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As much as we love our feline friends, some of their behaviors are puzzling. Okay, let’s get real. A lot of things that cats do are very weird. That’s why we thought it would be helpful to explain the meaning behind some of the strangest cat behaviors. Now without further ado, here are 12 weird cat behaviors explained.
Cat Behaviors Explained
1. Zoomies
It might seem confusing when your cat randomly zooms down the hall. There’s actually a term for this in the cat community: zoomies! This unexpected running is your cat’s way of burning off extra energy. Cats are natural hunters, so all of that energy is needed to catch prey in the wild. Since a house cat doesn’t have to hunt, they need to burn that pent up energy somehow. That’s when “the zoomies” happen!
Frantic running around the house could also mean that your cat needs more exercise. Most experts agree that cats need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. PetMD recommends dividing up this exercise time into 10-15 minute play sessions. This can easily be done with cat toys such as fishing polls, laser pointers, plush mice, etc.
2. Leaving Gifts
Cats are known for leaving their owners “gifts,” such as dead rodents or birds. While this is one of those cat behaviors that seems gross, you should actually feel honored. By leaving a gift, your cat might be thanking you or expressing their love for you. What better way to show gratitude than a fine mouse? Another possibility is that your cat is teaching you how to hunt. In the wild, mother cats train their young to hunt by bringing back dead prey. So, in this case, your cat is treating you like family by teaching you a survival skill!
If your cat is “too generous” with gifts, the only sure way to stop the gift giving is to keep them indoors at all times. However, if a critter ever enters your home, chances are you’ll see another surprise. But we’re assuming you’d be thankful in that case.
3. Drinking From the Faucet
It’s not unusual for a cat to be fascinated with the faucet. Maybe your cat jumps next to the kitchen or bathroom sink to get some licks. Or maybe they insist on watching you take a shower. Interestingly enough, it turns out that your cat’s love for running water is probably instinctual.
It’s believed that wildcats developed an aversion to still water, which is more likely to cause sickness due to bacteria. So, in your cat’s mind, running water is the cleanest, safest, and healthiest option. Another theory is that cats prefer running water because it tends to be cooler. If your cat is obsessed with the faucet, consider getting them a pet fountain. A fountain tricks your feline friend into thinking they found a fresh stream. It also encourages them to drink more water, which is essential for optimal health.
4. Burying Poop
While you may assume that cats bury their poop for cleanliness, there’s more to it than that. This habit is thanks to a natural instinct to mark territory. While all cat poop smells the same to us, felines can tell each other’s waste apart. This is because their feces and urine contain pheromones, which are unique chemical scent markers.
In the wild, cats bury their poop to avoid attracting attention from predators. What’s also interesting is that dominant wild cats (like lions and tigers) leave their poop unburied as a way of claiming a particular area. On the other hand, submissive wild cats do bury their poop so that dominant cats don’t feel challenged. Although these circumstances don’t apply to domesticated cats, they still have these feline instincts thanks to their ancestors. No matter the reason, I’m sure we all appreciate that our feline friends bury their business!
5. Knocking Stuff Over
Contrary to popular belief, cats don’t knock things over to be jerks. Although sometimes it sure seems that way! This behavior actually stems from their hunting instincts. Let’s pretend that remote control they just knocked over was a mouse. Your cat would first bat the mouse around to make sure it’s a worthy meal and to find out if it’s safe to eat.
Is this a dangerous animal that can fight back, or a mere prey that can easily be defeated?
Knocking it around is also your cat’s way of testing if the mouse is alive or dead. Although your remote is obviously not a mouse, your cat’s curiosity and natural instinct still takes over.
Another possibility for this behavior is that your cat wants attention. So if your feline friend constantly knocks things over, maybe that’s a sign you need to spend more time with them. Finally, some cats simply knock things over for fun. While that remote might not look like anything special to you, it could look like a cool toy to your cat.
6. Napping in Small Spaces
Maybe you’ve gone above and beyond to make sure your cat has plenty of pet beds throughout the house. Heck, even if not, there’s always your comfy bed or sofa! But the second your cat finds an open Amazon box, it’s like Christmas morning to them. Drawers, cabinets, and closets are also well-loved by cats. To us humans, it seems silly to lay in such a confined space when there are other options.
But to cats, small spaces make them feel safe and secure. Some cats even prefer these small spaces over comfy spots. Our feline friends do this because their ancestors would sleep in hidden spaces to avoid predators. So if you think of it, leave that little box out for your furry friend! Feeling safe and secure is a recipe for a happy cat.
