Why Do Cats Knead With Their Paws? The Truth About Childhood Memories
Your cat suddenly starts kneading your belly with its paws, as if kneading dough.
Cute? Not always. But why do they do it? The answer turned out to be connected to deep psychological and physiological mechanisms.
Dr Karen McComb, from the University of Sussex, who studies cat behaviour, said:
"This ritual is a throwback to childhood. Kittens stimulate their mother's mammary glands with their paws to get more milk."
However, the journal PLOS ONE added a nuance: adult cats often "knead" in a state of extreme relaxation, which is associated with the release of endorphins.
“My sphinx Margo does this before going to bed, as if she’s meditating,” shares Anastasia from Yekaterinburg.
But there are other theories. Veterinarian Igor Mironov notes:
"Cats have glands on their paws that secrete pheromones. The kneading motion is a way of marking territory."
This is confirmed by a study in the Journal of Feline Medicine : 70% of cats are more active in “kneading” new objects in the house.
What about pain? Bengal cat owner Victoria complains:
"She digs her claws in so hard that bruises remain." Zoo psychologist Jackson Galaxy advises in such cases to put a soft blanket under the paws: "Don't scold the cat - she does not control the instinct. It is better to redirect the energy into play."
Interesting fact: farm cats knead less often than domestic cats.
Scientists attribute this to the fact that street animals have an instinct that is suppressed by the need to survive.
But among breeds, the champions in “kneading” movements were Maine Coons and Ragdolls - their owners often compare their pets to massage therapists.
