Why do cats do the the things they do?

[Tina B and crew]

I thought this might be an interesting thread. Why do cats do some of the things we see them do? Some of the behaviors I see in most cats, some in a few...but the one I was wondering about right now is this.

A cat is playing, running, jumping, chasing something...and right in the middle of it all stops and licks a foot, leg, side etc. Then they resume play as if nothing interrupted. Willow does this often but she's the only cat of mine that I recall doing it that much. I was watching some of the kittens up for adoption at the vet office the other day and one of them did the same thing.

What curiosity do you question?

[k9Karen]

I've never owned a cat myself, but I've visited many over the years including 3 my brother and SIL had. I've always wondered why they would come up to me, rub up against me, let me pet them, purr like crazy and then in a flash, give me the evil eye and hiss and run off as though I was doing something bad (I never hurt them or did anything to deserve this treatment). One of them would even let me put her in my lap so I could pet her, and I'd still eventually get the the hiss and she'd run off. I always figured it was their way of telling me that it was their house and they were in control, not me, but I never knew for sure.

[momPaws]

Angel does that, too. I also like the way she tags me right as I am walking away from a table she is on...so cute - like, "ok, you're it"...that little paw comes out and gives me a light tap.

[E's]

I read the first part of this thread, then opened a news video - about "How cats manage humans" you've probably seen it... the audio was purring and begging meows... Pinto was asleep right here on the desk and paid no attention, But Q - old beggar mooch himself - came running in from the other end of the apartment, meowing and purring just like on the video, then rearing up and pawing at my arm, all excited: "Food?! Managing humans?? Hey, I know all about that! Where's MY treat??!"

[momPaws]

Angel thinks I am an enigma...all day I was doing strange things...like - pushing around that big noisy thing (she had to hide from the beast), swiping that fluffy blue thingy all over everything (dusting), dragging that pen thingy across pieces of paper (bills).
She knew how to spend the day...watching, sleeping, begging, rubbing, and most important...playing with a little piece of plastic while her toys just sat there.
She did get lots of scritches and "good girl"s, though.

[Tina B and crew]

I saw that clip about cats managing humans as well E's! My first thought was "they are just discovering this? I've known it for years!"

Mompaws....Willow tags me when I walk by often. It was so cute the other day when I took her to the vet, she kept putting her paw out of the carrier and touching my arm when I'd reach over to shift

[momPaws]

Awwww....

[momPaws]

Tina...Angel can't figure out why I take stuff off the bed and hangers and put it in that big metal thing to get all wet and then into the other big metal thing to get dry. I know she's thinking..."us cats have that washing thing down so simple".

Today she got a nice long brushing so she is happy.

Would like to see some Willow pics!

[Tina B and crew]

Willow insists on following me into the bathroom and looks at me like "why do you not cover it?" LOL

I also wonder why cats shake their tails...or more like quiver their tails. Gizmo use to do this a lot, especially when he wanted to be fed. Willow does it but because her tail is short it isn't as prominent as what Gizmo's was.

[Tina B and crew]

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. Sometimes she rubs so hard with her nose I am certain she is going to hurt herself! I have to clean the corners of my laptop often because she rubs on them and gets them "ooky"