Your Cat’s Oddest Behaviors, Explained

They Follow You To The Bathroom Because They’re Curious

It can feel like an invasion of privacy when your cat rushes to follow you into the bathroom. Unfortunately, science does not have an answer as to why felines do this, but they do have a good guess. Some experts believe that your cat might feel vulnerable without you by their side, so they follow you to feel safe.

Others believe that it’s in their nature to follow you because cats are curious creatures. They just want to know what’s going on in their house! Then again, maybe they just want attention and know that you have nothing better to do while in there.

Moving Their Tail Back And Forth Means They’re Not Happy

Unlike their dog counterparts, when cats wag their tails it does not mean they are happy to see you. Most often then not, when a cat moves its tail back and forth it means that they are not a happy kitty and would like to be left alone.

The action means that your cat is annoyed and it would prefer to be left alone. However, if a cat is twitching its tail, it usually means that it is very interesting in something, such as a red dot on the wall.

Hissing Is A Self-Explanatory Behavior

Most people know to back away slowly if a cat is hissing at them. And, yes, cats do hiss when they get angry at someone or something, but they also make the sound when they are feeling afraid or agitated.

Kitties will most likely hiss when they feel threatened by a person or another animal. They can either be approaching the cat too quickly or maybe you did something that the cat did not approve of. Either way, if a cat starts hissing at you, it’s best to not get too close and to let it calm down instead. They’re usually back to their “normal” selves in a few minutes.

Knocking Things Off The Table For “Hunting Practice”

It’s not surprising that cats like knocking things off of tables, especially if that something is being used by their human. If you don’t know what we’re talking about just look to YouTube videos of cats knocking things off of tables. Scientists say this behavior is simply a way cats practice hunting.

In the wild, cats play with their prey, so batting things away is good practice, even if it is at the expense of your water bottle. Cats are also naturally curious animals, and easily bored, so they might be trying to get your attention to start a game.

Catnip Makes Them Feel Extreme Joy

To humans, catnip doesn’t look like anything special, it’s just a leafy plant that is related to mint. That doesn’t mean cats don’t go crazy over sniffing it, though. Catnip contains nepetalactone, which is an oil that stimulates sensors in cats’ noses.

This reaction gives around 70 percent of cats a feeling of extreme joy and even, in some cases, hallucinogenic experiences. Your cat may run around, roll, salivate, and make weird noises under the influence of catnip, of which only lasts about ten minutes. Even big jungle cats such as lions and tigers have shown reactions to the leaf.

Biting Their Nails Could Mean They’re Bored

When people bite their nails it is usually a sign of anxiety, nerves, or it might just be a bad habit. With cats, it is often the same reason. If your cat is chewing its nails, it could be a sign that they are nervous about what is going on around them. Then again, it could be that they are just bored with everything.

This could also be an effort to thoroughly groom itself. But if a cat is continuously biting its nails, it might be time for a vet checkup because it could mean they have a parasite or infection.