A Scottish cat rubs its teeth on its legs. The cat is rubbing. The Inexplicable Behavior of Cats
It is no secret that even civilized people are often guided by instincts when communicating. Feeling of control of space up close own body- This natural need safe, and tactile contact is one of effective means establishing close relationships.
Thus, it becomes clear why cats rub against their legs. By and large, the animal wants to make sure that you are friendly and show its emotional disposition in return. However, apart from social reasons, there are some physiological characteristics, causing this behavior of cats.
The big secret of the little beast: why cats rub against their legs
If you watch the animal carefully, you will notice that this gesture has a special order of execution. At first the cat cuddles tightly temporal part head and cheek, then, pressing forcefully with the whole body, passes, touching the side, and completes the manipulation by wrapping the tail around the leg. Raising its muzzle upward and giving you a languid look from its narrowed eyes, the cat repeats the procedure in the same order.
If in a fit of emotion you bend down to stroke her, she will do the same with your hands, pressing firmly with her nose, the edge of her lips and the top of her head. Having greeted the person, the kitty will move aside, sit comfortably and lick its fur with its tongue.
At this point, she will recognize and remember your individual scent, discreetly giving you her marks.
Physiologists explain the reason why cats rub against their legs in this way: on the animal’s body there are special secretory formations, glands that secrete an odor that is elusive to the human sense of smell. Sharing scents with your immediate environment is important for a sense of familiarity and security. As Kipling’s hero said: “You and I are of the same blood,” which means we will protect each other and take care of our family.
Body fluids that have a special odor are also found in saliva and cat feces. When the owners pay enough attention to the pet, feed it correctly, comb it, caress it, and pick it up, the cat does not need to assert its superiority and buries its armature bombs in the tray. If an animal does not feel comfortable and safe enough in its territory, it uses “heavy artillery”, leaving urine marks and piles of feces in unintended places.
Thus, in cases where a cat has stopped relieving itself in the tray, the owners should not punish the animal, but should think about their behavior. It is worth somehow changing your attitude towards the animal, paying more attention to its needs, including emotional ones.
Why do cats rub against their owners' legs or feet? various items? If you have a cat living in your house, then you have probably asked yourself this question at least once in your life. It's time to get a detailed answer to it.
It is unlikely that cats rub against their legs or objects just because their head, ears or neck itches all the time. Sometimes it seems that the cat is trying to attract your attention in this way, but doesn’t she have a thousand other ways to get what she needs from you? Let's find out the truth.
Why do cats rub against various objects?
Cats rub against objects to indicate their presence. This behavior allows the cat to place certain marks so that members of the species know that this is foreign territory. Relatively new markings indicate that the territory is already occupied, and therefore other cats must leave its boundaries to avoid conflicts.
Territory demarcation is why cats rub against objects
Territory demarcation is another answer to the question of why cats rub against various objects. Dogs mark their territories by urinating in certain places or digging in the ground, cats rub against objects or things, preferring to leave their unique scents on them. If you have more than one cat at home, you may notice that the cat first sniffs a specific object, then arches its body, and then begins to rub against that object. And multiple cats may rub against the same area. The purpose of this behavior is to increase the feeling of togetherness and show that they are a member of a close-knit group. By the way, if a cat rubs against your legs when you enter the house, you can be happy - this indicates that you have been accepted into the cat group.
Why do cats rub against your legs?
Being part of a cat group isn't the only reason why cats rub against your legs. A cat can send specific signals: it is hungry, wants to go outside, wants to be petted, and so on. The animal will try to explain all this to you by starting to vigorously rub against your legs or other parts of your body.
Why does a cat rub when she wants affection?
If you have several cats in your home, have you ever wondered why a cat rubs against another animal, and sometimes they even start butting heads like young goats, accompanying this process with loud purring. This behavior of animals indicates that they have great relationship with each other and also with you. This is the third common behavioral model, which answers the question why cats rub against things and objects.
Why do cats rub against objects and how are pheromones related to this?
Special scent glands can be found throughout a cat's body. They are located on the head, including the chin, lips, cheeks, tail and sides. These glands secrete chemical substances, known to us as pheromones. When a cat cuddles and rubs against other cats or its owners, it releases pheromones. Humans cannot smell this smell, but other cats smell pheromones very well.
In order to enhance the smell of pheromones, a cat chooses relatively high objects and actively rubs its head against them, where the glands secreting this substance are located in large quantities. The smell of a pheromone can convey the reproductive status of its owner and other information about him, which is easily read by felines.
Other reasons why cats rub against objects
Subscribe to our YouTube channel !
Cats rub against objects to signal to animals of the opposite sex that they are ready to mate. During this period, cats are actively looking for females. Another reason why cats rub against objects is to obtain additional information about other cats or cats or about a person they don't know. The habit of head rubbing for a cat can also be a way of greeting, and in wildlife This is how in the cat family animals demonstrate their loyalty to the group.
