Does your cat do things that make you go, “why in the world is she doing that?”
Cats do all sorts of crazy stuff. While most people choose to ignore them, we decided to explore. Why? Because we have time, lots and lots of time.
Even if you didn’t ask for them, we are going to try and explain a few strange feline behaviors. This might help you understand your cat and maybe respond in a way that your cat finds amusing or desirable. If not, you can always drop a few of these facts to a cat-loving friend or a date to instantly score genius points. Enough loitering around the litter box, here are 6 things cats do that have hidden meanings.
Waking You Up Early Morning
Do you have a cat that wakes up in the morning or sometimes even late at night? This may seem like an annoying habit, which it is, but there is an inner meaning to this behavior. Cat’s have a unique circadian rhythm, which tells them to wake up at early hours. This is mainly because early mornings are the perfect time to go hunting for birds and other small creatures. In other words, it’s kind of their instinct. Whatever you do, don’t give them food when they wake you up unless of course, you want to set a cat-paw alarm clock for the rest of your pet’s life. Seriously, don’t do it. They are going to wake you up every day if you do.
Rubbing Themselves on You
If you think your cat rubbing against your leg is a sign of affection, then we are afraid we have bad news. We hate to break it to you, it’s not much affection as it’s marking their territory or property. That’s right, your cat thinks you are her property, let that sink in. Next time you say “don’t objectify me” make sure your cat is listening. Or better yet, return the favor by rubbing it back using one of the many cat grooming tools available in the market. You mark me, I mark you right back.
Wrapping their Tails Around Your Leg
Ah, the classic tail wrap. Nope, your cat is not trying to lasso you to the ground and hogtie you. In reality, that is just their way of showing love. Weird, right? Why don’t they just hug us for god sakes!
Face Sniffing
There are times when cats get right in front of your face and take a few good whiffs. Then they give you that look. The look that says, “why don’t you brush your teeth?” Well, there is finally an explanation for this strange behavior. When your cat smells your face, she is trying to collect information and store your scent signature in her memory.
Kneading Other Cats, Cushions, or You
Cats use their front paws to press or knead other pet, you, or a cushion. Not all cats display this behavior. However, if you are fortunate enough to witness this peculiar behavior, you definitely have some questions. To be honest, there is no definite answer. However, many animal behaviorists and experts feel that this action provides emotional comfort as this is the same motion kittens do when weaning. Once they are too old to suckle they find happiness in repeating this action. We presume it’s somewhat like children who suck on their thumbs. Keep in mind, there is a long list of other theories about why cats knead. In the end, experts are just as confused as you are.
Following You Around
There are only two reasons why a cat would follow a human being, hunger or love. If your cat just had her meal and she is still following you around, you know which one it is.
@alice_dingley oh my goodness!! !
I’m glad there’s an answer for the up close face sniff!
? yes, it’s one of those we all wondered about isn’t it.
I get the kneading business after the klitty boys wake me up (early – 12 midnight or so) to get up and feed them their first wet food of the day (“night”!), and, yes, I learned the hard way about setting kitty clocks with these two, and am doomed to be an early riser as long as they or I am alive! (Fortunately, I am retired, so this doesn’t affect me too terribly much, though friends wonder why I take afternoon naps many days and go to bed before most people not on shift work.) The kneading is most pleasant, though I try to keep as much fabric as possible between my tender skin and their razor death toes! LOL!
? ours like waking us up early too.
I regard the current kitties as an improbvement over the late great Louie the ginger cat. At almost 10,9 kilos, his wake up routine of walking up and down my body was a bit difficult to ignore. If I managed to ignore him, the old face in my face business did the trick: tickled!
I can see how that walking business could be slightly impossible to ignore 0.0
I would get that too but I’d rather have that to waking with an alarm. And better being I needed than waking to 4 cats staring at I. One in which lays on my chest and finds just the right spots to put some weight…a rib my boob…u get the hint. I think cats know our pressure points
Yers they do! Andy does the nicer job, more subtle, so I am glad he comes around first. Dougy’s approach is the old “walk up and down his body” business, “tail in face”, and {purr-purr-purr) “face in face”. The latter is very ticklish, of course, and very hard to ignore. LOL!
? haha tail in the face we do get too.
75% of all cats I’ve been awakened by swear by it!
LOL! Same for us.
? they always seem good at that.
You have forgotten the “Cats shove their posterior into your face” – the explanation is simple: Cats can smell things we cannot – pheromones. And they use those to communicate with each other. That they let you “sniff” is a sign of A) trusting you and B) thinking you to be worthy of their smell.
? how did I forget that one.
Don’t your four do that?
Luckily only occasionally. ?
Sully would ‘Lasso’ me and when I had my cat TomJerry (I was 3 or 4) he would follow me everywhere and he’d take naps with me.
One of ours always follows us around. It’s quite funny when she does that and sometimes the neighbour sees it and is like “is she a dog or a cat”?
When we got Tom he would follow me all over my pop pops yard
Awe