Cats are crepuscular, naturally peaking around dawn and dusk, and the indoor pre-dawn zoomies are exactly that instinct expressed in a home.
Long solo daytime naps and too little interactive play bank energy for a nighttime burst, most visibly in young cats and high-drive breeds.
The fix is a roughly fifteen-minute wand-toy hunt before bed, ending with a catch and a meal to mimic the hunt-eat-rest chain.
Zoomies need no punishment, but sudden nighttime hyperactivity and yowling in a senior cat should be checked for hyperthyroidism and cognitive dysfunction.
