Why Do Cats Knead Your Face

They may purr stretch and knead the air while lying on their side to tell male cats that they can approach for possible mating.

Why do cats knead your face. Kneading may have an origin going back to cats wild ancestors who had to tread down grass or foliage to make a temporary nest in which to rest. To you it may look like your cat is kneading dough to make delicious bread or cookies but the kitty habit is not simply for fun. Kneading is when your cat alternates their front paws in a rhythmic fashion on a soft squishy surface. It is a positive sign and indicates a healthy bond between human and cat.

However if they are immediately ready to mate they will not knead their paws and will instead raise their pelvis with the tail to one side. In their adult stage it is believed this behavior is continued because it generates pleasure and a state of well being. This is another wild instinct that domesticated cats retain giving them the important skill of creating a cozy safe space in which to get some rest or give birth while hidden away from the dangers of predators. Sometimes it hurts.

Cats knead on beds on soft blankets and sometimes they knead their humans. Rubbing up against a human leg or hand is a way of treating you as another cat the clearest way cats show their affection for us bradshaw explains. One reason cats knead is to make a soft bed or clear a space to doze. Cats begin kneading instinctually as kittens when they are nursing to help stimulate their mothers milk.

Though your cat may be long past nursing age they might still enjoy the comforting sensation of being close to a protective figure they associate with kneading. Leaving dead rats around the house isn t a way of feeding their owners but rather the. Why do cats knead us. Their ancestors did this with tall grass or leaves.

Alternatively the behavior may be a remnant of a newborn s kneading of the mother s teat to stimulate milk secretion. This can involve claws. Multiple theories exist that explain why cats knead. Cats will sometimes knead on soft surfaces like blankets or their preferred napping location to get into a comfortable position.

Before we answer why do cats knead let s look at how they knead. When a cat kneads your body or the surface of a bed it s a behavior that s meant for its mother s belly a message to keep milk flowing. Kneading behavior is used by kittens to stimulate their mother s breasts for milk.