What you are experiencing is not at all weird or crazy. This is actually typical cat behavior and is indeed referred to as the night crazies (although my cats also do this in the morning and the evening and all hours inbetween). This is cat play to hone their hunting skills and burn off energy, which every indoor cat needs to do. You have two choices here: 1)Follow Alto's excellent suggestions to divert this play, but this will take patience since you have made yourself the "prey" and the cat may still launch at you rather than the toy. (Remember, cats don't play with dead prey, so stop running and do not respond at all if attacked). 2)Get your cat a cat pal which is the best option. I go through this with adopters all the time. Everyone thinks one cat is easier than two until they realize they will have to function as the "other cat." Getting a pal gives your cat someone who will appreciate this behavior and who won't mind biting your cat's ear when it gets out of hand (I don't expect you are going to do this.) and teach it some manners. It will also keep your cat in shape over the long run. Finally it will stop your cat from being lonely when you are going. Often cats overreact when their people get home because they are bored so many hours of the day. And yes, everyone who has taken this advice and adopted the right friend for the cat (for the cat, not themselves)has stopped being attacked by their first cat.

If you do adopt a cat as a friend, pick a complementary personality. If you cat is the dominant one, do not get a dominant cat or you will have problems. In other words, do not pick the most gregarious kitten in the litter because that is the dominant one. The best way to play it safe is to pick the kitten or cat who gets along with everyone. It is also just as easy to adopt an adult, if you have a good idea of personality. An adult cat's personality is set, so if it is the submissive one or the get-along-with-everyone one, the cats will be fine. No matter what, if you get a kitten or adult as a friend, separate them for two weeks and introduce slowly. The new cat is overwhelmed by a new place anyway so this is actually the kinder way to bring the new cat in and is not cruel or mean in any way.

Zanne

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