Cats are such a fun addition to your family. They have quite the personality, and you will never get bored with them.
You can get one that is happy and energetic or one that likes to be left alone but comes out for cuddles every now and then. Some may even have strange behavior.
Weird behavior is not always a bad thing. Cats often express their love, wants, and needs through their behaviors.
If you are curious about why your cat is acting this way, here are 20 weird cat behaviors explained.
#1 Waiting outside the bathroom for you
Cats are strange creatures and make habits that may seem abnormal, like waiting outside the bathroom for you.
But this is all out of love. They love spending time with you and being near you, so they wait outside while you finish your business.
However, there are times that this could indicate other issues like separation anxiety or more. It may not be as simple as they just want to be near you to check in on you.
Although it could just be curiosity, they may be afraid of something. You want your cat to feel safe, especially at home.
#2 Rubbing against your legs
Your cat may be rubbing against your legs. Don’t worry; this is nothing to be alarmed about as it is normal behavior.
There are many reasons your cat would be doing this, but one of the main reasons is that your cat considers you a part of the family. Your cat is telling you that it loves you.
But there are many methods of rubbing against your legs and different meanings to it. Your cat may just be giving their form of a hug or sharing their scent. It all depends on the behavior you witness with it.
Learn what those meanings are to better understand your cat and what it needs. It will only strengthen the bond between you two.
#3 Suddenly playful
Although you may think cats like to laze around and bathe in the window all day, this is not true.
Many cats can suddenly become playful, even the ones with the most relaxed characters. You may not even know when your cat will get this burst of energy.
Playfulness means that your cat wants to interact with you and be active. It is a good sign because it means your cat is healthy physically and mentally.
Depressed cats won’t want to play with toys and will seem apathetic to the environment.
If your cat is playful, there are many things you can do to encourage this type of play. There are also many toys that you can use if you cannot play with them or just at home or awake during their bouts of playfulness.
#4 Suddenly not playful
There will be times when your cat is not playful. Like us, they may get tired or aren’t in the mood.
A cat will tell you when they aren’t in the mood to horse around. Their claws or teeth will warn you pretty quickly.
But sometimes, they are suddenly not playful when normally they are. Or they aren’t interested in a toy or activity they normally would be excited about.
This behavior could be a warning sign of a serious underlying cause affecting their physical and mental health.
There are many signs and symptoms you can look out for to see if something more serious is going on.
Although a visit to the vet may be needed, some causes can be easily solved at home, whether using treats or trying out new activities.
#5 Staring at nothing
Sometimes you may find your cat staring at nothing. They are looking out the window, and you try to figure out what they are looking at, but nothing comes to mind.
There can be many reasons your cat may be staring into space that are both natural or could be just bored.
They can see the slightest movements, so although you see nothing in the trees or grass, they may see some movement time. They are naturally curious. Plus, they are natural predators.
So, don’t worry. This is a normal behavior found in cats as they have a heightened sense of smell and sight that we humans do not have.
#6 Keeps howling at night
You are sound asleep, and suddenly, your cat wakes you up with its howling. This isn’t the first time, and it doesn’t seem like the last.
So why does your cat keep howling at night? Is this normal behavior? Should you be worried?
It isn’t something you should be immediately worried about. Sometimes cats just get lonely and want to play, but it could be something more severe like stress and anxiety.
If this has only happened once or twice, the howling could be its way of asking for help.
Once you figure out why your cat is howling, you can begin applying solutions. Many of these solutions don’t even need medical intervention by a veterinarian.
That way, you can get a good night’s rest without your cat waking you up with its cries.
#7 Licking his food without eating
Every time you feed your cat, does he lick the food without actually eating it? This can sometimes occur amongst cats for many reasons.
It could be because your cat may not be hungry, or maybe the bowl level, or it could be that they are just bored.
This most likely is a behavior that is not harmful to their health. Keep track of their eating habits to ensure that they eat enough food.
