Your cat grabs your hand and bunny kicks it as a mix of play, affection, or overstimulation, mimicking a hunting/fighting instinct where they hold prey with their front paws and deliver powerful kicks with their back legs. It's often a sign of excitement, a way to initiate play, or sometimes a sign that they're getting overstimulated and need you to stop or redirect them with a proper toy, like a kicker toy, not your hands.
That's playing. Cats wrestle and play-fight with each other, and bunny kicking is one maneuver. If her claws aren't out, she's just getting really excited and wants to play fight with her favorite person. She might mock-bite you to, maybe gnaw on a finger a bit. All cat play.
Here are five signs that you and your cat share a special bond.
Cat behavior red flags signal potential medical or emotional issues, including sudden changes in eating/drinking, litter box problems, excessive vocalization, increased hiding, aggression, lethargy, or changes in grooming (like overgrooming or stopping). Because cats hide illness well, any significant deviation from their normal routine, such as increased thirst, appetite changes, or unusual hiding, warrants an urgent vet visit to rule out serious underlying conditions like kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or pain.
The 3:3:3 Rule: Help Your New Cat Adjust to Their Home The 3:3:3 rule explains some general expectations for the transition process and some tips on how to support your cat through each stage: 3 days for initial acclimatization, 3 weeks for settling in, and by 3 months, they should be comfortable and at ease in their ...
House soiling in cats, also called feline inappropriate elimination, is the most common behavioral complaint of cat owners. Problem behaviors can be urine and/or stool deposited outside of the litter box, or marking behaviors.
The top "silent killers" in cats are Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), often progressing until 75% kidney failure, and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a heart muscle disease, both often showing few symptoms until advanced stages, along with Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) and Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver), leading to sudden illness or organ failure if undetected. Early detection through regular vet check-ups, blood tests, and monitoring for subtle changes like increased thirst/urination, weight loss, or hiding is crucial for managing these common, often hidden, feline diseases, says this article.
You can tell your cat has imprinted on you when they communicate with happy meows and purrs, follow you around, sleep and cuddle with you, and show you their belly.
Offer Affection and Praise
You can say the words, “I'm sorry,” but a more effective strategy when apologizing to cats is to offer them lots of love. Scratch them in their favorite spot and tell them how wonderful they are. You can also try speaking their language by giving them a nice slow blink.
Bunny kicking is generally considered a normal part of play, so it's OK to let your cat enjoy their playtime and hone their natural instincts. However, “monitor for signs of aggression or distress,” Brusoe says.
No, cats don't feel human-like guilt or remorse after biting, but they do recognize when they've upset you and may try to comfort you to restore harmony because your negative reaction makes them anxious or breaks positive associations. They act on instinct, and their "apologies" (like cuddling) are often attempts to regain your attention and stop your upset behavior, not because they understand guilt.
Sensitivity threshold: The cat enjoys the human contact at first, but then the repetitiveness of the petting becomes irritating. The cat turns and bites as a way to say, “I've had enough.” An analogy to human behavior can be made. If someone pats you on the back, it feels good.
To say "I love you" in cat language, use slow blinks, offer gentle head/cheek rubs (scent glands), let them initiate contact, provide interactive play, and simply share calm presence, mimicking their natural affection signals like grooming and trust-building.
A cat chooses you through affectionate behaviors like slow blinking (cat kisses), head bunting (marking you with their scent), kneading ("making biscuits"), grooming you (allogrooming), bringing "gifts," following you, sleeping near you, and exposing their belly, all signs of deep trust and family inclusion. These actions show they feel safe, see you as family, and want to bond, indicating you're their favorite person.
If you're playing with your cat and they start to nip or scratch, stop paying attention to them immediately. You'll send a message that the behavior is unwanted. You can also redirect them in the moment.
Here are some of the top signs your cat loves you:
While most cats likely miss their owners sometimes, they're usually still happy to entertain themselves or take a long nap while you're gone. However, occasionally a cat can miss their owner so much that they develop separation anxiety or other separated-related behaviours.
They insist on always sitting or lying on you or near you.
Whenever you sit or lie down, your cat joins you, uninvited, and will plop down either directly on you or right next to you.
Cats do remember negative experiences, but they don't dwell on resentment the way people do. Instead, they react based on learned associations and their need for safety. With patience, consistency, and care, most cats return to positive behaviors quickly.
Cats hate strong, pungent, or overly sharp smells, with citrus (lemon, orange), vinegar, strong spices (pepper, garlic), certain herbs (lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary), and harsh cleaners (ammonia) topping the list due to their overwhelming intensity and potential toxicity. These scents irritate their sensitive noses, often causing them to recoil or avoid areas where they are present, making them useful for humane deterrents.
According to the findings, cats can display psychopathic traits. Psychopathy in cats shows five dimensions: meanness, boldness, disinhibition, pet-unfriendliness, and human-unfriendliness.
Use pheromone diffusers, calming collars, or natural supplements like valerian root. Create a safe space for your cat to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Direct eye contact. Cats can find direct eye contact quite threatening. They wouldn't look another cat straight in the face unless they were fixing for a fight.
Common Signs of Cat Behavior Problems
Some common concerns include: Aggression towards people, other cats, or pets. Scratching furniture or climbing curtains. Inappropriate elimination (urinating or defecating outside the litter box) Excessive hunting behaviors.