anytime my sox or houseshoes are available, my female cat will steal one and stand over it kneading with front and back legs and meowing. she was a wild kitten, about 10 weeks old. which showed up on my porch 3 years ago, seemingly separated from her mom and others. this behavior started when I got her a stuffed teddy bear to play with, and then she acted like she was mating with it, all 4 feet, kneading over it and meowing. i took that away, then any small fuzzy object, mostly sox or fuzzy house shoe, she takes and comes to where I am with the same actions. she was spayed at 6 and a half months before going into heat
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unusual bahavior
- Thread starter grammers
- Start Date
Hello G grammers and sweet cat, and welcome to TCS! Though I have no experience of this in female cats, I have definitely heard of it in male cats. Definitely mating behavior in them. But with your girl, it sounds like she may be confused between kitten behavior (as in missing her mom?) and mating behavior. Very unique! Hoping my post will draw others who possibly have more to contribute to the discussion. Keep us informed, and hope you can find out more!
Some cats, male or female who feel something soft and fuzzy seem to have an overwhelming urge to knead. This isn’t sexual. It may remind them of kneading on their mother as kittens or just because it feels good on their paws. It might be fuzzy socks, a piece of wool, a stuffed animal or frequently a soft pillow that sets them off and they will spend time with it every day. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this and it gives them great comfort, so I would not discourage it or take away an object they love to knead on. If you have it please give her the teddy back.
Why do you think this behavior is sexual? Kneading on beloved objects/people and soft textures is normal.
Make her a toy out of some old socks tied in knots, one inside another. You can put some catnip inside it you want.
Most cats knead with their front feet, but I've seen it done with all four. I don't think your kitty kneading has any sexual implication. Do watch to see if she starts nursing on the sock. That's another kitten retentive behavior she may exhibit, and it doesn't always continue on from kittenhood. I have a spayed female that recently started nursing on the blanket. She's three years old, and didn't nurse until only about three months ago.
Most cats knead with their front feet, but I've seen it done with all four. I don't think your kitty kneading has any sexual implication. Do watch to see if she starts nursing on the sock. That's another kitten retentive behavior she may exhibit, and it doesn't always continue on from kittenhood. I have a spayed female that recently started nursing on the blanket. She's three years old, and didn't nurse until only about three months ago.
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For clarification--Is your cat kneading and mounting?
Virtually all cats will tread (AKA: "Make biscuits.") with soft things like pillows and blankets. It's normal.
They do it because they are content and happy.
Some cats like the smell of their human's laundry. Cats live and die by their senses of smell and hearing. Although they have good vision and can see better in the dark than humans can, they are far sighted and have a hard time focusing on objects closer than about a foot in front of them. Their nose and their ears more than make up for the weakness of their vision, though.
Your cat probably likes your laundry because it smells like you. Our cat, Casper, likes to come and smell my socks.
Why he likes to sniff my stinky, old feet, I'll never know but I suppose they smell good to him. Maybe it's just because I'm one of his humans and he wants to keep tabs on me. I don't know...
If your cat is seeking out your laundry, it's probably because she associates the smell with you. When she does, she feels happy and content. Hence, the biscuit making.
Maybe you could get a plush cat toy and sleep with it for a few days and even put it in your laundry basket so that it starts to smell like you. After a while, you can use that toy to play with your cat.
That way, she can have fun playing with something that smells like you.
With a little luck, she'll stop getting into your laundry.
They do it because they are content and happy.
Some cats like the smell of their human's laundry. Cats live and die by their senses of smell and hearing. Although they have good vision and can see better in the dark than humans can, they are far sighted and have a hard time focusing on objects closer than about a foot in front of them. Their nose and their ears more than make up for the weakness of their vision, though.
Your cat probably likes your laundry because it smells like you. Our cat, Casper, likes to come and smell my socks.
Why he likes to sniff my stinky, old feet, I'll never know but I suppose they smell good to him. Maybe it's just because I'm one of his humans and he wants to keep tabs on me. I don't know...
If your cat is seeking out your laundry, it's probably because she associates the smell with you. When she does, she feels happy and content. Hence, the biscuit making.
Maybe you could get a plush cat toy and sleep with it for a few days and even put it in your laundry basket so that it starts to smell like you. After a while, you can use that toy to play with your cat.
That way, she can have fun playing with something that smells like you.
With a little luck, she'll stop getting into your laundry.
