Suddenly kneading all the time!

clpeters23 · Jun 4, 2007

Moose is a 7 year old NM. I also have two more cats, Lucy a 4 yr old SF and Rocky an 8 yr old NM. They've had their spats, but have gotten along well lately. They stay indoors: I have Feliway Comfort Zone plugged in all the time.

A week or so ago, out of the blue, Moose started 4 legged kneading on my lap. He will do it 6 or 7 times on days I am home all day. He jumps up, turns round and round, kneading with his claws out and purrs. His eyes dialate, he drools and seems to be in a trance. If I even try to touch him, he'll meow loudly, but will not stop until he's done. I've times him and he can do this for up 10 minutes each time. When he's finished, he'll go lay down.
I've tried to put a pillow on my lap, and he won't jump up. He sleeps with me and thankfully leaves me alone at night.

I don't mind him kneading once or twice a day, but this is getting crazy! I don't want to stifle an expression of love for me, but will it warp his psyche to limit this behavior?

Thanks!
Cathy

yayi · Jun 4, 2007

My 10+ year old one will over knead if I let her. She is not a lap cat but she sleeps with me and so she goes on my chest, face and legs. When she starts kneading, I simply move away slowly when it starts to "hurt", and if she insists, I gently hold her paws and move her away. She understands NO, which I say to her on a normal tone. She meows in reply and rolls into a ball and falls asleep next to me.

I do not think it has warped her psyche.

persi & alley · Jun 5, 2007

Originally Posted by clpeters23

Moose is a 7 year old NM. I also have two more cats, Lucy a 4 yr old SF and Rocky an 8 yr old NM. They've had their spats, but have gotten along well lately. They stay indoors: I have Feliway Comfort Zone plugged in all the time.

A week or so ago, out of the blue, Moose started 4 legged kneading on my lap. He will do it 6 or 7 times on days I am home all day. He jumps up, turns round and round, kneading with his claws out and purrs. His eyes dialate, he drools and seems to be in a trance. If I even try to touch him, he'll meow loudly, but will not stop until he's done. I've times him and he can do this for up 10 minutes each time. When he's finished, he'll go lay down.
I've tried to put a pillow on my lap, and he won't jump up. He sleeps with me and thankfully leaves me alone at night.

I don't mind him kneading once or twice a day, but this is getting crazy! I don't want to stifle an expression of love for me, but will it warp his psyche to limit this behavior?

Thanks!
Cathy

Alley kneads me all the time and you have just lit up a great big light bulb in my head that I had not thought about until just now. It seems to me that now you mention it, Alley always drools when she is kneading me. Now I am beginning to wonder if this is a commonplace thing or just a coincidence of our two cats.

cheylink · Jun 5, 2007

This is a sign of comfort, it is a physical way of communication, Moose is connecting with you and showing his happiness and gratitude for the easy going, content life he has, the companionship has possibly never been better, so he is sharing his gratification with you! It has only been a week, it will calm down, but I recommend giving him love right back, tell him you are happy he is happy, encourage this pleasure of life he is feeling right now so he feels you are happy for him!

emmylou · Jun 5, 2007

The drooling and glazed expression, particularly in a male cat, often means he's getting sexual pleasure out of it. My cat finishes a session of kneading (which, yes, can last 10 minutes) with humping and then self-cleaning.

It may be a bit uncomfortable for the owner, but it's perfectly normal, even in neutered cats. Hey, at least it makes them happy. In my case I just gently moved his paws to the couch, until he learned to knead the couch while sitting next to me rather than kneading me.

Six or seven times a day does seem like a lot. Mine usually does it only once or twice a day. It seems like sexual behavior often increases as male cats become elderly...

persi & alley · Jun 5, 2007

Originally Posted by emmylou

The drooling and glazed expression, particularly in a male cat, often means he's getting sexual pleasure out of it. My cat finishes a session of kneading (which, yes, can last 10 minutes) with humping and then self-cleaning.

It may be a bit uncomfortable for the owner, but it's perfectly normal, even in neutered cats. Hey, at least it makes them happy. In my case I just gently moved his paws to the couch, until he learned to knead the couch while sitting next to me rather than kneading me.

