Every cat owner often witnesses strange positions while their pets are sitting, sleeping, playing, or stalking prey.
The way they contort their body and the positions we can see them in are sometimes quite hilarious!
But have you ever thought about what these strange positions could mean?
Did you know that the position in which your cat sits can actually tell you something about its state and emotions? It sounds a bit unusual, but I believe you are intrigued!
Let's find out what are the hidden meanings behind your kitty's sitting position.
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1. Normal Sitting Position
What exactly is the normal, or standard sitting position for felines?
The most common sitting position is when the cat sits on its hind legs, while the front legs are extended. In this position, the cat's ears are usually straightforward.
A cat sitting like this is maximally relaxed. She feels comfortable and doesn’t find threats in her environment. So there is no reason for her to be alert or ready to attack.
You will see this sitting position most often when the cat is near you, in her home, on her territory, without the need to show dominance.
2. Cat Loaf
Just as its name suggests, this is a position where a cat sits in the shape of a loaf of bread.
Just look at this adorable cat sitting like this in the video below!
Her claws are tucked away while sitting in a loaf. Cats fold their paws like this when they feel completely safe and don’t have the urge to be prepared to run away!
This position is also super cozy, so your cat is obviously comfortable and content.
Another potential meaning behind this sitting position is that your kitten is trying to keep herself warm.
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3. Showing The Stomach
The position where your cat sits in the way her stomach is exposed is probably the rarest one you’ll see your cat in.
If you look up the cat petting chart, you’ll find how many cats don’t like it when their humans rub their stomachs.
This happens because the hair follicles on the cat’s belly are hypersensitive to touch, therefore, petting there can be overstimulating for felines, as National Geographic points out.
So, this sitting position might even be the one that some owners will never see!
Sitting like this means that your cat is sure you’re protecting her and she has nothing to be worried about.
She trusts you so much that she lets you touch the most vulnerable part of her body.
So, if you have seen your cat sitting like this, you should be honored!
4. Bottom-up Position
This is what the bottom-up position looks like: Your cat is stretching her back legs, her head is down, her forelegs bent, and her rear quarters are raised, as well as her tail.
What does this weird sitting position mean? Most likely, this indicates that your cat is in heat, and she is letting her potential mates know that.
Cats will go in heat repeatedly during a breeding season, unless interrupted by pregnancy or illness.
Of course, if you don’t want your pet to reproduce, and see her going into heat again, the best would be to spay her. You should consult your veterinarian for more details about this procedure.
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5. Sitting With Tail Hanging Down
All of you have probably seen this sitting position in your pets quite often.
This is when your cat is sitting on a higher surface, like your kitchen counter, or windowsill.
Her tail is hanging down, while her legs are tucked underneath them. What does this position indicate?
Most likely, your cat is feeling calm and confident. She’s just enjoying being the owner of her territory.
She’s completely in control and there aren’t any threats in her surroundings.
6. The Tucked Position
Have you ever seen your cat sitting with her legs tucked tightly underneath her? While sitting like this, she might also have her tail wrapped around her entire body.
This sitting position most likely means that your cat is stressed or nervous. She’s trying to comfort herself, and this is why she looks tucked in.
Cats can become stressed due to many things, such as new people or pets, loud noises like thunderstorms, some changes in their environment, but also over things that are so silly to us, like balloons.
You shouldn’t ignore this act that might indicate anxiety and stress in your cat. Maybe it will go away soon, but if it doesn’t, and you notice other symptoms of these bad emotions in your cat, you should act as soon as possible.
First, try to discover what’s exactly causing your cat to feel scared and anxious. You might also need to talk to a veterinarian about the best way to help your cat.
👉 Related Reading: When Is It Too Late To Spay A Cat?
7. Sitting Like A Human
This is the most charming sitting position of them all.
Just look at the video below showing this adorable cat sitting like a human!
So, this position means that your cat is sitting on her bottom, having her body upright, and her back legs stretched out.
Why would our furry friends sit like us? There are a couple of reasons for this. Your cat might be stretching, or she simply assumed this position to groom herself.
Since cats are so flexible, this sitting position might also be relaxing and comfortable for them. You shouldn’t worry, since, if this was an uncomfortable position for your cat to sit in – she will change it immediately, since she knows how to treat herself.
Another potential explanation for this is that your cat is simply mimicking your behavior. Some cats might adapt to their owners’ routines so much that they even start to behave like them!
Let's take a closer look at why cats sit like humans.
Why Do Cats Sit Like Humans?
You've all probably seen your cat sitting in a way that reminds you of the way humans sit. Or, at least you’ve certainly seen some funny photos of cats sitting like humans on social media. This is funny and weird, right? There are many funny and weird things our feline friends do, but, in the end, it’s all part of their endless charm.
Here are several reasons why your cat sits like a human.
Your Furry Pal Is Mimicking You
My cat seems to be sitting like me. Is it possible that it actually wants to mimic my behavior in some way?
Actually, yes, this is very likely. When you think about it, you’re the person your cat spends most time with.
It learns all your routines and probably often wants to be part of your activities. Considering how intelligent cats are, it’s no wonder that they may even try to mimic us.
I’m sure many people would say that it’s too much to claim that cats are capable of copying our behavior.
