If you're a cat owner, you probably know that cats are fascinating creatures with unique personalities and behaviors. From their insatiable curiosity to their playful antics, cats never cease to surprise and entertain us.
But sometimes, cats do things that are just plain weird.
Like kneading their paws on your lap or staring at you for hours on end. As cat lovers, we often marvel at these strange behaviors and wonder what they could possibly mean. In this list, we'll explore some of the most bizarre and interesting cat behaviors, and try to shed some light on why our feline friends do the things they do.
So, buckle up and get ready to delve into the mysterious world of cat behavior!
List of Weird Cat Behaviors
1. Rolling Over
When your cat rolls over it typically signals that the cat feels safe and maybe wants some attention from you. Your cat can also mark the area with its scent this way, claiming your space as its own.
2. Presenting Its Butt
Your cat’s action is a backhanded compliment and kitty-correct, letting you know you’ve hit the spot and to continue the petting.
3. Covering Food
If your cat is covering its food after eating some of it, it may be an instinctive behavior as wild felines cache their food to keep it safe from others. Your kitten or cat may scratch around its food bowl after eating or even find shredded paper to cover it up.
4. Eating Plastic
Kittens may chew on anything while teething and may have developed a fondness for the texture of plastic they will carry into adulthood. However, plastic can be a choking hazard or cause intestinal obstruction, so you want to discount it by providing safe chew toys.
5. Head Bumping
When your cat bob, bob, bobs you with their head, they’re saying, “I love you!” They’re also letting everyone know that you belong to them. Cats have pheromones in their cheek areas that mark you as their possession.
6. Chattering
Ever hear your cat chattering while watching the birds flying around the yard? That sound comes from their excitement at seeing potential prey combined with the frustration of not being able to get at them.
7. Chewing Weird Things
Some cats chew on odd things, like wool blankets, socks, plastic bags, or rubber bands. This behavior can be due to boredom, anxiety or illness. It can also occur in cats who were weaned too early and feel the urge to “nurse” on soft items, like stuffed animals or blankets.
8. The Night “Zoomies”
In the evening, when everyone is ready for bed, nocturnal felines get especially frisky. It’s a cat’s way of discharging pent-up energy and it feels good. Cats sleep 12 to 16 hours a day, with their main burst of energy arriving in the nighttime hours.
9. Purring
Cats purr when they're happy, but they may also purr when they're stressed or in pain. The vibration of the purring may help them calm down or feel better.
10. Winking
That might be one way to interpret the kitty eye communication, sometimes called a cat kiss. A slow cat-eye blink is a wonderful compliment. It is a non-threat signal that cats use with each other as well as with humans they are comfortable with.
