Why do they "make bread"?

Petrie has started doing this almost obsessively over the last few weeks.. He'll be "making bread" and hold whatever it is in his mouth that he's doing this too (blankets, etc).. When I'm in bed he does it on my back (he doesn't bite though) and it actually feels good! Free back massage! He also gives me hard head butts all over my face and will almost smother me! lol Is there a reason why they do it?

Bfs mom's one cat Ziggy use to do it when I lived there he did these sometimes and I always told them I wanted a cat that did it and I sure did!

How old is your kitty? I call it making biscuits hehe... it's a behavior they use when nursing as kittens, they get mama's nipple in their mouth and then kneed with their paws while they drink... I think it kind of becomes a sign of relaxation as the cats get older... Oliver will be 6 in Januray and still makes biscuits when he's getting scritchies... he usually purrs and drools some too haha... the head butting is a sign of affection - cats have scent glands like in their foreheads, so they tend to "mark" things/people they love or think they own haha by head butting... I'd feel lucky and happy that your kitty's so affectionate to you! Ollie and I butt heads in the good way during our snuggle sessions - it's cute!

I think they do it while nursing to help keep the milk flowing freely.

He's about 3 1/2 months old. He does it a lot while I'm laying in bed.. He never really use to do it but it got extremely noticeable when he started the head butting too! It's like he dive bombs me! lol I get it a lot when he's hungry and wants his wet food.. And his motor.. It just doesn't stop.. but I love every minute of it.. I'm not complaining in anyway! I love every moment of it!

My baby Jack who's just over 4 months does it. He had to be seperated from his mum at an early age so he could be socialised with humans because she's semi feral

My 2 cats do it too, and one is 12 years old and the other 5. They do it usually when they jump on the bed, and are getting to go to sleep.
Joe Poopers does it EVERYTIME just as he goes to sleep and usually takes him 15 minutes or so to stop kneading and go to sleep!

He also head butts when he sees us ( to say hello) or when he is hungry. Sissy the other cat also head butts when she wants to eat

My little one Electra does this, she is like a little jack hammer! I wish she would do it to my back I call it kneading and to be honest I hate it when a cat does this to me but El will not give up so I indulge her every once in awhile. She doesn't suck anything, but will go into this trance and then the drooling begins she purrs like a motorboat while doing it to

All of my kitties did/does the "making bread" or kneading as well and they were/are of different ages. MY RB cat Sphinx did it and he was 18 yrs old. The two that do it the most are my sweet TV Kuce (F 14 yrs) and Luvbug (M 7yrs). They both purr and 'go-to-town' on the kneading but they don't suckle anything(Lil' Jag also does the kneading and purring to but she so sweet about it). The only time it hurts is when it's time for a manicure.....

As for the headbonking, all of mine do this as well. The two girls are less pushy but they vocalize more. Luvbug though - Boy can he give a a robust headbonk. You'd think he was a dog with the powerful headbonks......

They seem to do it because they're content.