23 wonderfully weird cat behaviors: odd feline phenomena explained

Whether you’re a pet sitter and your hobby is house sitting or you’re lucky enough to have a feline family member of your own, we can all agree that the cats in our lives provide unrivaled entertainment (at least for us feline fanatics). To help you get to know your kitty companions a little bit better, we’re here exploring 23 weird cat behaviors and their meanings, so you know when to laugh and when to see your vet.

Weird cat behaviors

1. Rolling over
2. Nose and head bumping
3. Talking and chattering
4. Sneering
5. Performative reactions
6. Bouncing off the walls
7. Winking
8. Jealous behaviors (like disrupting work calls)
9. Presenting their butt
10. Napping in small spaces
11. Scratching around food
12. Chewing on random objects
13. Sitting in boxes
14. Burying poop
15. Zoomies
16. Bringing ‘gifts’
17. Pretending you don’t exist
18. Staring contests
19. Kneading you (and other objects)
20. Licking you
21. Drinking from the tap
22. Trashing the place
23. Nibbling on garden vegetation
24. Darting away from random objects

Rolling over

This seemingly weird cat behavior is in fact a pretty good sign that you’ve got a happy kitty at home. Maybe they’re throwing themselves on the ground, flipping over and stretching their limbs out in every direction - they may even throw a purr or two in there, too. However your kitty rolls, it’s a positive sign that they’re feeling playful and safe, or they may simply be in need of a good stretch and back itch.

Nose and head bumping

It’s no news to pet parents that cats can be rather territorial creatures, and the cat headbutt is just another weird cat behavior that humans with an affection for the feline world get used to. A headbutt from your fluffy best friend can be their way of saying ‘I love you’, or ‘play with me’. Plus, it’s a pretty effective way to spread their pheromones onto you, which in effect means ‘you’re my human!’. 

Talking and chattering

Ever caught your kitty on the windowsill, seeming to have a natter with themselves or the cats next to them, making rather funny cat noises? Well it turns out that teeth chattering is your cat’s way of showing their excitement (and sometimes frustration) at the sight of prey they can’t reach. So more often than not, it’s likely your kitty is chatting to themselves and others because they’ve spotted a bird that they’d ideally like to catch! If they're growling or hissing at you, there's a chance they could be overstimulated - head to out blog to find out if your cat is overstimulated where we explore the signs, causes and ways to avoid it.

Sneering

You might have also noticed your kitty making odd facial expressions that you simply can’t explain - one such is the well-known ‘sneer’. While to pet parents it may seem strange at first, cats in fact ‘sneer’ because they’re analyzing certain smells. The sneer-like expression can look a bit like a grimace or open-mouth breathing, but it’s called the ‘Flehmen response’, and it’s common in animals other than cats, including goats, horses and tigers. Often leaving pet parents wondering - can cats smile - it's safe to say this expression has virtually nothing to do with your kitty's joy. Rather, your feline is most likely to pull this face when they’re analyzing smells rich with pheromones - like the private parts of other cats and even the dirty laundry laying around your house!

Performative reactions

Do you ever get the sense that your cat is simply having you on, winding you up, just for the fun of it? Well it seems that our felines can sometimes ‘react’ to a trigger, as a sort of game. 

But what is this weird cat behavior all about? Well our member Val was experiencing this very problem, so she put her question to Rob Kuty, President of San Diego Pet Training and Director of Animal Training at Helen Woodward Animal Center over on our community forum.

@Val asks “I have a cat who startles easily. If she’s on my lap, and my husband sitting nearby sneezes loudly, she’ll leap off and race away, making as much galloping noise as she can. 

FWIW, she doesn’t seem to be actually frightened, or maybe she just enjoys being “frightened” like kids enjoy roller coasters and haunted houses. She is completely capable of ignoring loud nearby noises when she’s cozily asleep in some sunny spot and doesn’t want to bother with jumping up and racing away. 

Honestly it seems like she does this for fun and for performative reasons. Unfortunately every once in a while the leaping off from my lap involves inadvertently catching me with her back claws.”

Rob: “From reading your entire question it sounds like your cat makes a game out of the sneezing, and isn’t really startled by sounds in general. 

