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i know nothing about cats, but my roommates cat does this thing and i cant understand

A

ajtyeh

Golden Member
Never been a cat/dog owner so i know very little about both animals. Anyhow, i just moved into a house with other roommates/tenants and one of them has a super adorable 2 year old cat.

It looks pretty much like these 2 cats.

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/06_03/catDM2806_468x705.jpg

http://www.techmall.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/cat.jpg


anyhow.

the only way i can describe what it does is this explaining to you:

it sticks out both paws (paws facing downwards) and then it alternates sticking out its claws (extending them) left right left right. all the meanwhile it leans in and what it seem like a licking/sucking noise on a pillow case/blanket/my shirt/ or anything soft so it seems.
oh and it seems to be purring, but im not sure it sounds exactly like a "purr"

what is it doing, whats it called? and i guess why is it doing it.

the only history i know is that the roommate got the kitten when it was a baby from a friend. it was in a litter of other kittens. the roommate doesnt exactly pay much attention to the kitten so its the kitten is in super need of love so it seems. on my first night there, it hopped in my bed and starting sleeping/playfully scratching me/gnawing on me/ and walking all over me. i dont really mind, except the sharp claws when it scratches me .
 
Its kneading.
An excercise.
Either to pat down its bed, or sharpen its claws.
But not actually.

knead_moar.gif
 
thanks i just looked up kneading. wasnt sure where to begin but now it makes sense. now i need to figure out how to soften his super sharp claws
 
Kneading, and the sucking thing is usually called nursing I think. I read somewhere once that it's usually a sign of contentment or comfort, I think.

My cat does the kneading on my comforter and meows constantly during it. No nursing though.
 
ajtyeh said:
thanks i just looked up kneading. wasnt sure where to begin but now it makes sense. now i need to figure out how to soften his super sharp claws
Click to expand...

You don't soften them, just carefully trim them to remove the point without going far too far and cutting into the quick.
 
man im 24, and have been impartial to pets all my life. i always thought cats were loners and never paid attention to their owners. and i thought dogs were too much hassle and too dirty. i know im generalizing, but now that ive met a 2 year old cat/kitten that pays 100% of its atttention to me. i'm in love.
 
ajtyeh said:
man im 24, and have been impartial to pets all my life. i always thought cats were loners and never paid attention to their owners. and i thought dogs were too much hassle and too dirty. i know im generalizing, but now that ive met a 2 year old cat/kitten that pays 100% of its atttention to me. i'm in love.
Click to expand...

hahaha...yeah, cats ftw.
 
Makin bread, ya its a behavior to get the milk flowing, you do have to train it early to not scratch you or you'll never get it to stop. 'Oww' and 'No' and push the claws back in every time, while still petting helps.
 
lurk3r said:
Makin bread, ya its a behavior to get the milk flowing, you do have to train it early to not scratch you or you'll never get it to stop. 'Oww' and 'No' and push the claws back in every time, while still petting helps.
Click to expand...

this generally works, unless you get a cat like our Jake Monster who bites your hand when you do that, because he thinks you are trying to play
 
Aww! Hims making biscuits!

But seriously it's left over from when they were nursing and they would use their paws to stimulate milk production. It also means they are very content and happy as they think they are with mamma kitty.

I've never had a cat that didn't make biscuits/knead. My big boy will "air knead" when I pick him up with his front paws dangling. He'll knead the air.
 
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SpatiallyAware said:
I'm pretty sure it has to do with getting milk from it's mother...
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This. From what I've read it generally happens when a cat is taken from it's mother too early, but I've heard of many cats that were with their mother's continuing to do this into adulthood. I think they just do it when they are content.

I remember thinking it was really weird, but everything I read online about it says it's normal.
 
pontifex said:
you could put those rubber things on it's claws...can't imagine doing that though, lol.
Click to expand...

They work. However, cats naturally shed their claws and mine always worked hard to get them removed. It's a pain in the ass to get them on the first time because even a cat that doesn't mind you touching its paws starts to freak out by the end it takes so long.

In theory if you kept replacing them one at a time as they fell off it wouldn't be to bad after the first set. But who is going to do that?
 
It's thought to be from when the cat was a kitteh and trying to find it's mother's nipple to feed. As mentioned above it's totally normal and if you keep the claws trimmed it's usually not too bad (although my one cat actually drooled while doing this when you pet her).
 
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