Why Do Cats "Rabbit Kick"?

Both of my cats love to lay down, grab the tennis ball and "rabbit kick" it with their back legs. I'm sure they do it for the same reasons as using a scratching post for the front legs/paws (i.e. stretching, scratching, sharpening nails, etc.) but are there any other reasons cats do this? It looks so adorable when they do it!!!

Originally Posted by MissCharlotte

Both of my cats love to lay down, grab the tennis ball and "rabbit kick" it with their back legs. I'm sure they do it for the same reasons as using a scratching post for the front legs/paws (i.e. stretching, scratching, sharpening nails, etc.) but are there any other reasons cats do this? It looks so adorable when they do it!!!

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its how they disembowel their prey. they are kicking its guts out!

Originally Posted by maverick_kitten

its how they disembowel their prey. they are kicking its guts out!

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Oh my!! My cats sure are getting plenty of practice with the tennis ball!! Thanks for the response.

Yeah my two do the same with some of their toys. I'm suprised they havent ripped them open with their claws

And it's also a defensive-fighting move. Cats just love to play-fight.

My kitties do this to each other! Not hard enough to hurt, of course, but it's pretty funny to watch.

I love it when my cats do the rabbit kick.

Check out the look in your cats' eyes next time... they get this really serious, purposeful look in their eyes as they are kicking!

At least mine do... Hammie was disemboweling my Elmo slippers the other morning, and he was so dang serious about it. A poor, helpless Elmo slipper.

Nano does this when she is tearing one of her oversized catnip mice toys apart. It is about the size of a large mouse and I've got to buy them in quantity because they are almost one-time use toys.

But just as described, she is practicing tearing open her prey...actually, when Nano does it, people say it looks "disturbing" and "intense" more than adorable.

Originally Posted by darkeyedgirl

Check out the look in your cats' eyes next time... they get this really serious, purposeful look in their eyes as they are kicking!

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I have seen the look in their eyes. They are extremely focused on the activity and have an intense stare. Sometimes it reminds me of a catnip high, except with their tennis ball there is no catnip on it. They do rabbit kick the heck out of the burlap catnip bag too!!

I have never seen a cat do that before! My rabbit does it all the time of course

My hand has a scar from a nice strong rabbit kick from Poptart. I was petting his belly then without any warning I was smacked repeatedly with his back feet. I couldn't use that hand for the rest of the day.

Its funny to watch young kittens learn how to do it, first they just push your hand back with their feet, then after a few weeks they come out with the full kick, and they do got some sharp little claws, thats for sure

its how they disembowel their prey. they are kicking its guts out!

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my cats do that to my hands all the time when i rub their belly's, it never really hurts but it sure looks cute

I have seen the look in their eyes. They are extremely focused on the activity and have an intense stare. Sometimes it reminds me of a catnip high, except with their tennis ball there is no catnip on it. They do rabbit kick the heck out of the burlap catnip bag too!!

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it reminds me of catnip high too, bonnie gets a buzz going while on catnip and she will play like a kitten for ages, then she seems to settle down and lay around with half closed eye's, sometimes when she's like this my husband will tease her and she gives him this 'heyyyy, don't ruin my buzz man' look



felicia

I agree it is so cute when they do it!

Originally Posted by MissCharlotte

Oh my!! My cats sure are getting plenty of practice with the tennis ball!! Thanks for the response.

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Thats funny

Our older cat was really taking a beating from the kitten that we got her a hedgehog dog toy and let her take it out on that.

 

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Looks like she has some pent-up aggression!!!

Originally Posted by maverick_kitten

its how they disembowel their prey. they are kicking its guts out!

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That was soo funny! Baby Kitty does this to my beanie animals.

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Dang, that's cute!

Lacey I wanna see the clip!