Why Do Kittens Knead You

Kittens knead their mothers to stimulate milk production for nursing and as petmd explains even though kneading a soft surface doesn t yield milk adult cats forever associate the motion of kneading with the rewarding comfort of nursing kneading a human therefore might be a cat s way of showing her love and affection for you.

Why do kittens knead you. Unspayed female cats often knead just before going into heat as a sign of their eagerness to mate. Cats start to knead as kittens while nursing from their mother. 6 cats show affection in other ways as well. By pushing their paws in and out they activate these scent glands so they could be doing this on your lap to mark you as their own and warning other cats to back off.

This is also why some cats dribble when they knead. But there are a few other potential reasons why a cat will knead including. Because kittens use this motion to satisfy a need they often associate the habit with a good thing and bring it into their adult cat life as well. Kneading can also signal a form of territorial marking.

You might find your cat kneading blankets stuffed animals or other soft objects around the house. When female cats knead while lying on their side that could be their way of well advertising for a mate. A nursing kitten instinctually kneads to help stimulate the mother s milk production. Newborn kittens knead their mother s belly as they snuggle close to nurse and the motion is thought to stimulate.

In adulthood a cat supposedly will knead when it s feeling happy or content because it associates. Why your cat kneads this habit begins when cats are young and are dependent on their mother for food. Kittens knead their mother s stomach to stimulate the flow of milk from the teat into their mouths. But why do they continue to knead past nursing age.

During nursing a kitten will knead the area around its mother s teat to promote the flow of milk. A possible answer to why do cats knead is that they re trying to mark their territory because there are scent glands that release pheromones in their paws. Because the pads of your cat s paws contain scent glands her kneading emits her own distinctive scent discernable by other cats or pets but not by the human nose. Explanations for why cats knead vary but it is without doubt an instinctive trait.

It helps keep them limber. Kittens knead at their mother s tummy when they re hungry and looking for milk.