The following are normal feline behaviours although the reasons why cats do them may not be widely known, and they may appear puzzling to some owners.
1) Why does my cat wash my hair or face?
“Many cats lick their owners on a regular basis, but scientists have not yet investigated why
this should be.” (Bradshaw, 2013). Indeed, though some different explanations have been put
forward (they like the taste, they lick the salt on our skins, etc…), the fact remains that
licking is a grooming behaviour. When your cat licks your face or your hair, it is a form of
social behaviour which can be likened to allogrooming, when cats lick one another. As cats
only lick cats they know and like, we can safely say that it is an affectionate behaviour.
2) Why does my cat knead my lap when I am stroking it?
Kneading is a left over reflex from the time a kitten did the same to its mother’s stomach
around the nipples to make the milk flow faster. It is associated with feeling content.
“Kneading is a powerful expression of trust and affection…” (Hotchner, 2007).
3) Why does my cat lick its fur immediately after I have stroked it?
Within a group, cats rely on a number of collective scents established through interaction. When we stroke our cats, we deposit our scent on their fur. When they lick the place we have stroked, it is a way for them to taste our scent and integrate it in their “group scent”. In effect, this acknowledges us as a “family member”.
4) Why does my cat sometimes scratch the floor as though he is trying to bury his food dish?
One possible explanation is that it is an instinctive habit dating back to the time when cats
would bury freshly caught prey to be retrieved later.
5) Why does my cat bring me dead mice?
Some owners tend to look at dead mice brought home by their cat as a gift to them. John
Bradshaw mentions Leyhausen’s views claiming that by bringing prey home to us, a cat may
see us as “deputy kittens”, but dismisses it because male cats often bring prey home and male
cats are very rarely involved in the rearing of kittens. According to John Bradshaw, only
mother cats bring prey to the nest for their kittens. He believes that cats only bring prey home
to consume it later. “…by bringing their prey back to the house, our cats are telling us that
they consider our homes a safe and secure place worthy of being used as a feeding lair”
(Heath, 1993).
6) Why does my cat bite gently and hold onto my arm sometimes when I am stroking it?
It may be a left over reflex from when, as a kitten, it indulged in play-fighting with its
siblings. This social play involved chasing, jumping and biting but not with the aim to hurt.
7) Why does my cat act strangely in response to catnip?
Statistically, 2 out of 3 cats have a strong reaction to the scent of catnip: they become
euphoric, purr, rub, lick, drool or chew. This is because catnip contains a substance,
nepatalactone, which lowers a cat’s inhibitions and puts it an altered state, suffused with well-
being.
Why does my cat chatter its teeth together when watching birds out of the window?
A cat chatters with excitement and also frustration when it sees prey that it cannot get to.
1) Why does my cat wash my hair or face?
“Many cats lick their owners on a regular basis, but scientists have not yet investigated why
this should be.” (Bradshaw, 2013). Indeed, though some different explanations have been put
forward (they like the taste, they lick the salt on our skins, etc…), the fact remains that
licking is a grooming behaviour. When your cat licks your face or your hair, it is a form of
social behaviour which can be likened to allogrooming, when cats lick one another. As cats
only lick cats they know and like, we can safely say that it is an affectionate behaviour.
2) Why does my cat knead my lap when I am stroking it?
Kneading is a left over reflex from the time a kitten did the same to its mother’s stomach
around the nipples to make the milk flow faster. It is associated with feeling content.
“Kneading is a powerful expression of trust and affection…” (Hotchner, 2007).
3) Why does my cat lick its fur immediately after I have stroked it?
Within a group, cats rely on a number of collective scents established through interaction. When we stroke our cats, we deposit our scent on their fur. When they lick the place we have stroked, it is a way for them to taste our scent and integrate it in their “group scent”. In effect, this acknowledges us as a “family member”.
4) Why does my cat sometimes scratch the floor as though he is trying to bury his food dish?
One possible explanation is that it is an instinctive habit dating back to the time when cats
would bury freshly caught prey to be retrieved later.
5) Why does my cat bring me dead mice?
Some owners tend to look at dead mice brought home by their cat as a gift to them. John
Bradshaw mentions Leyhausen’s views claiming that by bringing prey home to us, a cat may
see us as “deputy kittens”, but dismisses it because male cats often bring prey home and male
cats are very rarely involved in the rearing of kittens. According to John Bradshaw, only
mother cats bring prey to the nest for their kittens. He believes that cats only bring prey home
to consume it later. “…by bringing their prey back to the house, our cats are telling us that
they consider our homes a safe and secure place worthy of being used as a feeding lair”
(Heath, 1993).
6) Why does my cat bite gently and hold onto my arm sometimes when I am stroking it?
It may be a left over reflex from when, as a kitten, it indulged in play-fighting with its
siblings. This social play involved chasing, jumping and biting but not with the aim to hurt.
7) Why does my cat act strangely in response to catnip?
Statistically, 2 out of 3 cats have a strong reaction to the scent of catnip: they become
euphoric, purr, rub, lick, drool or chew. This is because catnip contains a substance,
nepatalactone, which lowers a cat’s inhibitions and puts it an altered state, suffused with well-
being.
Why does my cat chatter its teeth together when watching birds out of the window?
A cat chatters with excitement and also frustration when it sees prey that it cannot get to.