6 Bizarre Cat Behaviors Explained

Cats are wonderful, mysterious creatures. Some cats yowl in the middle of the night. Others give weird nibbles to show signs of affection or bring us gross gifts in the form of tiny dead animals.  As caretakers and companions to these fluffy enigmas, us humans are often left scratching our heads wondering, “why do cats do that?” Here are six bizarre cat behaviors - explained! 

1. Showing Us Their Bums

It's all fun and games 'til your cat shoves its butt in your face. Isn't that the old saying? But it turns out there's a reason why your cat likes doing an about-face in your, well, face. It's just their way of saying, "Hello! I trust you." Cats communicate mostly through body language, so by showing you their rump, they're letting you know they care. 

2. Post-Poop "Zoomies"

You might be familiar with the concept of "zoomies" from your cat running up and down your hallways at 4 am. Zoomies are essentially when your cat suddenly darts and dashes through the house at full speed, seemingly for no reason.

Many of our fluffy friends has a funny little habit of using the litter box, only to dash like mad around the house. Theories abound! Some think this post-poo sprint is a left-over survival instinct, and the mad dash is to escape potential predators. Other theories suggest a feeling of "poo-phoria", which leads to elation and excitement that needs to be expressed through bounding through the house. 

3. Hogging your Computer Or Book

If you’ve ever picked up a book and tried to read it in front of your cat or even sat down at your computer to type up a quick email, your cat has probably taken it upon themselves to walk all over said book or keyboard.

Cats do this mainly as a form of attention-seeking behavior - that is, when they see you focusing on something that's not them, the most logical way to get the attention back on them is by sitting on the darn thing. Also, keyboards are warm. And we all know cats just want to be warm! 

4. They give you "love bites." 

Love bites usually happen in the midst of kitty cuddle time. One minute your kitty will be purring away as you pet them, the next they're nibbling and nipping at your hands.

Biting is a form of communication for cats. They can bite for more than a few reasons: fear, aggression, defensiveness, or acting territorially. But did you know that many cats give their owners gentle nibbles and nips as a display of affection? Hence the name "Love Bites"! Cats show their affection for us humans in several ways - you just have to know what to look for. 

5. They suddenly bite or scratch out of nowhere.

Have you ever been petting your cat, who is purring happily, when they swat at your hand, seemingly out of nowhere? Likely, your cat is overstimulated - basically a sensory overload which causes them to lash out. This behavior might seem out of the blue, but it's important to watch your cat's body language and learn to read their non-verbal cues. 

Warning signs that your cat may no longer want to be pet are: flicking or swishing of the tail, ears rotating to the side or back, staring, fur rippling on the back or sides, or tensing of the body.

6. They bring home dead animals as "gifts."

Ah, there's nothing like the feeling of waking up to a dead lizard in your slipper. It's squishy. It's gross. It's also a little bit sad for the poor, defenseless lizard. There are a few theories on why exactly cats bring dead animals home as gifts. Some behaviorists think that cats basically see humans as big, dumb animals who can't hunt or take care of themselves. So they bring us fresh prey to take care of us. Leave it to a cat to be caring and judgmental in one go.