Sometimes a cat rubs against objects when it tries to adapt to a new environment, where it found itself for the first time and with which it is not yet familiar. Pheromones at this moment have odors that make it possible to determine that the cat is tense and trying to relax. After the cat calms down, it will again rub itself against objects to convey new information.
What else you need to know about your cat's behavior
Now that you know why cats rub against your feet or other objects, we'll give you more information about other aspects of your cat's behavior.
Purr
Usually purring is a sign that your cat is in trouble. good mood. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Purring can also indicate that the cat is not feeling very well and even signal an injury to the animal.
The cat energetically waves its tail
If you notice that the cat is wagging its tail quite quickly, this indicates that the animal feels threatened and is ready to show aggression. In these circumstances, assess how safe your cat's environment is and then offer food to calm your pet.
Cat hissing
If a cat meows very loudly or hisses aggressively, this indicates that she is unhappy with what is happening around her, and also that the animal does not feel safe.
Meow
Cats are usually meow almost exclusively for people to communicate with. And each cat adapts its own meowing “language” for its owners. So, if you spend a lot of time with your cats, then learn to understand what this or that meow means and what exactly your pets require from you.
Author of the article
: Ilya Samokhvalov, "Moscow Medicine"©
Denial of responsibility
: The information presented in this article about why cats rub against their feet and objects is for informational purposes only.
The cat does this in order to mark those objects that are on its territory. By leaving a mark, the cat can easily recognize various objects. They become familiar to her, which gives the cat confidence in her surroundings.
The cat makes marks with the temporal glands, which are located on both sides of the forehead, between the eyes and ears. Cats have organs similar to these (perioral glands) near the corners of their lips. Through these glands, the cat secretes secretions to leave marks on doors, furniture legs, stair railings, etc. The cat's tail is also equipped with glands that secrete a similar secretion. The cat raises its tail with a pipe, moves it over the object and thus leaves a mark. There are glands around the cat's anus, as well as on the pads of the paws.
When a cat treats a person favorably, she marks him too. The cat rubs its muzzle against the person, moves its tail along it, often accompanying its actions with purring. She behaves the way kittens behave towards their mother. Cats transfer this pattern of behavior to people, thus showing their affection. At the same time, they define the person they are rubbing against as part of their own territory.
Are cats capable of deceit? People who don't understand cat behavior don't always understand a cat's intentions. For example, cats are unhappy when stranger tries to pet them. Too persistent strangers may even be scratched. But a cat will never put its claws into action without warning about it. She will first hiss and press her ears to her head.
People who have experience with cats always avoid approaching a cat that is unfamiliar to them first. They will allow the cat to take a closer look and walk around. Only then will they extend their hand to the cat so that she can smell it. A cat, showing sympathy for a new acquaintance, will come closer and arch its back, letting you know that it can be stroked.
If a cat knows a person, she greets him in a special way. As soon as she sees her friend, she raises her tail high, hurries towards him with a loud purr, begins to rub her muzzle and sides against the legs, sometimes stands on her hind legs, making it clear that she needs to be petted. Having greeted the person in this way, the cat sits aside and licks itself. As a result of this greeting, an exchange of smells occurs. A special odor-bearing substance is distributed throughout the cat's fur, which is secreted by glands located in the corners of the cat's lips and temples. By rubbing against a person's leg, the cat at the same time receives his scent. When licking, she smells this smell with greater clarity. Man is not capable of grasping such things.
Cats that are familiar with each other also exchange scents by licking each other or rubbing their fur against each other. The sense of smell for cats, whose life takes place in the world of smells, is of great importance.
Sometimes cats bite the hand of the person stroking it. This is how they show their friendly attitude, but not all people understand this. Due to unexpected and sometimes painful biting, a person sometimes begins to get angry with the cat, although the cat did not want to offend him. After all, when biting, a cat leaves a mark of its saliva on its hand, marking “one of its own” in this way.
It is generally accepted that a cat mistakes “its” people for relatives. This is expressed in her behavior when she treats a person the same way a kitten treats its mother. For example, a cat lies on the owner’s lap, moving its front paws one at a time, as if giving a massage. Sometimes she releases her claws, resulting in snags on clothing and scratches on the skin. Not everyone likes this cat behavior. But it is very simply explained. As a kitten, the cat moved its paws this way when it received milk from its mother's nipple. Ethologists who study cat behavior, gave the name to such movements - “milk step”. When a cat is already an adult, it is pleasant for her to remember how she fed on her mother’s milk. If at the moment of such memories the cat is disturbed and driven away from its lap, it will experience anxiety, because stroking a person’s hand reminds it of its mother’s licking.
Showing dissatisfaction, a cat, as a rule, begins to wave its tail. If she wants to force herself to be respected, she arches her back and fluffs up her fur. If a cat needs something from its owner, it begins to affectionately touch it with its paw. A cat rubs its legs when it greets a friend or lets it know that it is time to feed it.
