Cats seem to be just about everywhere you look these days. They rule the internet and more than a few are celebrities that have become household names. If you haven’t yet heard of or seen the infamous felines like Grumpy Cat, Lil Bub, Venus, Garfi, Lilu, or Colonel Meow, then you’re likely either not a cat lover or don’t go online very often.
Kitties are most certainly steadily growing in popularity. Perhaps the only other time in history they were so beloved was back in ancient Egypt, where they were viewed as godlike and so sacred that people worshiped them. These days they hold the top spot on the most popular list of pets, beating out dogs with an estimated 88 million of them in America alone. Studies and surveys conducted on cat owners have found many interesting things, such as the fact that they’re more likely to have a graduate degree or be introverted as compared to other pet owners. While all of that is good to know, the main thing that cat owners really want some insight into is why their cat does certain things.
You don’t need to be a proverbial crazy cat lady to wonder why your cats behave the way they do. As much as we wish we could talk and hold a conversation with them, that day has yet to come. However, there are ways in which felines communicate with us, it’s just not always verbally. Instead, cats use body language and certain behaviors to get through to us and the most common kitty actions have been analyzed, figured out, and explained below. In addition, the video clip also covers these traits in greater detail, so if you’ve ever wondered why your cat does certain things, the answer can be found here! The next time your cat does any of the following, you’ll know what’s up:
1. Kneading You: Perhaps the most endearing of all cat behaviors, this is a sign that your cat is thinking back to when they were a baby kitten and fed from their mother. The instinct to knead is very strong in cats. Even though the original purpose of it, to get milk from their mother, is no longer necessary, they often continue to do it regardless. Kneading is also believed by many experts to be a sign of comfort, trust, and relaxation.
2. Randomly Sprinting Back and Forth: Seemingly erratic behavior like running wildly around the house means that a cat is simply trying to get in some real exercise. The vast majority of house cats don’t get to go on long walks outside like their canine counterparts do, and so domestic kitties burn off extra energy by bursting into Speedy Gonzales mode. Running full speed across the house is essentially their version of going on a walk and just like most of the things they do it’s seemingly quite random, yet it mostly happens when they’re feeling restless!
3. Sleeping a Lot: Cats who snooze the day away are normal. The average cat lives to be about 12-15 years old and will spend 70% of their entire life asleep. That comes out to 8.4-10.5 years of their life spent sleeping! Plus, kittens need even more sleep than adult cats do because when they are fast asleep their bodies release growth hormones, which make them grow healthy, big, and strong.
4. Headbutting: This is how a cat says hello and it means they like you! Also called bunting, when a cat bumps their head against you it’s a friendly gesture and a common way that they tend to greet people. They only will headbutt when they feel truly safe and it also serves as a way for them to rub their scent glands on you, which is a real compliment in the cat world, so be thankful.
5. Spreading Their Legs: This is the ultimate sign that a cat trusts you. Any type of open-legged position means a cat is comfortable enough around you to fully submit and recognize that you are the one in charge. When a feline splays their legs they are in a vulnerable position and so they only do it around people they love and know they can trust.
6. Sticking Their Rear End in Your Face: As gross as it seems to us humans, this actually means that a cat wants to get to know you better. When a cat backs their butt up to your face it’s not meant to be offensive, rather it’s their own special way of saying ‘hey, what’s up?’ to you. The main way that cats communicate is by scent and as it turns out, butt sniffing is the number one way they greet one another.
7. Burying Their Poop: This is a first line defense cats use to protect themselves. In evolutionary terms a cat burying its poop is instinctual because it helps them to avoid other predators who would kill them if they got wind of it. The smell of a fresh number two would alert animals in the vicinity to their presence and so burying it buys them time and safety. For cats that live indoors and in multi-cat households, they often bury and cover up their doo-doo with litter to avoid offending other more dominant cats. When a cat suddenly fails to bury their poop it could mean that they are sick or not feeling well, or angry at you and offended by something you did.
8. Laying all Over Your Things: This means a cat wants more attention. Think of it like this; when you stare at your computer screen all day long or for hours on end, your cat notices. Later on, when they actually want your attention, they will plop down and sit right on top of it. People often confuse this behavior and think that it’s cats being jerks, but it’s really them being smart and observant, plain and simple.
9. Shaking Their Booty Before Pouncing: The wiggle-wiggle is one of the cutest things that a cat can do and it’s actually them balancing themselves. While their booty quaking is adorable and funny to watch, it’s really just one part of a larger movement they are doing that helps them to maintain their balance. In order to find equal footing a cat wiggles back and forth and a part of that motion involves their entire leg and foot, which is what we end up seeing.
10. Ignoring Food Right in Front of Them, Then Eating Random Stuff: Either your cat is not hungry at the moment or it cannot actually see the food. Most cats like to graze and will only eat when they feel hungry, so if you give them food at a time when they aren’t hungry, they simply won’t eat it. In addition, they are unable to see anything that is directly in front of their face because cats are near sighted. A general rule is that anything within a foot of their eyes is out of focus. Keep that in mind the next time you give your kitty a tasty treat and they can’t find it!