Therefore, an easy solution would be having your husband give you a heads up that a sneeze is coming. 

This way you can to be sure to guide your cat off of your lap during this episode and afterwards resume snuggle time with your feline friend.”

Bouncing off the walls

Weird cat behavior can often be explained by your kitty’s energy levels - if they’ve got heaps of pent-up energy (or they’ve just had a hit of catnip), you might find them (sometimes literally) bouncing off the walls. While alone this behavior is pretty harmless (and pretty entertaining for pet parents), it’s worth considering kitty-proofing your home. Avoid injuries - like fractured bones, pulled muscles and bruises from falling objects - by making sure that there’s nothing laying around that’s likely to hurt your feline friend, should they get over-excited.

Winking

If you’re a new friend to members of the feline world, one particularly baffling weird cat behavior is winking. Strangely enough, there are a whole number of reasons why cats wink, so context is key when it comes to figuring out why your feline friend seems to be flirting with you (and for the record, they’re not). One of the most common reasons cats wink is because they’re feeling content and affectionate, so it’s a good sign most of the time. If this isn’t a common behavior for your cat though, it’s worth gently checking their eyes, as winking can also be a sign of an allergic reaction or the presence of a foreign object (like an eyelash).

Jealous behaviors (like disrupting work calls)

As we’ve established, our feline friends can get a little territorial about their humans, and it’s sometimes not exactly in their nature to want to share you. That’s why you might have noticed your kitty giving you extra attention (or performing particularly attention-seeking activities) when you’re doing something that doesn’t involve them. We’ve all seen a paw swipe towards our colleague during a work call, and now we know why! One way to avoid this sort of behavior is to give your cat interactive toys that’ll keep them stimulated while you’re busy.

Presenting their butt

One seriously weird cat behavior that you might not have come across yet if you’ve only recently welcomed a kitten home is the odd presentation of their butt. The so-called ‘elevator butt’ pose involves your cat angling their behind upwards, sometimes lifting their tail and showing all there is to be seen. Thankfully, this seemingly odd behavior is a positive one - it means your cat is enjoying your petting, or is willing for another cat to have a welcome sniff.

Napping in small spaces

While you might have searched for the perfect cat bed, designed to give them the ultimate night’s sleep and day time naps, you may have noticed that your feline friend prefers more humble surroundings. Cats often like to nestle themselves in small spaces like closet corners, between the sofas, in bathroom sinks and cabinets. The reason for this weird cat behavior is simple - the tight space simply makes them feel safe and secure, hidden away from any potential predators.

Scratching around food

Ever noticed your cat scratching at their food bowl and assumed they’re playing with their food rather than eating it? Well fortunately if you’re cat’s scratching at their bowl, it’s unlikely to mean they’re not a fan of the food you’ve laid down. Rather, the behavior can be traced back to your cat’s wild ancestry, when burying any food would mask the smell, and therefore any evidence they’ve been there for predators.

Chewing on random objects

Unlike many of these other weird cat behaviors, chewing on random objects should be treated with serious caution by pet parents and sitters. Firstly, there’s an immediate choking hazard if your cat is chowing down on objects they shouldn’t. Second, the reason behind the chewing could be simply boredom, but it could also be because of anxiety or an illness. So, if you notice your cat nibbling on your furniture or their toys, make an appointment with your veterinarian for a check up.

Sitting in boxes

As a cat lover, isn’t this just your favorite weird cat behavior? If you’ve never walked into a room and found your kitty chilling tummy-side up in a cardboard box, you haven’t lived. It comes back to helping them feel safe and secure, but if you’d like to find out more about this odd feline phenomenon, head to our blog dedicated to answering why cats like boxes.

Burying poop

Much like their instinctive behavior of scratching at their food bowl (in an attempt to bury any leftovers), cats are also inclined to bury their poop. You might have noticed your kitty foraging in their litter box in an attempt to cover up their excrement, and while it might seem like simply good manners, it’s original purpose was to hide any feline scents to make sure predators can’t follow them.

