I meet all sorts of people, especially at hospitals, and can you believe that some of them know nothing about kitties? Like I’ll do some typical cat behavior, and they’ll wonder why, or they’ll be startled. I thought it would be fun to put together a list of common things cats do (that most of my readers are very familiar with) that surprise people who don’t usually hang around cats.
- Elevator Butt. People pat me on that awesome part of my back end where my tail meets my body, and I immediately raise both my tail and behind. That’s because it feels so good! A lot of people think it is strange. Actually not all cats do it. Binga doesn’t, although she will stand up on her tippy toes. But I’ll raise my behind almost always.
- Ear Flicking. This is the opposite of the pleasurable elevator butt move. Sometimes when people go to pet me on the head, they graze my one of my ears and I’ll flick it. If they aren’t used to cats, this scares them, and they may pull their hand away. It’s not that big of a deal, really. Most cats don’t like their ears being touched, so it’s just a reflex to flick them. Sometimes a cat will pull her ears back just a little so that they don’t get touched unexpectedly. I don’t, so they are often in the way when people pet me.
- Happy Paws. Some people call it “making biscuits,” but I prefer happy paws because that’s a more accurate description of what’s going on. I do my little happy paws massage when I’m busy with therapy cat work at a hospital. I’ll lie next to a bedridden patient, purr, and make happy paws. It almost always helps the sick human feel better. Most cats make happy paws when they are lying with their own humans and are totally content and comfortable. Almost the only time I do them is with a patient.
- Face Rubs. Most people instinctively understand that a face rub is a friendly greeting. That’s all they need to know, really. They don’t have to know the secret part, that I’m marking them with my scent. I do like mingling my scent with humans, and yes, it’s a friendly thing. It’s not really a possessive thing when it’s with a stranger.
- Flopping. I do this all the time at cat shows when I want to sack out. I’ll go into my enclosure and flop down on the bed. When I do this, it means I’ll still welcome pets and visits, especially if I turn upside down and expose my belly. If I just curl up and don’t flop, it means I would prefer to nap undisturbed for a little bit.
- Welcoming Belly Rubs. The more experienced cat people are the ones who are the most surprised by this, because they’ve usually dealt with cats (often their own) who latch onto them with the Claws of Doom when a human touches their belly. I love having my belly rubbed. It actually runs in the family. My half-brother Decker, who lives in Denmark now, really enjoyed having my human rub his belly. My nephew, Crazy Louie, on the other hand, gets a little over stimulated, but that is because he is such a nut!
- Kitty Kisses. If a human (usually a patient) is really, really lucky, I will give them a lick. A cat licking you is more special than when a dog does it, but people often don’t realize it. For dogs, licking is their most common sign of friendliness. Cats usually don’t do it, so it means something special when a kitty licks you. Binga and Crazy Louie give kitty kisses often. I only do it on very rare occasions. So if you ever meet me and I give you a lick, know that I really like you a lot! Or that you had something tasty for lunch.
Bonus cat behavior for really inexperienced humans: Purrs mean we’re happy. We are not growling!
Are there any cat behaviors that mystify you?
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Serena is an only kitten (4 kittens born a day or two too early, only 1 lived) who constantly tries to recruit everyone around her into kitten games. I’m sure a lot of people would think she’s a vicious animal who attacks humans–she bites, grabs, claws, kicks, growls, and hisses–but it’s just the way she’d play with siblings, if she had siblings. She doesn’t mean any harm. She’s very fond of anyone who tolerates her play-wrestling. Last night I told her “That hurt,” as she was clinging to my hand with all 18 claws and chewing on it. She immediately let go, then clasped my hand between soft little paws and licked it.
She is the most aggressive female cat I’ve ever seen, and her mother Samantha held that title before Serena came along. In fact when she first arrived, scared and stressed out, Samantha put up some serious fights–panic biting, not attacking, but she bit me hard.
I’m sure a Humane Society shelter policy would require both of them to be put down. Me? I wouldn’t let a family with children adopt them. But (I think) I understand why they bite and scratch, and have a chance of toning down that behavior enough to keep them as Purrmanent Residents, anyway. They’re *clever* cats with a great intuitive understanding of human words (except for a few words like “stop,” which no cat wants to believe has a meaning).
Not all cats like their belly rubbed, specially the ones that had been spayed/neutered but the ones that do absolutely love it. I’m glad you do, it does feels nice!
Wonderful explanation of cat behavior. I especially like it when the area just before my tail is scratched. In response I do a tippy toe dance
Summer,
Yoo are so smart to make this list!
Toffee
Oh I love to give my Mom a face “hug” and she knows I’m scent-marking but that’s OK with her because she already KNOWS that she belongs to ME ME ME ME! The happy paws thing (which is what my Mom calls that behavior too) is something I frequently do……and when I was at the shelter and Mom and Dad came into the room I immediately began doing that – – – and didn’t stop for one second until they adopted me, put me in the PTU and took me HOME with them!
Tricky huh?
Hugs, Teddy
Purring doesn’t always mean a cat is happy. It is also an appeasement signal. A cat that finds itself in an anxiety situation can start purring to calm itself. Also, when we have to put down a cat at the clinic, it will often purr because it knows that something is different, it is really heartbreaking…
Every behavior your cat exhibit have a different meaning depending of the context!
Anyway, it is a good and funny article Summer, keep up the good work! 🙂
I like belly rubs for a short while, then I grab and ask mommy to stop. I also let mommy massage and hold my paws. It’s all about how much you trust whoever is rubbing your belly and also massaging your paws and how often you do it to get your kitty used to it. Me, I pretty much like it from my mommy. From a stranger, maybe not so much.
