Why does my cat knead me but not my husband?

We’re sure there are some of you who have asked themselves this question. Maybe even went further wondering if the fact that you’re a woman makes you more interesting for your cat. Has it got anything to do with that? Or just with the fact that you’re the one feeding her, pampering her the most or anything like that? First and foremost, we shall see what exactly is cat kneading and why they do it. What are the reasons behind this repetitive action a cat makes, this rhythmic moving of their paws, pushing into a soft surface while purring and maybe keeping their eyes shut?

What exactly is cat kneading and why they’re doing it?

A cat is kneading when she’s actually motioning her paws into a repetitive rhythm against a soft surface, one paw then another, one paw after another. Sometimes, they even get their claws out when they push and retract them when they’re pulling out. Sometimes you even get mad at your cat for ruining your favourite armchair or sofa, but this is the life of living with a cat, right?

All in all, kneading is adorable. Watching her do that is somehow relaxing, but why exactly is a cat doing that? Kneading is an instinctive behaviour in cats. They start doing it even since birth. Some reasons might be:

1) Relaxation. They just show you that they are very relaxed, feel safe and warm. Sometimes, after a stressful situation, they start kneading to relieve all the bad vibes from their system

2)To stimulate the mammary glands to produce milk.

3) To mark their owners. The most “technical” reason your cat is kneading you is because she likes you and marks you as her own. Cats are very territorial creatures. If you’re her favourite kneading-object, it means she’s chosen you and wants to mark you. When she kneads you, she releases sweat from the glands in her paws and thus others will know you are hers.

This cat behaviour originates from the wild cats building places for nests from grass and leaves. They would just prepare their place by kneading. These nests were actually where they would give birth or just relax after hunting. Sometimes, if you watch your cat closer, you will see that, after she kneads a place, she just lies down and falls asleep. Actually, she has just prepared her relaxing spot.

So, why does your cat knead you but not your husband?

She kneads you more than your husband because, first of all, she feels relaxed and warm in your lap or on your chest. If you’re wearing a fluffy sweatshirt, all the better, you are a proper “sleeping surface” for her. When they are kneading and biting you, they’re actually saying “I love you!”. Even if you don’t like her claws scratching at your legs while kneading you, she is actually telling you that you’re her favourite human. Another explanation would be that your cat is kneading on you because she likes to remember when she was a little kitten and was kneading on her mommy’s belly so that she can produce more milk for her. This reminiscence can very well be the reason why now she’s found your lap as the source of warmth, just like on her mamma’s belly. She might just relive the experience of her childhood and find in you a second mother for her.

Should you let your cat knead on?

Sometimes it may be a quite screechy experience, but this is how your cat is showing her affection for you. You can cheat a little and put a blanket on your lap and let her purr and knead her way to sleep.