If they are merely licking their food and not consuming anything, they could become malnourished and dehydrated, indicators of something more serious. Observe closely to determine the need for professional help.
#8 Grumbles while eating
You’re feeding your cats, and to your surprise, one of them starts to grumble while they eat.
This may seem like strange behavior, but your cat may do this for several reasons. Here are a few of them:
- Expressing itself.
- Guarding its food.
- Being happy.
This behavior may not always stick around. Sometimes it’s because your cat is new to the home, you have a new pet, or your cat is a baby.
They are stating their boundaries, and most often than not, your cat will grow out of it.
Sometimes this behavior can be worrisome. Take notes of their behavior when they grumble so that you can confer with your veterinarian if your cat needs to have a check-up or if this is normal healthy behavior.
#9 Only eats when you are watching
When you leave the room, does your cat stop eating? Does it only eat when you are present or within eyesight?
Well, there are many reasons for this, but one of the main causes is that your cat may have anxiety or stress.
It may be nervous once you leave the room because it doesn’t want to be separated from you.
Your cat also may not feel safe eating alone, as it is one of the times when it will be the most vulnerable. With you, it feels safe.
You may not always be able to stay with your cat as it eats, whether because you went out of town or just have to go to work.
You can take many simple steps to make your cat feel at ease. Click here to find those helpful tips on why my cat only eats when I’m in the room.
#10 Meowing whenever you walk away
Believe it or not, cats don’t normally communicate with other animals through meowing.
It has become a learned behavior by interacting with humans. They have seen that we communicate vocally and understand that being vocal will get your attention.
If your cat is meowing when you leave the room, this is a sign that she is trying to communicate with you.
But what exactly are they trying to say? There are many things, whether it is voicing anxieties, needing help, or something else.
You can figure out why they try to get your attention by taking notes of other signs and behaviors. This will tell you how you can help your cat and reduce the occurrence of their calls for you. It can also help you decide whether there are indeed things that you need to pay attention to.
#11 Purposely choking himself
You find your cat gagging and choking himself out of nowhere. Pay attention to your cat when he does this because it could be something as serious as choking on his food.
If you don’t suspect it to be this severe, there are many other reasons as well.
If gagging or choking seems to be the only behavior you see, it may not be serious. It could be as simple as trying to get your attention because he is bored or wants some cuddles.
Be aware that if your cat is choking and gagging along with other symptoms of concern, you will want to contact your veterinarian.
#12 Eating his own hair
You may find your cat eating his own hair. This may just be how they are grooming themselves.
If it seems more than grooming, it could mean many things like dry skin or something more serious like a behavioral disorder.
If your cat is doing this regularly to the point that he has large bald spots, you will need to seek interventions with the help of your veterinarian. You can do many things at home to start helping your cat.
The main reason for pulling out his hair could be anxiety. If you suspect that to be the case, you can try some of these interventions:
- Removing triggers.
- Reducing loud noises.
- Give your pet a safe space.
- Provide a calming environment.
- Change their diet.
There are other causes as well. This article will provide more in-depth information on why cats eat their hair and what you can do to help improve your cat’s health.
#13 Hiding himself from you
You may have noticed your cat has been hiding from you. This can be concerning, especially if your pet doesn’t normally do this.
Don’t be alarmed; first, think of anything that may have alarmed him.
Cats love to set boundaries, and when their owners cross them, they express it in varying ways, including hiding from you.
This could be because you took them to the vet or gave them a bath, and they don’t want to experience it again.
If you find your cat doing this often, you must respect their decision. Trying to force yourself on them will only cause more issues, making a scared cat hide longer or even distrust you.
#14 Hiding his poop from you
You will notice that when your cat is finished pooping, they will often bury it under the litter.
This is no different from if your cat pooped outside the litter box. They are trying to hide their poop out of cleanliness.
This behavior stems from their innate nature to hide their scent and not inform predators of their location. So, you may find their poop hiding in places you don’t want.
There are many other reasons as well that may not be as innate. They could be stressed or simply mad at you. You may not have cleaned the litter box when they wanted, so they are punishing you for this.
