Most of us have caught a cat rhythmically pushing with their paws on soft objects, like blankets, pillows, other animals, or even people. Kneading is also known as “making biscuits” because it is like pressing dough. Why do cats knead
Cats start to knead as kittens while nursing their mother. A nursing kitten kneads by instinct to stimulate the mother’s milk production. However, cats keep kneading past nursing age as they have associated the motion with the rewarding comfort of nursing.
Why Do Cats Knead?
If your cat is kneading your lap while you’re petting him, he’s trying to tell you that he loves you right back. Unfortunately, this can be quite painful, since the happier he is, the harder he’ll dig in with his sharp nails. Keep your cat’s nails clipped to preserve your and his or her comfort.
Here are some of the most common reasons cats knead:
To Stretch Their Muscles
Cats enjoy working out any kinks that may have developed while snoozing. Exactly like us. If you have sore shoulders, pulling against a surface feels nice. Kneading their paws is one of the many ways cats keep themselves limber between their naps.
To Mark what belongs to them
One way cats protect their territory is by leaving their scent on their items. By kneading their paws on an object, including people, they’re activating the scent glands in their soft paw pads, marking that item as theirs.
To attract possible mates
Female cats, instead of purring or stretching, can use kneading as an additional sign to tell male cats that they are available for
While these are some of the most common reasons why cats are thought to knead, it certainly does not provide all of the possible reasons. Whatever the reason is, kneading is a natural, instinctual, and common cat behavior.
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