Cat Behavior Explained

Understanding Why Cats Behave the Way They Do

Almost everything a cat does has a reason behind it, even when the behaviour looks random to us. Kneading, head-butting, sudden bursts of energy at midnight and the famous habit of pushing objects off a table are all rooted in instincts that kept cats alive long before they moved indoors. Once you can read those signals, a lot of everyday friction between cats and their owners simply disappears.

The guides in this section break each behaviour down into what your cat is doing, why the instinct exists, and what — if anything — you should do about it. Body language is a good place to start: tail position, ear angle and pupil size tell you more about your cat's mood than any sound they make. Purring, contrary to popular belief, is not always a sign of contentment.

Most feline quirks are completely normal. A few, however, are worth attention: a sudden change in litter box habits, new aggression, hiding, or compulsive grooming can point to pain or stress rather than personality. When a behaviour changes suddenly rather than gradually, treat it as a health question first and a training question second.