Kneading (cats)
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Kneading is an activity common to all domestic cats whereby, when in a state of contentment, they push the surface on which they are standing with their front paws. This may have an origin going back to their wild ancestors who would have had to tread down grass or foliage to make a temporary nest in which to rest or possibly a remnant of the newborn kneading of the mother's teat to stimulate milk secretion: kneading is often a precursor to sleeping.
[edit] The action
The action is complex—the cat exerts firm downwards pressure with its paw, opening its toes to expose its claws, then closes its claws as it lifts its paw. The process takes place with alternate paws at intervals of one to two seconds. They may do this while sitting on their owner's lap, which may prove painful if the cat is large or strong or has its claws intact. While cats will sit happily on a hard surface, they will only knead a soft or pliant surface, although some cats will reflexively "march" on hard surfaces instead of kneading them.
In a garden where cats are to be found, sheltered areas can often reveal the "wild" results of kneading: round, cat-sized nests trodden into long grass.
"Making Muffins", "Happy Feet", "boop boping", "Push Paw", and "kitty biscuits" are other names for this behavior.
[edit] References
- .Best Friends - Making muffins A description of kneading by cats.
[edit] See also
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