Why Do Cats Knead Your Stomach

Their ancestors did this with tall grass or leaves.

Why do cats knead your stomach. They may purr stretch and knead the air while lying on their side to tell male cats that they can approach for possible mating. This can involve claws. Kneading mom s teats stimulates the let down response causing the milk to flow more freely. Kittens knead when they are nursing and it is thought it gives them the same comfort as adults.

They purr and very often look completely relaxed as if in a trance. When they get older they knead their human friends because they see you as a sort of adoptive mom. Cats tend to knead on soft things like bedding or your stomach. It s just a sign of them pleasing the boss.

Long after they ve left their mothers sides cats continue to knead. Kneading may have an origin going back to cats wild ancestors who had to tread down grass or foliage to make a temporary nest in which to rest. However if they are immediately ready to mate they will not knead their paws and will instead raise their pelvis with the tail to one side. On occasions cats have also been seen to knead when they are under stress.

Sometimes it hurts. When a cat purrs during kneading you can make out that they are particularly contented. The movements are instinctive and since they incur a reward kitty naturally transfers the behavior to other places and things in the hope of more good things to come. However even cats that stay in the same homes as their moms knead.

One reason cats knead is to make a soft bed or clear a space to doze. Because kittens use this motion to satisfy a need they often associate the habit with a good thing and bring it into their adult cat life as well. There are theories that cats do it because they were taken from their mothers too soon and are trying to duplicate that happy protected time in their lives. Kittens knead at their mother s tummy when they re hungry and looking for milk.

Others theorize that the habit is a carry over from their ancient feline ancestors in the wild whose kneading was actually a practical way of tramping down grass or foliage to make a bed and. Multiple theories exist that explain why cats knead. Female cats have an additional reason for kneading. Cats knead when they are feeling happy or contented.

When they re little babies they do it to stimulate the flow of milk from their mother. Kittens must nurse their mother to get life sustaining milk. It s a comfort sign from them you have happy kitties who are so glad to be around you. They do it with your jeans.

One reason why cats knead paws stems from their kittenhood. Alternatively the behavior may be a remnant of a newborn s kneading of the mother s teat to stimulate milk secretion.