The sounds made by a cat, which we call meowing, are very diverse. A cat can purr gently and squawk depending on what emotions it is expressing. Cats “talk” with great pleasure. They begin to meow at the very various reasons. With their voice they express greeting, demand, affection, frustration, joy, melancholy, request, threat and many other different feelings.
Cats can't talk because they don't need to. They are quite capable of expressing all their emotions using body language and facial expressions. That is why communication with a cat comes down to understanding its gestures and actions, which can be a whole spectrum.
Cat body language consists of communication using the head, ears, paws, tail, posture and, of course, the eyes. At the same time, communication with a cat should be based on understanding the complex of all gestures as a whole, besides, the animal always tries to express its emotions quite unambiguously.
Conventionally, the body language of cats can be divided into two groups - gestures that are directed directly at the owner (the cat licks his hand, hisses, rushes, rubs), or those that the cat makes as if in relation to itself, but so that the owner I could understand her easily.
How to understand the language of cats?
It's not difficult at all, the main thing is to have a little observation. The main group of gestures is associated with a procedure such as licking. It means not only the desire to wash, it is a kind of language of cats, with the help of which they can demonstrate:
- confusion - the cat begins to lick itself when it has been scolded (this best time for communication with animals and reconciliation!);
- good mood - the cat begins to lick the owner’s hand;
- search for affection - the cat carefully licks the owner’s hand and tries to climb onto his lap;
- boredom - the cat licks itself with overly prolonged, deep and intense movements: in this way she asks to caress her or play with her;
- readiness for training - the cat washes rationally and carefully and is able to accept several commands from the owner.
In addition to licking, a cat's tongue also involves all kinds of movements of the body and tail. The most common among them is friction against the owner’s legs. In this way, the cat expresses love and can also ask for something. If a cat rubs its muzzle against your face and nuzzles your cheeks or lips, this expresses the extreme degree of its love and appreciation.
As for the tail, it can be in several positions:
- flies up - the cat is excited, but not angry or scared;
- slightly lowered - the cat is slightly frightened or dissatisfied (for example, with its food), in this state it is better to leave it alone;
- lowered low - the cat is very frightened or unhappy;
- twitches actively - the cat wants to be alone (if only the tip of the tail twitches, this is extreme degree concern of the animal);
- fluffed up - the cat is preparing to attack;
- squeezed between the paws - the cat is afraid.
Cat Body Language: Basic Secrets
In addition, you should monitor the cat's body position, which can also express your pet's emotions. So, a straight back and a raised head indicate that a cat is relaxed, but at the same time attentive. If the cat sits a little sideways, this indicates that he is scared. Grinning and angry cat he is about to attack full-face, and if he suddenly crouches to the ground with a gloomy look, it means he has changed his mind about doing it.
In a similar way, you can interpret the signs that a cat gives with its eyes. The cat's attention is expressed directly and open look, aimed directly at you. At the same time, if the cat stares at you too openly, this expresses a challenge and a requirement to keep your distance. If the eyes are half-closed, the cat is cautious, and if they become like narrow slits, the cat is confident and wary. You should also be careful if the cat has round pupils and a crazy look - this expresses the animal’s fear, in which it cannot control itself. But if a cat looks at you, crouched to the ground, there is no danger, he is simply expressing devotion.
Finally, cat sign language also involves communication using their paws. If your cat rubs his paw against you or gently massages your hand with it, he is showing satisfaction and contentment. If a cat pulls clothes with its paw or even fights, it means it is asking for something, including love and affection.
But the most powerful demonstration of love is a hug with paws. Also, a very strong emotion is expressed when a cat lies on its back - if it exposes its stomach to you, it means it completely trusts and loves you, so in this position you should definitely stroke and caress it - the cat will be very grateful to you!
The article presents information that makes it possible to better understand what one has to deal with in one case or another when pets develop a not always healthy interest in human feet.
Why does a cat rub against a person’s legs and signs associated with it?
Signs say that cats rub against their owners’ legs to relieve all the accumulated fatigue of the day. In fact, the circumstances are completely different. With the help of a similar ritual, they mark the resident of their territory so that he smells like before.
The sebaceous glands secrete pheromones that remain on clothing. For a person, the smell is not noticeable, but a cat calms down after marking its person.
Why does a cat hit a kitten with its hind paws?
A mother teaches her child self-defense.
Why does a cat hit its owner with its paw?
If a cat hits with its paws as if playing hockey, then these actions are attributed to play aggression. The cat just wants to play.
If a kitten rushes to your feet when you walk, what should you do?
Such situations are regarded as the game of “hockey”, which was mentioned earlier. The kitten just wants to play, so give him some time.
Why does the cat lie on its feet?
Firstly, cats love warmth, so they lie down where it is warm. In our case, these are the legs. Secondly, in this way they show their affection for a person, and if he is not the only pet in the house, then this is how he shows his rights to affection from the owner.
Why does a cat eat soil from a flower pot and outside in the garden?
In this case, three options are possible: anemia, lack of microelements, worms. Contact your veterinarian.
