Why Do Cats Knead?
Domestic cats are quite loveable animals that are full of personality. They are known for their playfulness, especially when young, and can also be very affectionate toward their owners. They also often display characteristics that are a clear throwback to their wild heritage, and many will still hunt when given the opportunity.
Cats are also known for their quirky habits and sometimes quite odd behavior. One of the habits is the process of pawing and clawing at soft objects such as pillows, or even their owner’s legs. This behavior is known as preaching, and here’s a look at why they do it.
1. Stimulate Milk Production
Cats are mammals, just like we are, and this means that young kittens will drink milk directly from their mother’s breasts. As such, cats have mammary glands (breasts) just as people do. When it comes to feeding time, kittens will knead their mother’s breasts in order to help stimulate the breasts into making more milk. This is not painful for the mother, after all, kittens are very small and only have the strength to knead very lightly. This is not always the case when they get older, though, and some cats can cause considerable pain to people when kneading.
2. Thumb Sucking
Cat’s don’t actually suck their thumbs - they can’t, because they don’t even have any. Kneading can be likened to thumb-sucking, however, because it can be down to the remnants of an instinct from when they were very young. Of course, people tend to stop sucking their thumbs at a young age, but cats will continue kneading well into their old age.
It has been suggested in the past that kneading is a sign that the cat was taken from its mother at too young an age. Pretty much all domestic cats appear to knead, however, so this appears to be a false assumption.
3. Stress Relief
Cats may seem tough and independent, but they are actually very sensitive animals. If they are in unfamiliar surroundings or if there has been a lot of commotion going on, then it can make them very nervy. One way that they try to overcome this is by kneading, which will help them to calm down a little.
Bear in mind that some cats do not do at all well if their home is not to their liking. Too many loud parties and/or the introduction of boisterous pets can cause some to want to find a new home. This particularly goes for older cats that just want some peace and quiet.
4. Showing Affection
While some cats can be quite aloof, others like to show their owners a lot of affection. Cats will also often have a favorite person and look for attention from them whenever possible. Many cats like nothing better than being sat on your lap, and they just love to show that they think the world of you too.
There are several ways that they will do this, one is with wanting to rub their head against yours, just like how cats will often greet each other. Another way is through kneading. As well-meaning as it may be, however, it can get quite uncomfortable if claws are being used.
5. Scent Markings
People with unneutered tom cats will know full well that their home can acquire some very unwelcome odors. This is because toms will mark their own territory to let other cats (and maybe people) know that you are on their patch. They will often do this with very pungent smelling urine.
Toms that are neutered, and females, will not mark their territory in this way. It is thought, though, that kneading might be another method of marking territory as cats have scent glands in their paws. Thankfully this method is odorless to people, so it is not going to cause the whole house to become smelly.
6. Needing Attention
Cats are social animals; they need attention from people and other animals occasionally. They are also inquisitive and need to be stimulated mentally. If they don’t get the love and attention that they crave, some cats can become quite unsettled as a result. One sign that your cat is not getting enough attention is that they are kneading a lot more than usual.
While cats do need some attention, they are not usually that demanding so most people should be able to keep them happy. If you are the kind of person that is rarely at home to give them attention, though, then maybe they are not the companion for you.
7. Mating Signals
You will find countless elaborate displays throughout the animal kingdom that species use to let others know they are ready to mate. While some can be very elaborate indeed, many others are less pronounced. In domestic cats, one sign that a female is ready to breed is that she is kneading more than usual.
It is not uncommon for female domestic cats to start kneading just before they go into estrus. This can let nearby male cats know that she is ready and that he should make the move. You should remember that you should get female cats spayed if you don’t want them to get pregnant.
8. Stretching
One of the first things that many of us do when we wake up is to have a good stretch. It helps to stimulate us to get us going in the morning, while it also helps to get our muscles ready for the day ahead. It is not only humans that do this, of course, and other animals will also stretch in the same way that we do.
Cats also tend to do quite a lot of stretching, especially just after they have woken up. It is also thought that kneading can be a way for them to stretch, helping to keep them limber and ready for whatever might come their way.
9. Making the Bed
Cats in the wild will often need to make their bed in long grass and foliage. This means that they will sometimes need to trample down the surrounding grass to give them a flat and comfortable place to stay for the night. It is entirely possible the kneading is a remnant of this instinct to make a bed.
Cats can sleep pretty much anywhere, but they tend to prefer soft, comfortable spots where possible. If you can, get a bed just for them, although they might still prefer to sleep on your lap anyway. Remember also that they will need a warm place to sleep during the cold winter months.
10. A Mystery
The reasons already stated are entirely plausible and one or more of them may well be true. The reality is, though, that we just cannot know for sure. We will need to study cats further to find out for sure, and we might never actually get to the bottom of it. It is going to be a tough task without being able to actually communicate with them.
One thing we do know is that cats usually seem quite happy when they are kneading, especially when they are purring as well. If their behavior does seem a little unusual to you, however, then you should consider taking them to a vet to get checked out.
