten used to the sedentary lifestyle and isn’t interested in moving around too much.
If you have the space and budget, you could install a catio that’ll keep your cat occupied in safe and constructive exercise. If you don’t have outdoor space, an indoor cat tree or walkways are a good option.
In case you can’t manage that, a few sessions of playtime throughout the day should be enough exercise. Use feather toys and laser beams that the cat will chase until it tires, which is usually after 10 minutes of intensive play.
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