Image this. Strolling in your entrance door after an extended, grueling day at work. The home is quiet, however then you definitely hear it within the distance: a candy chirrup that says your cat’s presence. They arrive across the nook, stretching towards you and meowing their approval of your return. It’s a very heartwarming sight, however why does your cat stretch each time they see you?
Learn on to seek out 5 widespread causes behind your cat’s stretching behaviors.
The 5 Widespread Causes Cats Stretch When They See You
1. They’re Making an attempt to Talk With You
Maybe the more than likely purpose your cat is stretching after they see you is as a result of they’re attempting to speak with you. This delicate type of communication permits your cat to announce their presence whereas additionally greeting you once you come house. It tells you that they’re able to work together with you and obtain your consideration.
Your cat can also stretch after they see you as a manner of inviting you to play with them, so seize their favourite feather wand and get to it!
2. They Want Extra Mobility
It’s actually no secret that cats get pleasure from their naps; they spend as much as 16 hours of their day asleep, in any case. Whenever you get house from work or operating errands, you’re most likely interrupting one in all your cat’s many day by day naps. After they come to welcome you house of their nonetheless sleepy stupor, they’ll must get well some muscle flexibility from their prolonged snoozefest. Stretching permits them to get their blood circulating once more and regain management of their our bodies.
3. They’re Getting ready to Play
You already know that cats generally stretch to organize their our bodies for mobility, however they could be doing in order a strategy to put together themselves for play. Your cat might interpret your presence as an alternative for play, so after they’re stretching after they see you, it’s their manner of priming their physique and getting their muscle groups prepared for the play that’s about to happen.
4. They Really feel Safe Round You
When your cat does a extremely large stretch, they let their guard down, making them unprepared for incoming assaults and unable to flee on a dime if a predator had been to point out up. So when your kitty stretches out in entrance of you to point out, they’re exhibiting you simply how safe and cozy they’re in your presence.
5. They’re Marking Their Territory
Don’t let the home cat’s small dimension idiot you; they’re very territorial beings. Your cat has some ways of marking their territory. You’re most likely aware of among the commonest territorial behaviors, similar to head bunting, kneading, and face rubbing, however stretching is one other method cats make use of to mark objects (and folks) as their property. They’ve scent glands of their paws, so after they stretch, they’re leaving their scent behind and establishing their territory.
Why Are Cats So Versatile?
If you happen to’ve ever watched your cat stretch, you’ve most likely seen them contort themselves in weird, seemingly unattainable methods. Cats generally twist their our bodies in instructions that shouldn’t be potential, given the truth that they’ve spines. How can their backs twist into pretzel-esque shapes? It’s really the design of their spines (effectively, their vertebrae, extra exactly) that provides them this flexibility.
A cat’s vertebrae are linked flexibly with elastic cushioning disks between every. This limber backbone is what permits them to carry out the swish acrobatic feats they’re so well-known for.
Moreover, their shoulder blades connect to the remainder of their physique by muscle groups and never bone, permitting for unparalleled freedom to maneuver.
Remaining Ideas
Cats have interaction in lots of enigmatic behaviors, together with stretching. Stretching towards you is most frequently an indication of openness to play, safety in your presence, and a strategy to greet you once you arrive house after work. Nonetheless, some cats might merely be stretching in your path as they get up from a nap and attempt to get their blood flowing once more, or it could possibly be your pet’s manner of marking their territory.
Featured Picture Credit score: svetkor, Shutterstock