Six or seven times a day does seem like a lot. Mine usually does it only once or twice a day. It seems like sexual behavior often increases as male cats become elderly...

Another thought I had is that when kneading it goes back to getting milk from their mother and this might explain the drooling that occurs while kneading. Especially since Alley is female.

clpeters23 · Jun 5, 2007

My female cat, Lucy, is a Drool Monster! I just have to look at her sometimes and she turns on the waterworks! I think it's adorable.

lnbandcats · Jun 5, 2007

Sophie is especially "Kneady" and I love it! I am so happy when she comes up to me and want the attention from me! Sometimes, I do hold her little paws because she does have sharp claws, but to me, it is just a special way of showing affection to me!

wesley's mom · Jun 6, 2007

Wesley kneads ontop of me before he lays down to sleep. I actually love it! I think it is so cute! He puts this weird face on when he does it and purrs like crazy! I think it is so cute! But sometimes he will lay on my chest and knead my neck and I don't like that as much because it hurts (he is not declawed)! So, I will usually pull the blanket up under his paws so his claws won't get me!

keelyg · Jun 6, 2007

Hee hee! Every day I grimace through a very painful kneading session because I don't want to re-buff my cat's love and she won't let me clip her claws! I also endure raspy tongue licking on my hands to the point I tell her 'ow' with every lick. Sometimes it's hard being loved by a cat!

I get my own back by picking her up for a hug and a kiss - she's not keen on being picked up but will put up with it for a few minutes - makes us even!

bonnie1965 · Jun 6, 2007

The girl I had who did it wasn't male

but she was a big kneading slobber monster and so sweet, too. She was just very insecure and it made her feel better.

littleraven7726 · Jun 7, 2007

i've never heard of it being sexual. i have only heard the "kneading mother's milk" explanation. nabu does this several times a day. he has a favorite pillow (i have a spongebob fleece pillow & patrick furry pillow that i use on the couch), he usually does it while i'm laying on the pillow--kneads the edge. then flops down purring next to me. doesn't bother me. i think it's sweet.

nabu gets drooly too. he's also one of those cats who needs tons of hugs & reassurance, so i really don't think it's sexual in nature.

my MIL didn't like her cat kneading, so she doesn't let him do that on her anymore. her vet just said to redirect him if he's doing it too much. she lets him do it a little, then moves him. i don't think it hurts him. but when we visit and he does it to me i don't mind.

reminds me of being home with nabu.

lochnessmonster · Jun 9, 2007

My first cat Skittles used to knead on my chest along with sucking on my clothing! It could be quite painful and I got very wet from the saliva, but having said that I knew it was a comfort thing for her and as she was rather anti social it was my only time I could pet her with out her going for me!

Marley Biggalo · Dec 31, 2021

My male cat Marley is about 7-8 months old, not neutered, and has recently started kneading quite a bit. Started off doing it on top of my Mrs, kneading the blanket. Yesterday he started kneading pretty aggressively and all of a sudden bit me on my forearm and held on with his teeth. Kind of like how cats do while mating. And he kept going for my arm and holding on. So I turned him on his back and noticed a little red stump lol. He had that look in his eye, my little man's growing up and needs some feline attention. Sometimes I think it can be both. A sign of affection and also a sign of his sexual intuition awakening. Any single female cats out there,, lol

artiemom · Dec 31, 2021

Artie did it to get”happy “. It was constantly, on fleece.

Now Geoffrey is doing the same thing!!!

I tried to stop Artie— he got so mad!!

Same thing with Geoffrey!! He gets mad— so funny to see my scary boy get mad!

Yes, I think makes, even neutered ones, like to get “happy”.

Ugh

Suddenly kneading all the time!

clpeters23

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yayi

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persi & alley

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cheylink

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emmylou

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persi & alley

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clpeters23

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lnbandcats

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wesley's mom

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keelyg

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bonnie1965

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littleraven7726

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lochnessmonster

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Marley Biggalo

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artiemom

Artie, my Angel; a part of my heart

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