To learn more about the behavior that cats exhibit that we as humans tend to perceive as strange, we reached out to Tracey Thomas, Assistant Manager, Cat and Adoptions Coordinator and Amy Chapman, Cat and Adoptions Coordinator, at Helping Dogs & Cats UK Rescue. When it comes to how often cats do things that might make us wonder what’s wrong with them, the experts shared that “it really depends on the cat and also the person viewing the cat.” They provided the example of Amy’s cat, Mildred, who will happily get in the bath with her owner. 

“Cats, by their very nature, are unpredictable and similar to humans,” the adoption experts continued. “They all act differently and have their own personality and character. [We] tend to find that female cats are more unpredictable than male cats.”

And as far as things that might make your kitties act even more peculiar than usual, catnip is sometimes a factor. “Some cats absolutely love catnip and others don’t,” Tracey and Amy noted. “Some cats see themselves in the mirror and start to hiss or even run away, as they think it’s another cat.”

If you’d like to learn more about kitties from these experts, or adopt a cat of your own if you live in the Basingstoke area, be sure to visit Helping Dogs & Cats UK Rescue’s website right here or their Facebook page right here!

We were also lucky enough to get in touch with Laura Watson, Cat Welfare Assistant at International Cat Care, who was kind enough to answer some of our burning questions about kitties. Laura first noted that, although many behaviors cats exhibit may seem strange or amusing to us, they’re likely perfectly normal for their species. “The modern domestic cat that we know today is not that far removed from their wild ancestor, and when we understand their species-specific needs and behaviors, the behaviors that were once thought strange, suddenly make perfect sense,” she explained. 

Laura shared that prior to embarking on her studies diving into the behaviors of cats, there were many behaviors she thought were quite strange, such as when they: “knead (rhythmic pushing of their paws in and out, at alternating times) a person or blanket, sometimes drooling whilst they do it; bring dead prey back inside the home, perceived as a gift for the caregiver from the cat; roll over and show their tummy, perceived as an invitation to touch their belly, but when you do they bite or scratch; open their mouth and draw back their upper lip ‘like a grimace’ after smelling something; sit or lay in very small spaces or high up on the tops of wardrobes, doors, or curtains; suddenly jump if they notice an object close behind them; watch a prey species out of a window and make chattering sounds to them; and suddenly have mad moments and zoom around.”

Laura explained that most of these behaviors are perfectly normal when we understand more about the ethology of cats. “The wildcat ancestors of our domestic cat were solitary predators and did not live in structured groups, relying solely on themselves to survive,” she told Bored Panda. “Where social groups of cats do exist, they appear only to work well when the members of the group are familiar and when there is no competition over food or other resources. Cats can form strong social relationships with familiar individuals, and particularly between kittens in the same litter and between kittens and their mother.”

“The social behavior of our domestic cats is more variable, and they have adapted to group living through the development of social structures, but they still do retain their roots as solitary hunters,” Laura went on to explain. “We now have an understanding that, despite having gone through the domestication process, cats currently live a number of diverse lifestyles, at one end of the spectrum living unowned and free-roaming; hunting for its food, without any human intervention is the feral cat, and at the other end of the spectrum as a companion in our homes is the pet cat and not all cats are equally tolerant or accepting of other cats or people.”

Laura also noted that, as cats are essentially solitary hunters, it’s vital for them to establish their own territories to avoid conflict with other cats. “If a cat incurs an injury during conflict with another cat, they could be unable to hunt, which could be life threatening for them, being unable to eat to survive,” the expert explained. “Cats will mark their territories using scent derived from their facial glands, urine, feces, and anal glands. This territorial marking, together with an extremely sensitive sense of smell, helps cats to communicate effectively and to minimize direct contact between themselves.”

“A cat’s territory consists of a core area, or den, where it feels secure enough to sleep, eat, play, and potentially enjoy social interaction,” Laura told Bored Panda. “This forms the hub of the territory, which is the area beyond the core area that the cat actively defends against invasion from others. Beyond this lies the home or hunting range that constitutes the extent of the area over which the cat will roam. These insights into the cat as a species help us understand why they behave in the way they do.”

Laura also explained that, although it can be painful at times, it’s perfectly normal for your cat to knead you with their claws, so it should never be punished. “When kittens are first born, they are totally dependent on their mother for their nutrition. When they suck at their mothers’ teats, they tread with alternate front paws at her abdomen to stimulate the flow of milk. Some cats will dribble uncontrollably as they anticipate the milk-feed that kneading usually predicts, which is a normal, natural, neurological response.”