Watch the video below for a more extensive explanation on strange cat behaviors:
Kitties are most certainly steadily growing in popularity. Perhaps the only other time in history they were so beloved was back in ancient Egypt, where they were viewed as godlike and so sacred that people worshiped them. These days they hold the top spot on the most popular list of pets, beating out dogs with an estimated 88 million of them in America alone. Studies and surveys conducted on cat owners have found many interesting things, such as the fact that they’re more likely to have a graduate degree or be introverted as compared to other pet owners. While all of that is good to know, the main thing that cat owners really want some insight into is why their cat does certain things.
You don’t need to be a proverbial crazy cat lady to wonder why your cats behave the way they do. As much as we wish we could talk and hold a conversation with them, that day has yet to come. However, there are ways in which felines communicate with us, it’s just not always verbally. Instead, cats use body language and certain behaviors to get through to us and the most common kitty actions have been analyzed, figured out, and explained below. In addition, the video clip also covers these traits in greater detail, so if you’ve ever wondered why your cat does certain things, the answer can be found here! The next time your cat does any of the following, you’ll know what’s up:
1. Kneading You: Perhaps the most endearing of all cat behaviors, this is a sign that your cat is thinking back to when they were a baby kitten and fed from their mother. The instinct to knead is very strong in cats. Even though the original purpose of it, to get milk from their mother, is no longer necessary, they often continue to do it regardless. Kneading is also believed by many experts to be a sign of comfort, trust, and relaxation.
2. Randomly Sprinting Back and Forth: Seemingly erratic behavior like running wildly around the house means that a cat is simply trying to get in some real exercise. The vast majority of house cats don’t get to go on long walks outside like their canine counterparts do, and so domestic kitties burn off extra energy by bursting into Speedy Gonzales mode. Running full speed across the house is essentially their version of going on a walk and just like most of the things they do it’s seemingly quite random, yet it mostly happens when they’re feeling restless!
3. Sleeping a Lot: Cats who snooze the day away are normal. The average cat lives to be about 12-15 years old and will spend 70% of their entire life asleep. That comes out to 8.4-10.5 years of their life spent sleeping! Plus, kittens need even more sleep than adult cats do because when they are fast asleep their bodies release growth hormones, which make them grow healthy, big, and strong.
4. Headbutting: This is how a cat says hello and it means they like you! Also called bunting, when a cat bumps their head against you it’s a friendly gesture and a common way that they tend to greet people. They only will headbutt when they feel truly safe and it also serves as a way for them to rub their scent glands on you, which is a real compliment in the cat world, so be thankful.
5. Spreading Their Legs: This is the ultimate sign that a cat trusts you. Any type of open-legged position means a cat is comfortable enough around you to fully submit and recognize that you are the one in charge. When a feline splays their legs they are in a vulnerable position and so they only do it around people they love and know they can trust.
6. Sticking Their Rear End in Your Face: As gross as it seems to us humans, this actually means that a cat wants to get to know you better. When a cat backs their butt up to your face it’s not meant to be offensive, rather it’s their own special way of saying ‘hey, what’s up?’ to you. The main way that cats communicate is by scent and as it turns out, butt sniffing is the number one way they greet one another.
7. Burying Their Poop: This is a first line defense cats use to protect themselves. In evolutionary terms a cat burying its poop is instinctual because it helps them to avoid other predators who would kill them if they got wind of it. The smell of a fresh number two would alert animals in the vicinity to their presence and so burying it buys them time and safety. For cats that live indoors and in multi-cat households, they often bury and cover up their doo-doo with litter to avoid offending other more dominant cats. When a cat suddenly fails to bury their poop it could mean that they are sick or not feeling well, or angry at you and offended by something you did.
8. Laying all Over Your Things: This means a cat wants more attention. Think of it like this; when you stare at your computer screen all day long or for hours on end, your cat notices. Later on, when they actually want your attention, they will plop down and sit right on top of it. People often confuse this behavior and think that it’s cats being jerks, but it’s really them being smart and observant, plain and simple.
9. Shaking Their Booty Before Pouncing: The wiggle-wiggle is one of the cutest things that a cat can do and it’s actually them balancing themselves. While their booty quaking is adorable and funny to watch, it’s really just one part of a larger movement they are doing that helps them to maintain their balance. In order to find equal footing a cat wiggles back and forth and a part of that motion involves their entire leg and foot, which is what we end up seeing.
10. Ignoring Food Right in Front of Them, Then Eating Random Stuff: Either your cat is not hungry at the moment or it cannot actually see the food. Most cats like to graze and will only eat when they feel hungry, so if you give them food at a time when they aren’t hungry, they simply won’t eat it. In addition, they are unable to see anything that is directly in front of their face because cats are near sighted. A general rule is that anything within a foot of their eyes is out of focus. Keep that in mind the next time you give your kitty a tasty treat and they can’t find it!
Watch the video below for a more extensive explanation on strange cat behaviors:
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