Zoomies

All cat people will know that so-called ‘zoomies’ isn’t just restricted to members of the canine world - cats can get their zoomies on, too. So if you’ve got a cat who acts like a dog, know that most of the time, they’re just burning off pent-up energy and frankly having the time of their lives. Be sure to watch your kitty closely, noticing any serious behavior changes, as sometimes zoomies isn’t just a sign of an excited cat. It can be to settle the irritation of fleas, or may even be a sign that they’re going senile. So, if zoomies is a new phenomenon, make an appointment with your vet for a check up.

Bringing ‘gifts’

While gifts from those we love is (most of the time) good news, so-called ‘gifts’ from our feline friends are often well-meaning but not so welcome in our homes. Your cat may bring you dead mice and birds - looking very pleased with themselves and eager to please their humans with a not so nice catch. It’s simply your cat’s way of thanking you for the happy life you give them, so avoid telling them off for it. Plus, it could be a sure sign your kitty has been missing you, so if you've ever wondered whether cats miss their owners, check out our blog to find out!

Pretending you don’t exist

One thing that cat lovers know and respect about their feline family members is their independence. While it might seem like a weird cat behavior to dog people, us feline fanatics know that being ignored by a cat is a normal part of kitty parenting. Simply let your cat be and give them the time alone they clearly crave, and they’ll soon be back for chin scratches in no time.

Staring contests

We wouldn’t blame you if you were feeling a little weirded out after your kitty seemingly started up a staring contest. More often than not though, it’s a sign of affection or can be an invitation to play. Read the rest of your cat’s body language (see below for our blog on cat tail meanings) to gauge whether they’re feeling affectionate, playful, or maybe a little anxious. Either way, avoid a stare-off and instead continue going about your daily tasks, observing your cat’s behavior to make sure they’re feeling content. Keep an extra special eye on your furry friend if they start having a staring contest with the wall rather than you, as this could be a sign of a medical problem.

Kneading you (and other objects)

According to the Blue Cross, kneading objects (with the front paws) comes from a behavior that goes all the way back to kittenhood, when cats rub their mother’s stomachs to stimulate the flow of milk. Kneading is also a sign they’re feeling super happy, so any humans around at the time of kneading can be sure they’re doing something right! On the other hand, kneading with the back paws is often a sign they’re about to launch an attack, so be sure on which paws are doing the kneading!

Licking you

You might have guessed that licking is a not-so-weird cat behavior, unlike some of the others we’ve discussed. In fact, if a cat is licking you, then you should be feeling super privileged - it’s a sign of love and affection (even though those prickly tongues can get a little sharp after a while). But what does it mean when cats lick themselves? Find out whether it's a form of self-love or something else is afoot in our blog post!

Drinking from the tap

One unique cat behavior we find particularly cute is their preference for running water over the bowl you’ve placed out for them. This behavior could be due to their instinctive knowledge that running water is often safer to drink than stagnant water that’s been sitting around for a while.

Trashing the place

It might be a bit of a shock to the system to see your once-tranquil kitty swiping your favorite objects off the shelf. While it might seem like they’re doing this out of anger, it’s often a way to get your attention (so avoid giving any attention, as you may end up reinforcing this unwanted weird cat behavior). Simply move any precious objects out of paw’s reach to protect your favorite ornaments and to keep your cat out of harm’s way.

Nibbling on garden vegetation

You might have noticed your kitty chowing down on your garden weeds or maybe the odd blade of grass. This can mean a variety of things, including an upset stomach, curiosity, or a need for attention. Try to discourage this behavior or simply make sure your garden isn’t home to any plants that could harm your cat (which, by the way, are most common flowers popular with us humans). 

Darting away from random objects

If you’ve noticed your cat jumps away from random objects (like plastic bags and cucumbers), you might be wondering why your cat is acting so strange! Well this behavior can be due to a past trauma with the object, so one way to get your kitty used to it is to leave the object out (under supervision, of course) so that they realize it poses no harm.

What does your cat’s tail mean?

Our feline friends really are such a mystery - there’s simply so much to unpack when it comes to cat behavior! Get to know your kitty better by observing their ‘usual’ behaviors, and get in the know on all the cat tail meanings.