cat behaviour

[eric100]

We are still waiting for a good answer of our question on why adult cats 'comfort'. By comfort we mean small pawing motions on one spot on their bedding, like a kitten when feeding from their mother, at this time they also seem to be in a hypnotised state. This can go on for several minutes. Any ideas please

[Kit]

You're right, it's a stylised version of what they did when they were kittens - some cats even drool at the same time. I suppose it feels good in the same way that we like hugs because they remind us of being hugged when we were small. There's a strange parent/child relationship with cats - they enjoy being treated like kittens (eg this padding movement of their paws, and being stroked is like being washed by their mother) but at the same time they try and teach us how to hunt by bringing in half-alive creatures.

[brawburd]

I have a cat who does it with front paws often, but has recently started doing the same with his back paws, at the same time - so his whole body gets in a right auld state! And as he does this on my bed (his bed?) I have to make sure there is no piercable flesh available!

[brawburd]

I was also told that it relates back to when they were feeding from their mothers, and would use this movement to stimulate milk flow. Apparently it is more likely to persist if they were taken away from their mothers too soon, and they use it as a general comfort.

[pattie]

i had an adult cat that liked to suck on my clothes at the same time as it made the pawing motion, i wonder if she was taken away from her mother tpp early?

[Taurwen]

when I was pretty young I used to suck my fingers. When I got my cat he would 'comfort' and then suck a finger on my other hand or suck on his forarm. I didn't find this all that weird at the time. Then my sister got a cat as well. And although he still comforts he no longer sucks fingers or his leg.