7. Head Bunting
Whether you call it “head-butting,” “head bumping,” or “head bunting,” this is another behavior that should make you feel honored. According to Pam Johnson-Bennett, a cat behavior expert, cats bunt heads with each other as a way of creating a communal scent. They do so because cats first recognize each other by scent. So when your cat head bunts you, it’s a gesture of marking you as a member of their family.
Head bumping could also mean that your cat is asking for something, like food, playtime, or scratches. So you’ll have to “read the room” to understand what exactly your cat is asking. For example, if your cat head bunts you and then runs to the empty food bowel, that’s a sign they want some grub.
8. Making Biscuits
Kneading, also known as “making biscuits” or “smurgling” is an instinctive trait that stems from kittenhood. As much as I wish I could say our cats are pretending to make pizza dough, kneading is actually a leftover weaning behavior. When kittens are nursing, they knead at their mother’s breasts to get more milk because the motion helps promote their mother’s milk production. So naturally, the kitten learns to associate that kneading motion with comfort.
This means that when your cat makes biscuits, they might be doing so out of comfort. Your cat could also be kneading because they are happy or showing you affection. Another reason for kneading is to mark their territory. Cats have glands within their paws that are activated when they begin to knead, which leaves their scent behind. Constant kneading could also mean that your cat is stressed and is “seeking” comfort. So if you have any concerns whatsoever about your cat’s behavior, get them checked out by a vet as soon as possible.
9. Blepping
If you’ve ever seen your cat staring into space with the tip of their tongue stuck out, you’ve witnessed blepping. In case you’re unfamiliar, blepping has been one of the Internet’s favorite cat behaviors in recent years! Kitties with their tongues out make adorable photos. While you might think your cat is teasing you, this behavior is actually a way for them to investigate their surroundings. Blepping is related to the Flehmen Response, which is when a cat appears as if they’re sneering with open-mouth breathing.
Like the Flehmen Response, cats blep when analyzing a particular scent, especially pheromones from other cats. You can think of this behavior as a cat “smelling” the room with their tongue. By doing this, your cat collects pheromones on the tongue to determine information about other cats. That’s why this response is common when a cat is investigating a new environment, especially one where other animals have been. Some cats might forget to tuck their tongue back in due to fascination over what these pheromones tell them, leading to a blep!
10. Showing You Their Butt
If a cat ever sticks their butt up at you, they’re just being polite. In fact, a cat showing you their butt is their version of a handshake. So no, they’re not doing it to annoy you or show off. As you’ve probably gathered by now, cats often communicate with scent. That’s why it’s normal for cats to sniff each other’s behinds as a way of greeting one another. Sniffing butts is also how they confirm a cat’s identity. So you can interpret a kitty butt in your face as a “hi, how are you doing?” Don’t worry… I’m pretty sure your cat won’t be “butt hurt” if you don’t sniff. Let’s stick with good-old-fashioned rubs and pets!
11. Showing You Their Belly
Every cat owner knows that a feline’s trust has to be earned. So, if your cat rolls over to show you their belly, you should applaud yourself, and here’s why. A cat’s stomach is one of the most vulnerable spots on their body because many vital organs are underneath. With that said, if this area is injured, it could be life-threatening to them. That’s why cats tend to avoid exposing such a vulnerable area.
So, if your cat shows you their belly, it means they trust you. However, unlike dogs, an exposed belly does not automatically mean a cat wants a belly rub. While there are some cats that allow belly rubs, most want their bellies left alone. When in doubt if your cat allows belly rubs, always err on the side of caution that way you don’t break their trust.
12. Sitting on Your Things
I’m sure many of you cat lovers have experienced this one before. Let’s say you’re typing on the computer, then Fluffy decides to jump up and lay on your keyboard. By the way, I hope you clicked “save” before a little paw hits the wrong key! Or maybe you got out a blanket for a reading session, but when you come back with your tea, Fluffy already claimed it.
Cats like to be on top of our stuff because it’s a way for them to mark the items with pheromones. By leaving pheromones behind, it’s their way of saying “this is my territory!” So I guess you can say that a cat thinks “what’s yours is also mine.” Well, there’s no arguing that. We all know who the “real” king of the castle is!
We hope these explanations helped you to better understand some of the weirdest cat behaviors. The more you learn about cat behaviors, the more you’ll realize how fascinating your feline friend really is!
Resources
https://animalwellnessmagazine.com/
https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/
https://www.preventivevet.com/
https://www.metrovetchicago.com/
Disclaimer: The Purring Journal is not in the medical field. This post is made for entertainment purposes only. Use the information presented in this article at your own risk. Always seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.
