What has always fascinated and made our feline friends smile are the weird, funny, sometimes apparently very uncomfortable positions that they manage to assume, blending perfectly among the furnishing accessories.
One of the most typical positions that the cat loves is that of “loaf”: rolled up with the tail that surrounds the body and the paws that disappear under it.
When we see our cat like this, it can only make us smile and cuddle: but why cats fold their paws under the body? Let’s find out the reasons behind this behavior.
The body language of the cat
Our domestic friends like cats and dogs have not yet started talking to us humans, so over time we have learned to understand aspects related to cat body language.
With posture and movements, cats can communicate many things to us:
- The hunting or game positions;
- The state of health (the antalgic positions, for example, are specific positions that the cat assumes when it feels pain);
- Their mood.
The sleeping position can also tell us a lot about the cat’s emotional emotional state. So let’s see why cats fold their paws under the body.
Why do cats fold their paws under the body?
Cats are great contortionists, it is no coincidence that they are said to be “liquid” because of their characteristic of being able to adapt the body according to the “container”, and in general for their agile and stealthy reflexes.
When cats fold their paws under the body assuming the typical loaf shapewe would think that they do it simply because they find it comfortable: in reality there is much more.
Here are some possible reasons why cats fold their paws under the body.
They are relaxed
When the cat rests in this position, it means that it is relaxed and calm in our presence. Retracting both the front and hind legs under the body indicates that the cat trusts you and he knows that in your presence he can bury “the claws of war” because he will have no need to use them.
To thermoregulate
The cat has a physiological temperature between 38.3°C e i 39.2°C, compared to human 37 ° C. Therefore it needs to maintain a higher body temperature, adopting thermoregulation strategies a little different from ours.
The cat’s paws play an essential role in this: they allow it to dissipate heat, thus sweat and cool off. So when it’s cold, it hides them under the body: this is one of the reasons why cats bend their paws.
It is alert even if it rests
When Micio takes this position very often he is alert: it rolls up comfortable to observe the world around it. Maybe some birds in the window, or someone or something that particularly intrigues him. Even better if in one position elevatedin which the feline – given its superiority – feels particularly at ease.
He is waiting for something
The cat can also assume this position in a strategic place. Do you often see him so close to the food station? Maybe he is trying to send you a clue by keeping eye contact, as if to say “it looks like it’s dinner time to me!”
Do not disturb please!
This position is often the preamble to an impromptu nap: slowly he closes his eyes, in a few minutes he falls asleep with the head raisedor rather it remains semi-alert: a bit like what happens to us when we fall asleep in the car, that pleasant moment that we know can end abruptly and therefore even more appreciated.
Why do cats bend their paws abnormally?
Here are all the reasons why cats fold their paws under the body. If, on the other hand, you notice that the cat bends its paws in an abnormal way, it is good to always investigate the causes so that you can promptly intervene whatever the cause of the insult.
Especially when the cat is elderly, bone and joint diseases, as well as neurological diseases, often occur in the hind or front legswhich can cause the cat to have an abnormal gait.
If in doubt, take the cat to a veterinary check-up: will certainly help you monitor your cat’s health!