Patzy
I do the elevator butt too!
What grr-eat explanations you’ve given, Summer! Like you, I enjoy having my belly rubbed and I lift my bum when I get “Elevator Butt” too when petted. Tee hee hee. I give licks when given soothing scratches on my chest and my back. Mom says it’s like a reflex action when I do that.
I wish my cat Beakho would lick me 🙁 He often “smells” my lips, I think he wants to check if I ate somethings delicious :p but never lick 🙁 He allows me to do the belly rub sometimes. Thank you for sharing, Summer!
All of us kitties do one or more of those behaviors. Mom always says “thank you” when I lick her….unless I lick her hair and then she makes me stop.
I LOVED reading those, Summer. But you know what would be really fun? Yeah: Seven things about Humans that mystify any rational, thinking feline. Except that list would be more like 700 things.
Already been done: https://www.sparklecat.com/special/9-things-humans-cats-think-weird
actually I think those are mystifying to those that DON’T have cats or don’t understand them. They aren’t mystifying to me. Cody also LOVES having his belly rubbed and my Angel Bobo hated it. Just like all of us are different, the kitties are too (which you know!)
Mum says it is wanting to sit on her when it is hot outside and inside. When I sit on her, I just make her warmer or sometimes too warm.
These are great, Summer! You know what? Every single cat we’ve had likes belly rubs. 🙂
We do each of those things too! We give most kisses at night since it gets the biggest reaction.
Here, Izzy is the big kissie-face. He loves to kiss our mom but is the only one of us who will not let her kiss him back!
Thank you for explaining these things to us. Joanie gives me kisses sometimes. And thank you for the condolences on my blog over my recent loss, they are appreciated. XO
Mudpie does each one of those things too! She also enjoys “spankings” even though the way she carries on you’d think she hates it! LOL
Pretty Summer, both times that I petted you at the cat shows, you did Elevator Butt!!
My Sydney rolls on her back, in what I call her “trying to be cute” pose! I also call it the “Otter Pose.”
One month after bringing Sydney home, she was on my chest, and kneaded me on the NECK! Looking relaxed, like a tiger, and purring loudly and happily!
When she kneaded my KNEES, that was when I got tendonitis, and couldn’t play basketball for two weeks! (I was out of shape, too)
We love belly rubs, we give kisses, Da Beebs loves to have his ears rubbed!!!
Purrs,
The Chans
I LOVE doing happy paws/making biscuits.
I do the elevator butt! Oh yeah, it DOES feel good. Mason does it, too, but won’t admit it. Sisters can be silly. purrs
Really nice of you to explain those things since many people don’t know what it all means. One of my girls loves belly rubs, the other one not at all, but she is one who grooms me. I enjoyed reading all of the meaning of cat behavior.
Thank you for explaining those. I prefer your ‘happy paws’ description to ‘making biscuits’ not least because I tried to make them once and Mrs H barred me from ever doing it again! MOL
I bet a lot of your hospital patients are really pleased to have the common myths dispelled, and maybe it will mean they will enjoy cats more in future, too…
Toodle pips and purrs
ERin
Does you mom trim your nails for therapurr visits/hospital visits or do you go to salon to have it done? We are just wondering. Out of us all, Sir Morton and Lilly Catmousekey are the only ones that lick mom. Lilly likes to groom mom’s hair sometimes. She’s silly. Great explanation on the happy trademarks of a kitty. Love the post! Purrs
My human does ALL our pawdicures herself. She actually does a much better job on us than on her own claws, I mean fingernails.
I’d appreciate the elevator butt pettings more if TW didn’t sing to me.
The Hubby gives me grief, when Angel flicks her ears due to my petting. I cannot help it; the top of her head is so soft!
Yup, I knew all that, tho we call it ‘happy feet’. Of course cats do growl, the first time I heard I was so surprised. Obviously it was because the cat was extremely upset but still. And your beauty shot is bee-you-ti-ful.
when i have bare legs, theo loves to lick them. particularly right after i get out of the shower…
One of my cats runs and grabs my ankle when I pick up another cat. Not sure if he’s protecting the other kitty, jealous or something else.
We have had several kitties here who loved to lick our hair. And some gave kitty kisses, but not I, well hardly ever, MOL!
Petcretary has learned about all those other things over the years. When she started with kitties, back in 1988, she knew nothing!
I like the slow blink ‘kiss from afar’ behavior:)
Louie loves to lick and hug and make happy paws!
The one the mom doesn’t understand is why I run like a bat outta h*ll all over the house after I use the litter box. ~Ernie
Summer I hope all those crazy peeps out there who think cats are ‘odd’ and have no emotions…read this wonderful post.
MOL Mom says I might have a bit of spit and vinegar too
OMCs due to my wonderful vet I’m back to ME!! I had a yummy supper and snack before bedtime.
Mom told Dad I was back to my old tricks already. (jumping on my window perch and sashaying over to her bowl of Cheerios).
Hugs madi your bfff
I do believe we’ve got all of those covered though, silly humans!
LG gives Mom licks a lot.
We do elevator butt here too. And happy paws. And of course, purring!
All of our cats have elevator butts and Chris and Frankie both give “love bites” too, although Chris is excessive with the biting.
Our Sienna licks sometimes. She hides if she gets tired though!
Jonah loves licking my face in the middle of the night.