Ten of the Weirdest Cat Behaviors Explained

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Cats can display some very strange behaviors. Behaviors that almost appear alien to the on-looker. For that reason alone, many people find them to be very intriguing animals. You can sit and silently watch a cat and just be blown away by some of the things it does. The problem is, for all the strange and surreal things it does, we never seem to know just why they do them. From staring off at nothing for ten minutes, to randomly bopping someone on the head, cats are one-of-a-kind. We thought we would take a moment to shine a light on ten of the weirdest cat behaviors and the reasons behind them.

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Raising His/Her Backside

Okay, this may seem strange to start the list with, but anyone with a cat has seen this. The cat walks in a room, puts its front legs down, and sticks it’s rear end up into the air. It makes most people cock their head, and if a human did it, that person would probably be questioned by authorities. But there is a reason cats do it. The posture is named Lordosis, and means “scratch that place right behind my tail please”. Female cats also do this to male cats when it is time for some love, but we will save that for another day. If there are no cats in the room, it means scratch me behind my tail.

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Rubs Itself on your Legs When You Get Home

Believe it or not, your cat is not circling your legs and rubbing them in circles because it missed you. Granted, it probably did miss you. But it is actually doing this to re-mark it’s scent on you and get rid of whatever scents you carried in from out doors (especially if those scents involve other cats). So you may think your cat is saying hello to you when you get home (and i its own way, it is). But it is also marking you with its scent so the world knows who you belog to when you leave the house, all while getting rid of other smells that it does not like.

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Head Butts (or) Bunting

The technical term is allorubbing. Whe a cat comes up to you, or another cat, and seems to head butt your legs (or the other cats head). Some people assumed this was a way of a cat saying hello, but again, refer to above answer. Some scientists still speculate that new cats do this to one another as a peaceful sort of hello, as well. A kitty peace sign, if you will. When a cat is butting you with its head, or allorubbing, it takes on a different meaning. Different spots have different scent glands, so outside of saying hello, it is just scent marking you again.

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Hates When You Are On Phone

Believe it or not, most cats react to phone calls and phone rings. There are even cats well-known for reaching a paw under a phone and knocking it off the hook or “answering” it sometimes. As much as you may want to convince yourself your cat is jealous that something else is getting attention, that is not the case. One, the ring of the phone gets a different reaction from you than the cat sees for most things. This intrigues the cat as cats get used to our rituals and a phone call breaks that. Second, the cat sees no other person but hears you talking. This also means your cat meows when you are on the phone or tries to communicate more with you because it  thinks you are communicating with it.

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A Cat Blink Is a Huge Compliment

People call them “kitty kisses.” When a cat blinks it is known to be a sign of affection from the cat, but is that true? Kind of, yes. A cat blink is a cat’s way of letting you know it is not feeling hostile and feels calm and welcoming towards you. A blink from a cat is not so much a kitty kiss, but it is a kitty hello and a kitty’s way of saying “don’t worry, we are cool”. On the other end of the spectrum….

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Your Cat Stares At You, Unblinking

Guess what? If your cat looks at you for long periods without blinking, this is actually a sign of aggression.  A long, unblinking stare is also used to assert themselves to the territory they are in. So your cat jumps on a table it knows it should not be on, and then just looks at you? Yeah, um, that cat is telling you that table is that cat’s and it doesn’t care what you have to say about it. Alpha cats usually use this to scare off smaller cats and let them know their dominance.

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Why Do Cats Love Plastic and Other Trinkets?

It can be anything from plastic bags to empty soda bottles, but there is something about plastic that attracts your cats. What is it? Well it is part of being a cat. Chewing and eating inedible products is called pica. From wool sucking to plastic bag eating, it is something that affects many cats. But why? Well, with plastic specifically, it almost always makes a responsive noise. Be it the crinkle of a bag or the popping of an empty bottle. To the cats, this makes the object almost seem alive. In essence, they are just playing with an object that seems like it is playing back.

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Brings You Dead Rodents and Birds

As odd or gross as it may be to wake up and see your cat brought you a dead mouse, this is actually kind of a big deal. It means they see you as the head of the household and they want you to know they will do their part to protect and impress you. This is believe it or not, a gift. A twisted deceleration of love. So as much as you may want to freak out or scream, praise the animal for it and let it know you observe what it did for you and appreciate it. In other words, the same thing you do to your Aunt Glinda when she gives you an ugly sweater every Christmas.

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Loves Boxes

We all know cats love cardboard boxes. They love to play with them, smell them, and curl up inside them. And of all the weirdest cat behaviors out there, this is the one most cats have in common. But why? Smaller, confined spaces on all sides make cats feel safer. This stretches back to their ancestors, and how being out in the open when they slept left them ope for attack. A cardboard box usually fits all around them, and the end result is a cat that instinctually will sleep better because it knows its safe.

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Ignoring You

Listen, sometimes cats (just like humans) need space. They don’t always want to be picked up and pawed and fawned over. Sometimes, they just want to curl up in a box with their thoughts and be left alone. It does not mean they don’t need or love you. It simply means they are ignoring you because in that moment, they want you to do the same to them. If you observe ad respect this “alone time”, you will find the end result is a cat that comes to you more when it wants hugs and rubs. Not a bad way to slip the script. So next time it ignores you, take the hint.

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