Why Do Cats Knead Their Paws On You

Many purr with eyes closed and some even drool.

Why do cats knead their paws on you. The next time kitty begins to work those pads before curling up in your lap realize how special you must be. It s a bit of an odd behaviour to describe but if you ve ever seen it you know exactly what we. Kneading is a common behavior seen in domestic cats in which the feline pushes in and out with its front paws alternating between left and right. Cats often perform this motion sometimes called.

So if your cat is kneading your lap just be patient sit back and relax because that s likely what they re preparing to do. Cats likely knead on blankets because. Kneading behavior begins when cats are newborns. A lot of cats will do this it is the first way it interacted with the mother.

Kitties use their front paws to knead soft or pliable surfaces including humans and other cats or kittens. Not only has she chosen you as the exact spot on the planet where she d most like be she s also letting the rest of the animal world know that you belong to her. Some cats retract their claws while others extend them as they knead. Some cats may also relax their jaws or bite down on the edge of a blanket or pillow.

To you it may look like your cat is kneading dough to make delicious bread or cookies but the kitty habit is not simply for fun. This trance like motion is often called making biscuits because it resembles a baker kneading dough. They may purr stretch and knead the air while lying on their side to tell male cats that they can approach for possible mating. Kneading is a cat behaviour in which your kitty will use their two front paws to knead or massage a soft surface.

They may extend and retract their claws and the behaviour is usually accompanied by purring. Cats knead on beds on soft blankets and sometimes they knead their humans. There are also theories that when all cats were wild they used kneading as a way to trample grass into a safe bed where they could sleep or give birth. The kneading with the paws is just one of the ways that a cat is telling you that it is happy.

Female cats have an additional reason for kneading. They instinctively knead their mother s tummy as they suckle and this is thought to stimulate her milk flow. Now doesn t that make it. Another theory traces the roots of kneading to the wild ancestors of domesticated cats who would knead grass to create a suitable sleeping place similar to the circling dogs do before they settle in.

Kneading on a blanket is comforting and anxiety reducing for a kitty again same as a human child sucking on his or her thumb. It s an ingrained habit from their childhood they would knead on a blanket in the same way a human child would suck on his or her thumb.