Cats are definitely unique creatures with a mind of their own and they certainly offer some behavior that throws us for a loop sometimes. If you’ve ever wondered if your cat’s behavior was normal or what it actually meant, this list is for you.
#1 – Rubbing Against You
While we’d like to think our cats rub up against us to show their love and affectionate, the truth might actually be a bit of the opposite. Cats rub against us to put their scent on our bodies and tell the rest of the world that we belong to them.
#2 – Eliminating Outside the Litterbox
Many cat owners have though that their cats eliminate outside their boxes when they’re upset and recent studies of wild cats show this might be true. In groups of cats that live together in the wild, those lower in rank cover their feces while the most dominant felines leave theirs in plain view. It’s thought that our cats will do this to display their dominance over us and mark their territory. They might especially do this when guests come to stay and your cat wants to remind them that your home is his home.
#3 – Meticulous Grooming
Cats are very clean animals and are constantly grooming themselves, but their reasoning might not just be due to random environmental factors. Studies have found that cats will actually remove the smell of humans from their bodies by grooming. This is to make sure they have enough of their own scent to spread around to ensure that their territory is marked sufficiently.
#4 – Bringing Home Dead Prey
There’s an old assumption that cats bring home dead animals to show their love for their owners, but that’s not the whole truth. In fact, cats that bring home dead animals are actually trying to teach their humans how to hunt. Mother cats begin to teach their kittens hunting skills in this same fashion, which suggests your cat does love you if he brings you home dead prey.
#5 – Imitating Baby Cries
According to the University of Sussex, UK, hungry cats will get the attention of their owners by imitating the cries of human babies. Their meowing matches the frequency of a human infant in need and therefore subconsciously catches the attention of unsuspecting owners. It’s no wonder we feel like slaves to our cats sometimes!
#6 – Imitating Snakes
Cats hiss when they feel threatened and this hiss sounds very similar to a snake’s. Mimicry of predators is something widely seen in the wild and some agree that a cat’s hissing defense is meant to imitate that of a more dangerous snake.
#7 – Paw Kneading
This adorable behavior is a common favorite among cat owners and it’s good to know that it means our cats love us too. Paw kneading starts when your cat was a tiny kitten, as this kneading would stimulate her mother to release milk while nursing. Even as adults, cats maintain the behavior and are thought to display it as a sign of affection and comfort towards their human companions.