UNDERSTANDING YOUR CAT’S STRANGEST BEHAVIORS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
It’s a well-known fact that cats aren’t for everyone. They’re often moody, hard to please, and they like living on their own schedules. But at the same time, you will never find a pet as loving and affectionate as a cat. Cats are easy to train, low maintenance, and are some of the most lovable companions you can have. However, as adorable as these furry little creatures are, cat owners often find their kitties exhibiting some pretty questionable behaviors. This makes us all wonder what goes on inside a cat’s brain. From purring to face rubbing to sleeping all day, let’s dive into 15 of the strangest cat behaviors to help you understand what they truly mean.
LICKING THEMSELVES
If you own a cat, you know they just love to lick themselves whenever they get the time. Cats groom from head to toe multiple times a day. While it might look odd, the truth is that cats are more hygienic than most other animals. Licking themselves is their way of cleaning off any dirt from their fur. The cleaner cats are, the more they can avoid predators who might be attracted to their scent. So, when your cat stops grooming itself, it’s time to worry as it could indicate a health issue.
CAT CHATTERS
A lot of times, owners catch their kitties chattering and chirping, especially when they are outside. This usually happens when your cat sees a bird. While most people think that this chattering is because the cat wants to hunt down the bird, the real reason is more intriguing. Cats chatter because they are trying to imitate the sounds of birds. For some reason, seeing birds excites cats, and they want to communicate with them in their own language.
FACE RUBBING
One of the most annoying things about having a pet cat is when it comes up to you and rubs its face against your entire body. However, cats don’t rub their face against just anyone. Face rubbing is an act of affection where a cat tries to mingle its scent with yours. Think of it as their way of telling you that they like you, especially if the two of you are meeting for the first time.
HEAD BUTTING
Head butting is a slightly more aggressive form of face rubbing that cats reserve for people they are super close to. Sometimes, cats get a little too enthusiastic about spending time with their owners and might slam their face into yours just to express their affection. Head butting is also a sign for you to start giving out some pats and rubs to your kitty in return.
CHILLING IN SMALL SPACES
Sometimes, you might find your cat in the smallest, quietest corners of your home, like inside a box, a small cupboard, or even under the sink. This is because cats feel comfortable and protected in tight spaces. As loving as cats are, they like taking a break from all the humans around them in their own little space where they can shut everyone out.
BRINGING DEAD THINGS
This might be one of the strangest things that cats do: bringing their dead prey over to you. This isn’t just your cat’s way of saying thank you; they are also making sure that you have enough food to eat, just in case. By bringing you dead rodents and birds, your cat thinks it’s teaching you how to hunt so that you don’t end up starving. It’s the thought that counts, right?
SLEEPING ALL DAY
Some people like to keep cats as pets because these little animals sleep about 15 hours a day. This gives you plenty of time to get all your work done before focusing all your attention on your feline friend. Most people don’t know this, but cats are nocturnal animals, which means they are most active at night. For that, they need to sleep throughout the day. While some cats adjust their sleeping pattern according to their owner’s lifestyle, most kitties still love their 15-hour bedtime with tons of naps mixed in, of course.
PURRING
While purring is quite common in cats of all kinds, the reason behind this strange sound is fascinating. Most cats learn how to purr at just two days old and continue doing it all their lives. No one really knows why cats purr, except for the fact that when they’re happy or comforted, their brain triggers their larynx to vibrate at a frequency of 25 to 150 times a second, which is what makes the purring sound. Some people believe that purring vibrations also help heal infections, swelling, and even bone damage. Sometimes, cats also purr when they are scared or uncomfortable, which scientists believe is a way for them to comfort and heal themselves.
MOUTH WIDE OPEN
Do you ever catch your cat staring at something with its mouth wide open? Don’t worry because you’re not alone. You might think this happens because your cats are scared or in shock, but in reality, all they’re trying to do is smell better. This is called the “flehmen response” where they curl their lips and open their mouths to get a better sense of what they’re smelling through their mouth, making it look like something has given your cat a nasty surprise.
URINE SPRAYING
For some strange reason, cats like to stand upright, back up against a surface, and spray their urine all over it. Sometimes, your cat might even twitch a little during the process. Cats usually urinate this way when they feel threatened or stressed out. Spraying their urine is a way for felines to mark their territory and help themselves feel safer in unfamiliar environments or situations. Spraying helps your cat surround the area with their own scent, which is comforting to them. Instead of getting mad at your pet for spraying their urine, clean them up and try to make them feel as safe as you can.
HATING BATHS
It’s no surprise that cats hate taking baths. There’s just something about water that cats dislike immensely. But at the same time, cats like staying clean all the time, right? So what’s the problem? The reason is that cats have fur that takes a really long time to dry, and as the hygienic animals they are, they don’t like dripping everywhere once they get out of the bath.
MAKING BISCUITS
Making biscuits, sometimes referred to as making bread, is when your cat starts pushing its paws up and down on a soft surface as if it’s kneading something. Some people believe that cats release their hormones through their paws, so kneading might be a way to mark their territory. However, the popular belief is that making biscuits is a habitual instinct that cats develop when they are still kittens and have to knead their mothers to stimulate milk production. For some reason, this behavior always stays with them.
SUDDEN SPRINTS
You know that moment when your cat is sitting down peacefully, and the next second, it makes a huge sprint from wherever it was resting? These sudden sprints might seem funny and weird, but they usually occur when your cat has a lot of pent-up energy that just needs to get out of its system. If you find your cat randomly sprinting every now and then, make sure to take it out for some physical activity every day to save yourself the whiplash.
BITING
Most people don’t think of cats as animals that bite, but that’s where they’re wrong. If you dare to provoke your kitty, she will not hesitate to unleash her wrath. Cats usually bite when they’re uncomfortable or if something you’re doing is making them angry, sort of like a protection tactic. Sometimes, cats also bite their owners if they feel they’re not getting enough attention. The most logical thing to do when your cat bites you is to immediately stop any kind of contact and then gently blow in your cat’s face to let it know that you didn’t like it. This will help train your cat to know they’re not supposed to bite so hard.
LANDING ON THEIR FEET
One fascinating thing about cats is their ability to fall from any height and still land on their feet. While this might look like a secret superpower that only cats have, it’s really just because they have extremely quick reflexes. This particular ability is known as the “righting reflex” that allows cats to adjust the angle of their legs and their flexible bodies to balance their equilibrium and land successfully. The fact that cats are pretty lightweight animals also helps them orient themselves in a way that they land on their feet without any damage to their bodies. In simple words, you can say that a cat’s body is basically designed to handle all kinds of falls.
Conclusion
Understanding your cat’s strangest behaviors can deepen the bond you share with them and make life a lot more enjoyable. By decoding what they do and why they do it, you not only become a better pet owner but also get to appreciate the fascinating world that your cat lives in.Feel free to share your experiences in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe for more intriguing insights into the animal kingdom!
