Why do cats do the the things they do?

[E's]

One of the other things I wonder about, that Willow does a lot, is rubbing on the corner of things: books, my computer, boxes, shelves....if it has a corner she will rub on it.

This is territorial marking, I read somewhere: cats secrete "identity" musk through skin in certain areas of their bodies - one such area is the cheeks or jowls near the muzzle. The cat puts a delicate scent - undetectable to most humans but plain to other felines (and probably to canines too lol) on objects it rubs against... Cat is saying, "This is MY human's stuff and therefore it belongs to ME... and this, and this, and this...all MINE!" Maddening sometimes, but look at it as signs of love...

[Tina B and crew]

With Willow sometimes it is different from the territorial marking ...she literally rubs her nose back and forth on things sometimes, not the gentle cheek rubs that she uses to mark me (and my things no less)...LOL It is almost as if she is "scratching" her nose. Now the old box that I threw out, she would mark that thing incessantly, over and over again!! She does that to my purse, my computer back, my shoes, my computer, my books....you name it.

[Traci]

This is territorial marking, I read somewhere: cats secrete "identity" musk through skin in certain areas of their bodies - one such area is the cheeks or jowls near the muzzle. The cat puts a delicate scent - undetectable to most humans but plain to other felines (and probably to canines too lol) on objects it rubs against... Cat is saying, "This is MY human's stuff and therefore it belongs to ME... and this, and this, and this...all MINE!" Maddening sometimes, but look at it as signs of love...

If it isn't E's excellent analysis above, then it just....simply....itches. Mine do it too, roughly I might add. Sometimes I think their inside cheeks or gums itch. And the nose, if you've ever noticed, they can't really scratch their nose, their paws can only curl around them so far before they lose balance.

Now, could someone tell me why Cinnamae eats dust bunnies, the other cats' stray hairs or anything else on the floor? Did she forget she's a cat and not a dog? And why does she race across the house at full force to the patio doors and does a velcro-kitty on the glass doors when there is a critter outside?

[Tina B and crew]

I'm thinking it's the itching as well Traci because when she does the marking thing it's a slow gentle rub, but these are just damn hard! I swear, like you, I think she's going to rip her cheek open or cut her nose! I do love it when they "scratch" their nose with a little curled paw, it's too darling!