My cat has done this a lot. He is actually doing it right now. He was sitting in his bed, asleep, and he woke up and started making a panic-like meow. Now he is marching, and staring at me. He usually does it when my other cat is around.
When I try to pet him, he only makes that panic sound. He usually does it for 10 minutes straight. My other cat, who is a female, has never done this before. He always stands really close to either me, or my other cat while marching.
Feb 08, 2010 Rating
Strange Cat Rituals by: Anonymous
I was so glad to find this article. My three cats all do the "kneading" or "marching" but in slightly different ways. All are fixed and fairly young.
My little girl Libby just kneads like a kitten when she gets on one of our fleece throws, then she just curls up and lays down, but her year old brother Oliver does the weird trance-like marching when he gets on fleece, arching his back and sometimes scratching with his hind feet.
He looks at me like he doesn't know why he's doing it either, if a cat can actually have a confused look on its face! Then he immediately cleans his privates after he's done. Their two year old brother Mosby does something a little different.
He does not knead exactly, but he drags a long belt from a terry cloth robe very slowly and ceremoniously through whatever room we're in, stopping to arch his back and tremble. He wants me to WATCH but not TOUCH and acts very proud and serious. He keeps looking to see if I'm watching!
So I'm careful not to laugh at him because you can see this is something very important. When he's done, he just drops it and walks away. He never plays with his belt otherwise and won't let the kittens play with it either.
We find it all over the house laying in various and interesting configurations. We just shake our heads and figure it's his girlfriend. After all, it is pink.
Mar 29, 2009 Rating
Shaking/spasm: just excitement? or connected to my cat's diarrhea? by: Anonymous
Wow, there are very few forums I could find on this topic. My cat ritualistically does a similar thing every night when I go to bed. He kneads forcefully on my comforter, and occasionally spasms/shakes his back -- sometimes it looks like he is dry humping -- when I try to touch him or look at him he meows loudly.
I'm actually posting because I'm wondering if this has any relation to his diarrhea. I've had him for almost a year (he's 5 y/o), and has had diarrhea most of the time. Apparently, he also had diarrhea a lot in the animal shelter. IS THIS SHAKING BEHAVIOR DURING KNEADING JUST EXCITEMENT?
SO FAR: -He's caught up on all his shots -Tested for kidney function, worms, diabetes, parasites, etc... -He hasn't lost any weight & never looses his appetite -Drinks clean, filtered water -Thought he might have Inflammatory Bowel Disease, but the steroids aren't working -He's been on Hills I/D food, and it seems to be slightly better -No changes in environment, not a stressed-out cat -We're going to put him on a duck/pea diet this week. Fingers crossed.
Mar 25, 2009 Rating
Cat Marching in place by: Anonymous
Whew! I was afraid our cat Moose was the only one who marches and MEOWS. Same as some of the descriptions (different than kneading, he does that too, but he's all mellowed out when he's kneading), his favorite objects are the dog's plush squeaky toys, and he meows loudly when he's doing it.
Often in the quiet of night off in a distant room where he can freaky with Squeaky alone. Appears to be some type of sexually frustrated behavior, but he's been neutered; is it possible he wasn't neutered completely AND he's severely myopic?
Jan 26, 2009 Rating
Oh my god!! by: daria
I was actually going to post this separately but re-read the list and realized this is exactly the behavior that so confused us all when my mom's cat turned 17 or so. His version was to drag his feathers-on-a-wand toy into the living room right in front of the tv (while we were watching).
Then he would drop it, kind of hover over it while making angry, cat-in-heat type loud meows, stomping/kneading the ground around the toy, and arching his back. He would fluctuate btw this and picking up the wand and rotating in a circle, still "kneading" and meowing through a mouthful of feathers while making extremely - er - sexual gestures! My mom found it very disturbing.
I found it hilarious - it seemed the obvious sexual frustrations of a slightly senile virgin kitty. A bit sad considering he was such a dignified gentleman his whole life! :)
Jan 07, 2009 Rating
weird marching cat behavior by: Anonymous
the first comment on this page described exactly the reason why I was searching this site. My male cat started doing this recently and I'm not sure what it is. It's not just kneading, I know what that is.
But when he kneads, his pupils get big, and stands like he's going to poo and then shakes his butt and marches in place. It looks a lot like the way he looks when he's pooping except nothing comes out.
But he is going to the bathroom in his litter box, so its not like he's constipated or anything. I have no idea I cannot figure it out. I've only seen him do this on my bed. Sometimes he faces me, and sometimes he turns around. It kinda looks like he is humping, except he's elevated, not rubbing against the ground.
Also, I thought that he was doing it for attention or maybe because he was in pain, so I tried to pet him and calm him will he was doing it and he doesn't want me touching him when he does this. He backs up while retaining his formation and turns his head away from my hand. Does anybody know why he is behaving like this?
Dec 26, 2008 Rating
cat marching trance by: Anonymous
my cat does this also. not the calm, loving, kneading but he is hunched over with wide eyes and his back legs are shaking almost like a seizure. when i pet him he is startled like he didn't know i was there. i don't know what it is but it creeps the hell outta me.
Dec 07, 2008 Rating
Kneading Cats by: Anonymous
I think its a way to comfort themselves because it reminds them of kitten hood. (Kittens knead their mamas teat while nursing) My cats do this trace like kneading (sometimes drooling) when they're sleepy and about to pass out. In my opinion, it is relaxing and comforting.
Aug 03, 2008 Rating
Cats marching in place by: dust
Both my boys and girls do this when they WANT love. After they get love then they do a soft kneading ( and mine drool like a waterfall too)
Aug 03, 2008 Rating
Cat Marching Inplace by: Anonymous
If your cat is a male, it is probably a substitute for sexual activity.
