6 Signs Spring Has Sprung, According to Your Cat

Have a cat? Chances are you have a feline forecaster at your disposal.

Call it a sixth sense or nine-life experience or sheer instincts, but your cat – believe it or not – knows best. Simply by accident, your feline friend can signal the advent of spring like a seasoned meteorologist confidently telling you to put your snow shovel away and move your winter jacket to the back of the closet.

Sure, there are plenty of other ways to foreshadow spring’s imminent arrival. Everything from budding flowers to warming weather and chirping songbirds help symbolize the rejuvenation of the natural world that occurs this time of year. And your handy calendar typically serves as a solid indicator as well. But observing your ever-entertaining feline proves much more fun.

Reduce your reliance on scientific weather tools and divert your attention to your cat’s predictive powers. The modern-day climate, after all, can prove deceptive and unpredictable. Here are six telltale signs that spring has sprung, as inadvertently offered by your household feline:

1. Your Cat Predicts Rain

Springtime is often synonymous with rainfall, as April and May tend to be the wettest months of the year in many regions of the United States. Yet even without the benefit of a calendar, your cat foretells the coming rainy season. Several cat behaviors are said to serve as signs of a rainstorm, including sneezing and cleaning behind the ears. Consequently, the frequency of these behaviors often increases during the springtime periods known for April showers and May flowers.

2. Your Cat Lounges in the Sun

If your feline is like most, they love to sunbathe, either outdoors in direct sunlight or through a sun-splashed window. But when winter comes around, sunlight is scarce and many felines prefer the warmth offered by your bed or couch. As the days become longer and spring beckons more direct sunlight, though, you’ll often see your cat awakening earlier and undertaking a mission to find that perfect spot to relax and catch some rays.

3. Your Cat Sheds Their Winter Coat

The shedding of fur represents a normal, natural occurrence for felines, enabling them to eliminate dead fur and replenish their coats. Cats, particularly those of the outdoor variety, tend to shed more extensively during the onset of spring, when days lengthen and temperatures warm. It’s a cat’s way of losing that winter coat that provided thermal protection during the cold-weather months, and a telltale sign that spring has blossomed.

4. Your Cat Takes Up Birdwatching

A natural hunter, your indoor feline likely has a propensity to observe birds and other wildlife through a first-floor window or from the vantage point of a second-story windowsill. However, with the looming onslaught of winter, many bird species either migrate south or reduce their activity levels, forcing your cat to put this instinctive hobby on hold. Thankfully for your feline though, the rebirth associated with spring’s arrival includes a renewal of their interest in devoting hours to staring down songbirds.

5. Your Cat Gets the Zoomies More Often

When spring arrives, many cats suddenly seem to have extra energy. If your normally relaxed feline begins racing down hallways, darting up cat trees, or launching into surprise play attacks, the changing season may be part of the reason.

Longer days mean more daylight hours, which can naturally stimulate your cat’s activity levels. Cats are crepuscular animals, meaning they’re most active at dawn and dusk. As spring brings earlier sunrises and later sunsets, those active periods often become more noticeable to their human companions.

In addition, spring brings more sights, sounds, and smells into your cat’s world. Open windows let in fresh air, birds become more active outside, and insects begin appearing again. All of these changes can trigger your cat’s natural hunting instincts and make them more playful or energetic.

For indoor cats especially, this seasonal boost in stimulation can lead to more frequent bursts of excitement, commonly known as the “zoomies.” While these sudden sprints may seem random, they’re actually a healthy way for your cat to release pent-up energy and express natural behaviors.

So, if your cat suddenly starts treating your living room like a racetrack, it might not just be playful chaos. It could be their way of celebrating that spring has officially arrived.

6. Your Kitten Becomes a Cat

Following a dormant winter, many living things greet spring’s arrival by enjoying a period of significant growth, and your kitten is no exception. Like a sapling sprouting new branches or an adolescent child outgrowing clothing, your once-tiny kitten experiences a growth spurt of sorts during springtime. By the time spring fever wears off, your kitten might’ve developed into a cat right before your eyes. It’s yet another sign that spring has arrived and beautiful weather is here to stay.