Cats are odd creatures, but that’s why we love them. They do some really weird things that may make no sense to us, but in reality their crazy antics actually do have logical explanations behind them. Here are some explanations for your cat’s weirdest habits.
Kneading
Also referred to as “making biscuits” or “happy paws,” kneading is something your cat does when she’s happy and relaxed. It’s a behavior she learned as a kitten. Kittens knead their mothers while they’re nursing to help the mother cat’s milk production. So, when your cat comes to your lap and begins to knead, she is really just very content and most likely sleepy. It’s comforting to her. Cats also have scent glands on their paw pads, so it’s also a way for your cat to mark her territory and claim you as her own.
Head-butting
When your cat comes up to you and head butts you, it’s a sign of pure love and affection to you as her human. The technical term for this is “bunting” and cats do it to you and other animals they feel friendly toward. It’s also a way to mark you or your other pets as her territory. Cats have scent glands on their cheeks and heads, so rubbing cheeks or bunting is a way to claim you as her human.
Bringing You “Presents”
Does your cat bring you dead (or almost dead) animals? Well, let’s clear this up once and for all. Your cat is not murdering for the joy of murdering, and she is not bringing you this dead mouse because she loves you. She thinks you are an inadequate hunter. Your cat never sees you hunt or kill prey (you can blame your local grocery store). Therefore, she sees you as a poor hunter. She brings you dead things to “teach” you to hunt and kill for yourself, just like big cats do for their kittens in the wild. The presents she leaves on your back porch aren’t because she loves you. It’s because she thinks you don’t know how to hunt.
Winking At You
Cats don’t naturally make a lot of eye contact with other cats in the wild unless they’re asserting their dominance. If you meet eyes with your cat and she gives you a slow blink or a wink, she’s assuring you that she’s comfortable in your presence and that she is content. In the wild, cats do this to one another to help social situations go more smoothly, so this is a sign of friendship between you and your cat.
