5 weird cat behaviors and their explanation: why do they like to knead all the time?

Cats are not only considered to be inscrutable, mystical and mysterious creatures, but quite often they also behave like this. We reveal five strange cat habits and their reasons.

Cats can behave really strangely! They make diligent kneading movements with their paws on almost any soft surface, but even on their owner’s lap if they feel comfortable. If they want attention, they “head off” in a good sense, i.e. they poke their head at the owner. When playing or hunting they chirp undisturb, but if all that wasn’t enough, they can leap around the apartment like lightning even in the middle of the night. They do all of this for seemingly no apparent reason but according to behaviorists, all this is completely logical for cats. Let’s see 5 weird cat behaviors and their expalantion.

1. Headbutt

This movement is not unknown to any cat owner. The animal expresses its love for you by rubbing its head against you or by gently tapping its head against you. Scent galnds which contains pheromones are located all over the cat’s body, including its muzzle. A pheromone is a chemical substance through which the cat emits signals, thus marking everything it considers its own.

Headbutt is therefore a gesture with which the cat expects positive feedback from the owner in the form of petting. However, rubbing their face at you is not always about showing affection. The animal can also express restlessness and fear through it, for example. When it behaves aloof in the presence of a stranger and rubs itself against its favorite armchair to let it know that the armchair is its own and it would be better if it took a seat elsewhere.

2. Kneading

This is one of the most common yet mysterious cat behavior. While kneading, the kitty places its front paws on some soft surface and pushing both paws forward and backward alternately. The animal’s facial expression is realxed and dreamy. This behavior indicates contentment and can be traced back to kittenhood, when kittens press the mother cat’s belly with their paws while nursing. Experiences that satisfy biological needs are very positive things for cats.

This feeling taken over from kittenhood, which later, in adulthood, turned into the expression and demand of love, social contact, and the expression of a sense of security in this way.

3. Blabbermouth

With a continuous “chirping”, the cat indicates that it is completely captivated by the playful mood. Chirping and “ekekekek” are just two of the 7 most common sounds a cat can make. You can read about them here. 

4. Like being shot out of a rifle

It’s funny when the cat suddenly starts running wildly up and down, zigzagging, for no particular reason. For the owner, this behavior is very surprising, but for the animal, there is a completely real motivation behind the apparently crazy behavior.

If the kitty is healthy and regularly checked by the vet, then there is no reason to worry, it is not aspire to Usain Bolt’s honours, it is just draining its excess energy. Especially if it don’t go out but live in an apartment.

Like all good things, sometimes running around costs a lot. If the owner sees that the cat is excitedly throwing itself on its back, flapping its tail back and forth or twitching, then it is time to intervene and distract the animal with a snack or a toy.

5. Bottoms up!

With the reverse headbutt the cat also wants to express its friendship. This form of behavior is an ancient instinct that survived from their wild life. As a greeting, cats first turn to each other with their heads and later with their backs when getting to know each other. The cat would like to end the acquaintance, so it raises its bottom towards us, indicating that it regards both the other cat or the owner as friends.