What Does 'Normal' Cat Behavior Look Like?

Common Cat Behaviors

Although there is no one-size-fits-all answer for how a normal cat should behave, there are some common signs that can help you understand cat behavior in different situations.  

Playing

When they’re in the mood, our feline friends can be full of energy! They often express this through playing, hunting or just running around. All these behaviors are completely normal, as different cats enjoy different types of games. Some signs of natural cat behaviors while they play include: 

• Stalking 

• Pouncing 

• Chasing 

• Swatting 

• Chirping or trilling 

If your kitty has a calm and happy demeanor when playing, then rest assured that they’re having a great time. In fact, playing with toys and mimicking hunting behavior helps a cat’s mental and physical stimulation. 

Sleeping 

Sleeping for most of the day is part of normal, everyday cat behavior. Cats typically sleep for around 12-18 hours a day and love to sleep in warm, comfortable, and elevated places, as that’s where they feel safe. Even though modern domesticated cats don’t need to hunt for their food, they still have a natural instinct to sleep so they can be ready for any predators or prey!

It’s also common for kittens and senior cats to sleep more than the average adult. Sleeping for around 22 hours a day is a normal behavior for kittens because they use a lot of their energy growing, so they need time to recharge. Older cats also need more rest as their bodies can tire out quickly.

Eating

For cats, eating is an activity they like to do alone. When their heads are down as they eat, cats can feel vulnerable. It’s important to make sure they are eating in a space that they consider to be safe. 

If you have more than one cat, provide them with separate feeding stations, as it is common for cats to feel uncomfortable when they feel like something or someone may intrude on their space or food. 

A normal cat behavior while eating is to have several small meals throughout the day. This means that cats need free access to food so they can eat small amounts at a time, both during the day and night. It’s common for a cat to eat a small amount of food and then walk away from the bowl.   

Interacting with Other Cats

There are many behaviors that cats can exhibit when interacting with other cats, so it’s good to understand cat behavior that’s generally considered normal. Natural cat behavior for bonded cats can include: 

• Grooming each other 

• Rubbing bodies alongside each other

• Touching noses when greeting 

• Non-aggressive play or play-fighting

• Sleeping touching each other

For cats who aren’t bonded yet, it’s common to see them maintaining their distance. They may engage in short and controlled actions like a sniff.

Normal Cat Body Language

Knowing how to read feline body language is just as important as understanding cat behavior. As a pet parent, knowing your cat’s body language can help you know when your cat is feeling content or not. 

Common positive body language signs include: 

• Upright tail – A high and upright tail indicates a friendly greeting. 

• Relaxed ears – Forward facing ears are the sign of a happy cat. 

• Eye contact – Slow blinking and relaxed eye contact is a sign of trust and affection. 

• Vocalizations – Trills, chirrups, chatters, meows and purrs are all common ways for cats to show how they are feeling. 

• Flehmen response – When cats detect pheromones, they open their mouth slightly and curl their lips. This may look strange, but it’s a way for them to draw and process the pheromone into a special organ called the vomeronasal organ, which is between the mouth and nose, allowing them to better understand the source of this natural chemical message. 

Unusual Cat Behaviors That Are Still Normal

Some normal cat behaviors can seem strange or even slightly annoying to us humans, but for cats, they are completely natural! Therefore, we should provide our kitties with opportunities or outlets where they can display this behavior. Some of these behaviors include: 

• Scratching furniture – Cats scratch to mark territory and maintain their claws. If we do not provide appropriate objects for them to scratch, such as a mat or post, they will find their own object, such as the furniture.

• Jumping on kitchen surfaces – It’s common for cats to seek high places like kitchen surfaces. They like to be high up to keep an eye on their territory. Providing cat trees or designated shelves can satisfy a cat’s instinct without them needing to use your kitchen surfaces. 

• Nighttime or early morning activity – Cats are naturally active during dawn and dusk. So, engaging them in play before bedtime can help them settle and reduce their nighttime activity. But be ready for their morning and evening zoomies!

• Eating grass – For cats, eating grass is a natural instinct to help keep their guts clear of any hairballs.

• Drinking from taps - Some cats prefer running water as it appears to be fresher, and their ancestors would have been wary of stagnant water as it could be harmful. If your cat likes drinking from the tap, try a cat water fountain and consider how often water is refreshed in a bowl or if the bowl is wide enough, as cats don’t really like their whiskers brushing against things. 

Remember, you know your furry friend’s normal cat behavior more than anyone else. If you notice any sudden or sustained changes in the way your cat is behaving, it’s important to discuss this with your vet. Changes in your cat’s usual behavior are the first sign that something is not right, and could indicate an underlying health concern or a negative reaction to a change in routine. 

If your cat is exhibiting behaviors such as hiding, excessive grooming, conflict with other cats, tense body language, unwanted scratching of objects, urine spraying or similar behaviors, this could be a sign of stress, which can be eased by FELIWAY® Optimum. This plug-in diffuser can help reduce the signs of feline stress in your cat’s behavior, helping them to feel enhanced serenity. 

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