Why Does My Cat Knead Me but Not My Husband? A cat seems to have many cute yet odd behaviors. Kneading is one of them. Your cat kneads you because she has a strong connection with you.
Cats often knead someone they feel most comfortable and secure with. If you are a loving caretaker, kneading you might give her motherly warmth.
Kneading is normal cat behavior learned from kittenhood. Cats often knead soft surfaces and objects like blankets, pillows, or their keepers.
There may also be questions in your mind regarding cats like Can Cats Eat Raspberries or Not?? Do Cats Have Knees or Elbows? Facts About Cats Sleeping At The Foot of The Bed? , What are the reasons that why My Cat Touch My Face & What Temperature Is Too Cold for Cats to survive. You can also find out the answers to the questions in our other articles.
Reasons Why Your Cat Knead You but Not Your Husband?
If you are curious about knowing why does our cat knead you but not your husband or any other family member, below are some popular reasons for your WHY!
1) She Shares A Strong Bond with You:
Cats are very affectionate by nature. Kneading is a way for them to show love and affection. Cats develop a special connection with those who take care of them.
Cats just don’t pick anyone to knead, they choose to knead someone with whom they feel most comfortable, safe, and pleasant.
Kneading is a positive emotion your cat shows you because she feels attached to you. Most pet parents admire this behavior of cats and say it’s a way for cats to exhibit closeness and familiarity.
2) You Are Her Foremost Caretaker:
Like us, cats develop honor and affection for the one who takes care of us. So, the reason behind your cat kneading you only can be your caring behavior for her.
She feels a strong connection with you because you feed her, clean her, play with her and so many other chores that your husband or others doesn’t do.
Not only taking care of her needs makes you special for her, but also the amount of time you spend with her. Husbands are usually at work and your cat sees you all day long around her.
3) She Perceives You as Her Mother:
Cats primarily start kneading their mothers to slurp milk from them when they were kittens.
Your cat kneads you because she sees you as her mother. She associates her motherly emotions with you as you are also her guardian who loves her and takes care of her like a mum.
4) You Sit and Stay Calm While Your Husband Doesn’t:
A cat witness kneading to be hypnotic and fascinating from her young age. She wants to knead uninterrupted with full attention.
It cannot be done if the person she is kneading is doing something or not sitting still. The reason why your cat chooses you over your husband to knead can be your undivided attention and care.
Cats are very good behavior observers. Maybe she observes your husband be working most of the time or rarely sitting calmly.
Another thing she may have noticed can be tools or devices your husband use. She may feel scared of them and prefers to be with you.
5) She Likes What You Wear:
Cats are attracted to soft, fluffy, and warm materials. This is another reason for your cat to knead you and not your husband. Clothing materials for men and women are quite different.
Women pick soft and comfortable clothes to wear. Your cat kneads you because she likes what you wear.
6) She Likes Your Scent:
Good odor captivates cats! Yes, your perfume can be a reason why your cat kneads you and not your husband.
The scent is not only associated with perfumes or cologne, it could be your natural scent that attracts your cat more towards you.
7) She Wants to Take A Nap on You:
Kneads and naps are common cat behaviors that are closely related. Cats knead every spot before taking a nap to make sure that the resting area is comfortable and safe.
Likewise, if your cat chooses to knead you, maybe she is planning to take a nap on you. The cat feels more secure and relaxed with you as compared to your husband.
Why Do Cats Knead?
Cats learn kneading during nursing. It is observed that cats knead the surrounding area of their mother’s teats to increase the flow of milk. While kneading, a cat pushes her paws inward and outward alternately with right and left paws.
They knead to show love and pleasure. It also feels comforting to them before getting a nap. When you keep petting your cat on your lap, she will definitely cuddle up with some kneading.
Before the cats were domesticated, they used to prepare a spot by kneading to ensure safety and comfort before sleeping or giving birth.
Kneading is also believed to be a way of marking territory by transferring scents to a particular area.
9) Why Do Cats knead Air?
Cats sometimes knead air while laying down because it feels comforting to them. They feel relaxed with the stretches and movements of paws. It usually happens when your cat feels super playful.
10) How to Stop Your Cat from Kneading?
Some people feel annoyed when their cat kneads them. Though it seems to be a cute behavior, it is not always as gentle as we think it to be. You can get irritated at times while sleeping or your cat can might scratch you with her claws.
If you are worried about this behavior of your feline, here are some tips for you to stop your cat from kneading you:
- Keep her claws trimmed
- Distract her with some toys
- Offer something else to knead such as a soft blanket
- Lay her down before a nap
- Lock the bedroom at night to avoid disturbance
- Offer her your pillow or cushion to sleep and trick her with your scent
- Make her sleep away from you
3 Things That Don’t Seem to Affect A Cat’s Kneading Preference:
1) Human gender:
Well, it is not a theory that a cat only kneads women. Many cats are owned by only men and they choose to knead them as well.
What really makes a cat knead woman in most cases is because she is the one who is mostly feeding, grooming, cleaning, and playing with the cat.
2) Fondness for a person:
Cats don’t always choose to knead someone they love spending time with. She can knead any other member as well.
If a cat does not knead a person, don’t assume that she doesn’t like that person. There can be a variety of other explanations for the preference.
3) Levels of sociability:
Cats seem to be very friendly but they become very particular sometimes.
It can be possible that she is having fun with one person and choosing another person to knead before the nap.
Remember it is perfectly fine, cats show affection to different people in different ways!
Why Does My Cat Knead Me but Not My Husband? Final Words:
Your furry companion kneads you because she feels secure and closely bonded with you. She perceives you as her mother because you feed her and takes care of her.
It doesn’t mean that your cat does not like your husband, she probably chooses you over him because she feels more comfortable with you.
Cats have been kneading for centuries and that is not going to change. It is normal behavior for cats to have. It shows they are relaxed, happy, healthy, and comfortable in your home.