If it seems that this is happening regularly, finding the root cause of why your cat hides its poop is most important before trying out methods to reduce or eliminate this behavior.
#15 Likes to sleep on your bed
You are in bed and wake up to find your cat cuddling next to you, or you come home and find your cat in your bed.
She doesn’t like to sleep anywhere else, or it just seems that your cat likes to sleep on the corner of your bed. Don’t worry; this behavior should be appreciated.
Your cat shows that they love you and that the most comfortable and secure place they feel is in your bed.
They consider you family, and this is how they show it to you, by cuddling with you as you sleep and spending time in your bed.
If you find your cat there when you aren’t home, your cat may just be trying to get closer to you. Your scent is all over your bed, so your cat wants to be where your scent is.
#16 Sleeping in impossible positions
You look at your sleeping cat and see it sleeping in the weirdest and almost impossible positions. It doesn’t even look possible to sleep with their head upside down like that, but your cat somehow does it.
Your cat may sleep in these weird ways because it likes it. This informs you that your cat trusts you entirely to the point that it can sleep however it wants without anything attacking it.
How are they capable of slumbering in these positions? It has to do with their anatomy. They are built differently than humans and have more flexibility.
If your cat does have some really strange positions, keep in mind that some of these may not be safe so do pay some attention.
#17 Sleeping in his litter box
You keep finding your cat sleeping in its litter box for some reason. No matter what you do, your cat keeps showing up there. Some possible reasons could be the following:
- Urinary problems
- Pregnancy
- Territorial
- Anxiety and/or stress
- Other health issues
Try not to let your cat sleep here, as it is not sanitary for your cat to sleep there. You will want to deter this behavior as much as possible until you figure out the root causes and how to fix them.
Until you can get your cat to the vet to determine whether it is a health or behavioral issue, you will want to keep the litter box as clean as possible between each use.
This may be daunting, but you don’t want your cat getting sicker from staying there.
#18 Dislike being sniffed
Sometimes when you cuddle your cat, you just want to squeeze and sniff him, but your cat suddenly slaps you.
Cats are great at communicating when you have crossed their boundary, and sniffing is considered an aggressive behavior to them, somehow.
Sure, your cat could think you are playing with him. You know your cat better than anyone else, so if you think it is that, then most likely it is.
But if you are unsure, it may be that your cat is telling you to give him some space. Cats are great at holding grudges and putting space between you when they are uncomfortable.
If your cat seems to be doing this, there are many things you can do to help them trust you again. Here are a few:
- Try to give him space.
- Don’t chase after him.
- Allow him to warm up to you.
- Refrain from sniffing.
#19 Purring randomly
When your cat purrs, it often means that it is contented and happy.
Your cat feels relaxed and comfortable in its environment, or maybe it is happy to see you. They are trying to communicate how they feel at that moment.
This is normal if you notice your cat purring at random times without anything to set off the purring. Your cat may just be happy.
Just like humans can suddenly be happy because of a memory or seeing something no one noticed, cats can do the same thing.
Purring can also be an indication of being sick. If you think so, take it to the vet to be checked out.
#20 Wagging his tail non-stop
Although cats communicate mainly with us humans vocally, they actually prefer to communicate through their body language.
If your cat is wagging his tail non-stop, he is trying to tell you something.
Your cat could be telling you many things or just notifying you what it’s doing by the wag of its tail. Here are a few examples:
- It is hunting.
- It wants to play.
- It is about to pounce.
- It could be mad or angry.
There are many ways that your cat could be wagging its tail. Although non-stop can signify one reason, the tail’s position will tell you what your cat is feeling and what it wants from you.
Conclusion
Remember that some of these behaviors may be strange to you, but it is not always strange for a cat. They may be more comfortable with you and are starting to gain more of a personality.
Pay attention to your cat so you can differentiate what is personality and what may be a warning to something more serious. You don’t want your cat to become too sick from missed symptoms.