Why Do Kittens Knead You

Explanations for why cats knead vary but it is without doubt an instinctive trait.

Why do kittens knead you. Why cats knead blankets and other soft objects. It s instinctual behavior from when they were a kitten. Getty images kittens knead at their mother s tummy when they re. This way of pushing the legs against the body against another animal or against any surface is called kneading because humans tend to put names to things.

Here are some of the more popular theories for why cats knead their owners and certain objects. They re preparing a place to rest. Kittens knead their mothers to stimulate milk production for nursing and as petmd explains even though kneading a soft surface doesn t yield milk adult cats forever associate the motion of kneading with the rewarding comfort of nursing kneading a human therefore might be a cat s way of showing her love and affection for you. During nursing a kitten will knead the area around its mother s teat to promote the flow of milk.

Alternatively the behavior may be a remnant of a newborn s kneading of the mother s teat to stimulate milk secretion. They re showing you they care. Why then is this cat kneading behavior carried on far beyond kitten hood. In adulthood a cat supposedly will knead when it s feeling happy or content because it associates.

Though there really is not any thanks to proving whether or not this is often a real fact. She may become absorbed with the moment that it becomes a trance like experience for her making her drool often described as the drool of happiness. A cat may drool when kneading because she feels relaxed comfortable and secured. But why do they continue to knead past nursing age.

Newborn kittens knead their mother s belly as they snuggle close to nurse and the motion is thought to stimulate. 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. You might find your cat kneading blankets stuffed animals or other soft objects around the house. Cats knead when they feel good and to be comfortable.

Why do cats knead. Cats start to knead as kittens while nursing from their mother. Some people say that adult cats will knead blankets and pillows if they re extremely happy or content. Believe if you ve got a fresh blanket or pillow and it s so soft that it causes you to happy and you only want to cuddle up with it for hours.

Cat kneading is part of a cat s natural behavior. But its origin is not something invented by us. A nursing kitten instinctually kneads to help stimulate the mother s milk production. Multiple theories exist that explain why cats knead.