Most cats will grow out of this habit, but Laura noted that some will “retain it into adulthood, particularly when in the presence of someone with whom they feel safe or when they get on a particularly fluffy cushion or blanket because they associate the behavior of treading their paws with the comfort and safety they felt when they were nursing with their mother.” 

Laura also provided explanations for some of the most common peculiar behaviors cat owners see in their pets. As far as why they bring home dead prey, the expert noted that when domesticated kitties have access to the outdoors, their natural predator instincts may kick in. “When a cat brings their prey back home, it indicates they feel it is a secure and safe place (core territory) to leave food to eat now or keep for later,” Laura says.

And if your cat rolls over to show you their tummy then scratches you when you try to tickle them, apparently, you might be perceiving their actions incorrectly. “When a cat greets its human companion, it makes a display of trust by exposing its belly,” the expert noted. “A similar friendly ‘social roll’ is often seen when one cat solicits play from another. When a cat does it to us it may be illustrating one of two things; either it is a sign of trust and any physical contact at this time could look threatening or it is a request for a rough and tumble – either way, injury will ensue, so the temptation to touch should probably be avoided!”

Have you ever seen your kitty grin or grimace when they sniff something strange? “This usually happens when it’s sniffing the urine of a cat that’s in season or where a tom has sprayed and is referred to as the Flehmen response,” Laura explained. “It gives cats a great deal of information about that scent as it enables it to draw in the air over a special organ called Jacobson’s organ found in the roof of the mouth behind the front teeth. Here the cat can concentrate the scent and smell/taste it, giving it a lot of information.”

And when it comes to why cats try to squeeze into small spaces or hide on the tops of doors and curtains, the expert says, “Cats must rely on themselves to survive [as solitary hunters]. Hiding in small spaces conceals them and helps them feel safe from potential dangers and perching high up allows them to survey their environment and any potential dangers on the horizon.”

Laura also explained why cats often struggle to see up close. “Like all predators, they have forward-facing eyes and binocular vision. You may have noticed though, that a cat may struggle to find a toy or treat right under its nose or jump when startled by something behind them. A cat’s eyes can form a clear image of an object approximately 25cm away, but they are unable to focus on objects closer than this (with an optimal range of 2-6 meters away from them). This, along with a wider field of vision than the human eye and other unique adaptations, helps cats to spot prey in their surrounding environment, such as a harvest mouse in a field of corn.”

Have you ever heard your cats making a chattering sound? Laura says this commonly occurs when a cat is watching prey that it can’t access, such as a bird, but it can also occur towards other prey species and even toys. The exact reasoning behind this is not known, but some hypotheses are: “an outward sign of frustration that the cat can see the prey but cannot access it; anticipation of capturing prey – although it can happen when the cat is indoors too and cannot physically access the prey; or the cat uses the sound to mimic the vocalizations of its prey to be less conspicuous and draw the prey into striking range.”

Ever wonder why your cat seems to go mad at random moments? “Cats would naturally spend a great deal of time during the day, stalking and chasing prey or avoiding danger in their adrenaline-fuelled lifestyle of hunting and exploring,” Laura explains, noting that the average house cat doesn’t often have the opportunity to do anything dangerous and use up their energy. “Suddenly, often without warning, this energy will burst out and your cat will act out a little fantasy role-playing, alternating between the hunter and the hunted, dashing around the house with a flicking tail and widely dilated pupils.”

“This often occurs at times of the day and night when cats are naturally more active, for example at dusk, and it can be triggered by a loud noise, a visit to the litter tray or something quite inconsequential,” the cat expert continued. “They may stare into the top corner of the room before launching themselves across the carpet, but don’t worry, they’re just using up that excess energy.” 

Even though all cats are unique, Laura says there is one plant that has a quite surprising effect on around 80% them: catnip or Nepeta cataria. “An encounter with either the plant itself or with a catnip-stuffed toy can make cats excited, and they may sniff and roll around on the ground or over the catnip,” she explained. “The active chemical in the plant is called nepetalactone and has been likened to LSD. However, its effect is short-lived and harmless.”

“Catnip can be a helpful tool to initiate play with cats, however, kittens under the age of three months old are not receptive to catnip, so it is worthwhile reintroducing it after this age to see if they are receptive to its effects,” Laura noted.

Finally, Laura left us with some wise words. “Next time you witness a cat doing something you think is strange, I ask you to think of the cat and their species-specific behaviors, and consider: is it strange? Or perfectly normal for the species?”

If you’d like to learn more about cats from Laura and the rest of the International Cat Care team, be sure to visit their website right here!

And if you’re looking for even more hilarious and bizarre pics of cats after finishing this adorable list, you can find Bored Panda’s last article featuring the What’s Wrong With Your Cat subreddit right here!