weirdo cat?

My cat trevor is less than a year old hes not fixed and hes got a huge personality (he likes to attack our rottie). But he has this weird thing he does....when I go to bed he comes up like a minute later then pushes his head under my neck and starts purring like crazy and moves his paws like hes nursing but he uses claws and puts them into my pillow.....But he does that for a good ten minutes....apparently im the only one he does it to and besides messing up my hair hes not hurting me at all I just would like to know why he does it...If you have an idea please feel free to express your opinion.

thanks Melissa

the behavior with the feet is called kneading, and its something they do when they are happy and content. He does it because he loves you and he feels comfortable around you :)

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

the behavior with the feet is called kneading, and its something they do when they are happy and content. He does it because he loves you and he feels comfortable around you :)

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oh my gosh thats awesome! thanks

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Originally Posted by melrappmel

My cat trevor is less than a year old hes not fixed and hes got a huge personality (he likes to attack our rottie). But he has this weird thing he does....when I go to bed he comes up like a minute later then pushes his head under my neck and starts purring like crazy and moves his paws like hes nursing but he uses claws and puts them into my pillow.....But he does that for a good ten minutes....apparently im the only one he does it to and besides messing up my hair hes not hurting me at all I just would like to know why he does it...If you have an idea please feel free to express your opinion.

thanks Melissa

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Yeah, cinderbird is right! My two cats (Piate & Miss Billy Corgan) do something similar and, in fact, one "nurses" on her own thigh. It started when they were kittens (they're sisters) and they both would nurse on Miss Billy's tummy. As Miss Billy gained weight, and they both got older, Pirate stopped the nursing but Miss Billy continues it....she just moved to her thigh because she's too fat to reach her belly. And they're not actually nursing, they would just suck on a tuff of hair but they also do the kneading thing, too. :D

I have always called it milk treading, because they do that while nursing too. In fact, my dachshund does it all the time too!

Most of the time the reason behind the kneading action with kitties (never heard of it for dogs, lol!) is because they were weaned away from their mother too early. This is what I've heard and I've personally seen a bit of evidence to support it, but it could be totally false. :P

Just to say- I really don't want to sound mean, but.. why isn't your kitty fixed? Did you want to raise kittens? It's totally okay if you do, but when boy kitties get older and aren't fixed they spray. A lot. :/

I have an Egyptian mau that does that all that does that all the time i was told that it was a good thing he is happy but sometimes it hurts

I call it. Makin Muffins. lol

be happy he uses the pillow for his claws and not your skin, my girl was quite the muffin maker when she was alittle younger and it was conflicting being so sweet and so painful at the same time O.o.

<I agree, un-neutered boy cats make with the stink as they mature. Might want to get that done, ASAP if hes not a breeder>

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Originally Posted by Misfit

Most of the time the reason behind the kneading action with kitties (never heard of it for dogs, lol!) is because they were weaned away from their mother too early. This is what I've heard and I've personally seen a bit of evidence to support it, but it could be totally false. :P

Just to say- I really don't want to sound mean, but.. why isn't your kitty fixed? Did you want to raise kittens? It's totally okay if you do, but when boy kitties get older and aren't fixed they spray. A lot. :/

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Misfit

Most of the time the reason behind the kneading action with kitties (never heard of it for dogs, lol!) is because they were weaned away from their mother too early. This is what I've heard and I've personally seen a bit of evidence to support it, but it could be totally false. :P

Just to say- I really don't want to sound mean, but.. why isn't your kitty fixed? Did you want to raise kittens? It's totally okay if you do, but when boy kitties get older and aren't fixed they spray. A lot. :/

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Thirding(?) Getting him neutered.

There are other behavioral issues associated with being taken away from the mother or siblings too early. I have a cat that was bottle fed from two weeks of age until weaning since he was found abandoned. He licks, A LOT. And the licking/mouthing or sucking behavior is an example. It happens in dogs too, as well as biting and rough play. They learn how to play-bite without causing harm from playing with their mother or siblings. Its called "bite inhibition."

I don't remember kneading behavior being grouped with that though.

Lol, I call it happy paws, and "squishy". Stuart, our chubby kitty, also known as Mr. Fatty McFattington or Meatball, just loves to do it to any part of your body that is squishy, which unfortunately for me is my belly :rolleyes:

Only two of our four do it, it's so sweet!

i call it simply "massaging". except for when the claws get brought into play, then that's a whole different story, lol.
the only thing is though throughout my lifetime experience with cats i've noticed a majority of the females were primarily the ones to do it. i've seen/felt only a very few male cats do it...
i had a cat that used to put himself to sleep by doing that...it was always hilarious cuz he'd start out awake & alert and massaging me purring loudly, then his purr would quite down and he'd slowly close his eyes and the massaging would slow down only to suddenly pick up pace as he, it seemed to me, was trying to fight sleep...like a kid nodding off only to suddenly jerk their head up and pop their eyes open trying to stay awake. :rofl:
i've actually been able to train 1 or 2 cats to NOT use their claws, starting when they were young. whenever i felt claws i'd say "ouch" sharply while tapping on their paws. eventually they figured it out.
cats are really not known for being very train-able so this process did go well into the kitties adulthood.
there's a saying i saw some time ago...
"dogs have masters, cats have staff."
kinda reflects how difficult it can be to train cats if they're simply not willing to learn that day.