3 Fickle and Funny Feline Behaviors and What They Are All About

They are soft and fluffy, sometimes playful, and filled with individual personality and a natural curiosity that keeps you on your toes. Anyone who has ever owned a cat will tell you that these pets have some pretty awesome ways of keeping you entertained and even making you feel important or special.

They may not be deemed "Man's Best Friend," but cats deserve a title just as uplifting because by all rights, these (mostly) friendly felines take a place in your home and your heart. However, kitties of every breed can serve up some pretty peculiar behaviors that sometimes leave pet parents scratching their heads. Here is a look at a few of the seriously off-the-wall things you may catch your cat doing and why. 

Behavior: Your cat tucks itself away in the strangest of places—like inside a grocery bag or tiny box. 

Explanation: Cats have this odd way to contort their often slim bodies into spaces that you would never guess they would fit in or even want to be in. They do this for a few reasons:

  1. Cats like to feel secure, and being in a tight space gives them that sense of security from the rest of the environment. 
  2. Cats enjoy warmth, which is easily provided in a small space because the location contains their body heat. 
  3. Cats are natural predators, so hiding gives them an advantage over their prey (even if it's just your foot passing by).

Behavior: Your cat goes haywire in the middle of the night—every night.

Explanation: Cats aren't necessarily nocturnal creatures, but they definitely don't mind prowling around in the dark. In fact, they often seem to enjoy it. Cats also have a more cycled sleep pattern than humans, with which they actually take several "cat naps" throughout the day at random times. So, in the dark when you are ready to sleep, you shouldn't be at all surprised to see your playful feline suddenly decide to pop out of bed and start attacking every shadow that moves or pawing at your face in demand of your attention. 

Behavior: Your cat brings you caught surprises like dead crickets, mice, or small birds. 

Explanation: You may get pretty frustrated to wake in the morning to a kitty dangling a dead mouse or twitching cricket in your face, but this is just your cat following its natural instincts. Mamma cats often bring prey to their young, so cats learn from an early age that when you go hunting, you share the food when you can or have extra. Your kitty could just be sharing its hunting spoils with you because they think you could be hungry. You feed them daily, so they are perhaps trying to return the favor. 

Talk to a veterinarian, such as one at Coastal Carolina Animal Hospital, for more insight.


Share