Well, I would disagree, since there are even some scientific studies in this area aimed at providing evidence that a domestic cat can learn to replicate human-demonstrated actions.
The results showed how the cat in the study had the ability to map the different body parts and movements of the human demonstrator into its own body parts and movements – at least to some extent.
Of course, not every cat is able to do this, even with long-run training. What to think of your cat that kind of sits like you, then?
You should see this as absolutely flattering, since mimicking behavior indicates that your kitty admires and adores you!
It Shows The Belly As A Sign Of Trust
A cat is a prey and predator at the same time. How do you know this shrewd animal trusts you entirely?
Seeing it sitting like a human could be a valid sign of trust. When your cat sits like this, it’s showing you the belly, which is its most vulnerable part.
Predators always go for a cat’s stomach since this is where all their vital organs are. Therefore, every cat has an instinct to protect this part of its body.
By showing you its belly, your cat is indicating that it believes you and senses no threats in its surroundings.
For some cats, this sitting position is also a calling to get some nice belly rubs.
In this case, your cat sitting like a human is definitely a compliment to you as a pet parent.
Grooming Time
Do you ever wonder what your kitty does when you’re not around?
Grooming itself, most likely! According to Cornell Feline Health Center, felines typically spend between 30 and 50% of their day grooming themselves.
What does this habit have to do with your cat sitting like a human? Well, to have its fur perfectly clean and debris-free, your cat needs to sit in all kinds of weird positions.
While sitting in a human position, your cat has the perfect opportunity to groom its private parts, as well as its stomach.
Cats are amazingly flexible, enabling them to keep all their body parts spotlessly clean.
Here is a video of an adorable little groomer sitting like a person.
👉 Related Reading: How To Teach A Cat To Clean Themselves?
Temperature Control
If I had a penny for every time I caught my kitty laying near the fireplace or catching the ray of sun on the window… I’m sure all of you frequently encounter this sight, too.
Cats love to be warm and they’re always looking for some source of warmth in their surroundings.
However, even warm lovers can get too hot sometimes. Just like the summertime weather can be overwhelming for us, the same thing is true for our furry companions.
Your cat wants to have its body at an optimal temperature. To achieve this, it may choose to sit like a human.
While its belly is facing upwards, your cat is able to cool itself down. This position exposes its belly and lower body to the cool air, allowing it to cool down.
Pure Comfort
Comfort is a common explanation for many things cats do that aren’t entirely clear to us.
Since cats’ bodies are so different from ours, it makes you wonder whether a human sitting position is really comfortable for your kitty. Us sitting like them certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable!
Well, it seems that it is. There are also other weird stuff cats like and find comfy, such as laying on a paper.
This is just like with us. We all have preferences when it comes to the way we sit or sleep.
Perhaps your little friend is just curious and is trying different sitting positions. It seems that it found the one that we sit in very appealing!
Anyway, you shouldn’t intervene here or make your cat sit the other way. Remember that they love nothing more than their own comfort. So, if something isn’t according to your cat’s wishes – it will change it itself right away.
Stretching
Another great thing about the human sitting position is that it enables your cat to get a nice stretch.
Its back is curved and its legs are outstretched while sitting like this. Stretching is great for cats and something they really enjoy.
If you’ve ever done joga or seen anybody doing it, you’re aware of all the challenging positions we can put our bodies in. Imagine just what flexible creatures like cats can do to get a good stretch!
Animal Hearted Apparel explains how stretching helps cats stay agile and loose. Since they love to nap so much, this stiffs their joints, meaning that they need to get a good stretch daily. Stretching also improves circulation in felines.
Besides physical improvements, stretching is beneficial for mental health, too, since it can be a form of stress relief for cats.
Next time you see your furry friend sitting like a human and stretching, let this be a reminder for you to stretch, too! Stretching is beneficial for us just like it’s for our cats.
Just Enjoying A View
Finally, a human sitting position enables a cat to have a better view of its surroundings.
This means your kitty will be more likely to spot a potential food opportunity earlier. Also, it helps it stay alert to react if a potential threat appears around it.
Cats are observant and curious. This is why we so often see them in high spots in our homes, as well as on windows.
They just enjoy stalking. This is sometimes just their attempt to get to know what their owners are doing. Many times, this is about them lurking on their prey.
Should You Stop Your Cat From Sitting Like A Human?
The reason why you should ever stop or prevent your cat from something is when you find it dangerous or uncomfortable for it.
If your cat chooses to sit like a human, there’s something pleasurable and comfortable it finds in this position. Therefore, you shouldn’t stop it from doing this. Also, while sitting like this, it exposes its belly, meaning that it doesn’t feel vulnerable or insecure.
This isn’t a typical position you expect to see your pet in. My opinion here is that you should just enjoy the view and even take pictures! After all, cats’ charm and surprising moves are one more reason why we love them so much.
Wrapping It Up
Cat owners can find a variety of ways to learn more about the condition and emotions of their pets. When you live with a cat for a long time, you slowly recognize how it feels just by its body movements and positions.
I hope you enjoyed this article and learned some useful information about cat-sitting positions and their meanings.
Most of you will recognize all these positions in your pets. It is very interesting but also useful to determine whether your cat is relaxed, tense, or perhaps imitating you – just by observing the way she sits.
You may also be interested in learning more about cats’ sleeping positions when sick. See you there!
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