Cat biting blankets while shuffling feet.

[tehbamboozler]

My 4 year old male cat is doing this strange dance thing. He bites a blanket or similar soft object, and kind of pads the surface. He looks like he is in pain and often makes noises if you touch him while he is doing this. (I was attempting to provoke this behavior by touching him in the video but he wasn't doing it.)

He was taken to the vet about a year ago and he said nothing was really wrong, but he's been doing it again lately so I'd like a second opinion.

Thanks,

 

[mani]

Hi TehBamboozler, and welcome to TCS! 

Your cat is doing something pretty common.  We call it 'making bread' or 'making biscuits', but basically your cat is 'kneading' the blanket. Some say they do it as it mimics the movement cats make when they fed, as babies.  It's very comforting for them.  And they can make quite a plaintive sound while they're doing it.

However, if you cat is doing this but seems in pain, then a vet's visit may be in order, just to be sure.

BTW, I'm assuming she has been spayed?  You would certainly know if she hadn't, but I just want to be sure!

 

[tehbamboozler]

It's a male cat, and he is neutered.

Apparently there was an issue with the video being embedded, so ignore my "touching him in the video" comment.

Anyway, that would make sense. I'm not sure why the vet didn't say that in the first place then. When I took him about a year ago because of it they did some urine tests and stuff and said he was normal, but didn't say he was just mimicking feeding, as far as I remember.

 

[betsygee]

It certainly sounds like typical kneading.  Is he healthy otherwise?

 

[mani]

Sorry.. I missed the 'he' bit.

 

[8whiskers]

I had a female cat that used to do the same thing, although she didn't vocalize when she did it. She would get a healthy bite of the blanket, close her eyes and "knead" with all four paws, opposite front and back feet. It was so cute! I was told that some cats make bread that way because they were weaned too soon, but I'm not sure if that's true. As long as nothing's wrong with your kitty and he's not in actual pain (although I hate it when they make noises like they are!) then let him enjoy himself and try to get a few videos of it and post them here! :-)

 

[fhicat]

 

[maewkaew]

What TehBamboozler describes may just be some intense kneading ,   but it also reminds me of what my male neutered cat did when he was sexually aroused.   He was about  a 2 yr old tom when neutered and was in denial about that whole snip snip thing.     He would mate with a female cat if he had the chance -- but he very seldom did .   so to substitute,  he had torrid affairs with a stuffed animal and an old blanket.

 He would bite  and tread with his back feet,  which is exactly what they do during mating.    but sometimes he also kneaded with his front paws,  so maybe he got the two things mixed together.

  Often he continued into humping but other times he just sort of stopped short of that and just did the treading for a bit.  then sometimes would go lick himself (very handy talent)   

He used to get the oddest expressions on his face.  LOL they probably think the same thing about us!

 

[abondxo]

My cat started doing this and after a few days he started humping my duvet cover.