Most cat parents agree that they adore their furbabies because of all the weird things they do. The unpredictability of funny cat behavior livens up any household, but what you see as silly and entertaining is just them following their instincts. It almost seems as if our kitty friends tolerate and incorporate people into their daily routine, winning them over with one hilarious act after another.

Here we explain a few of the unique, sometimes mystifying cat traits that make you head-over-heels in love with these little weirdos:

Contorting their bodies to fit a small space

Is there anything cuter than seeing a set of adorable beady eyes sticking out of a paper bag or curled up in a tiny cardboard box (that’s three times too small for your cat)? Cats are notorious for seeking out small hiding places, and although this behavior is super adorable, it also makes cats feel safe. They seek comfort, security, and warmth in spots that seem so odd to you: an Amazon box, your purse, or even the bathroom sink. This trait also ties in with their ability to sleep anywhere, at any time, which is why you shouldn’t be surprised to find your kitty all curled up in a laundry basket or in an empty bookshelf. If only humans had this ability when we needed it…like during a long airport layover!

The Zoomies

This is quite possibly the weirdest of the weird things cats do, and they do it a lot. Many cat-moms have coined the term “zoomies” to refer to this strange feline phenomenon. If you’ve lived with a cat for any length of time–from one day to twenty years–you’ve seen this happen. Your normally relaxed kitty is sitting on the couch all quiet and unassuming, when suddenly she darts across the room at top speed to chase…well, nothing. No need to fear. Your cat, who can run up to 31 miles per hour, is just exercising! Most house cats have an extreme amount of energy that gets pent up and needs to be released. If you’re not regularly exercising your kitty, you may want to start adding more playtime into your daily routine, to avoid random sprints through the house.

Kneading

It’s almost like a state of feline nirvana: your cat curls up in your lap and rhythmically presses one paw, then the other, with eyes half closed and a trickle of drool running down her chin. Kneading, or what many fur parents call “making biscuits,” is an instinctive behavior that begins in kittens shortly after birth. The movement of a kitten’s paws against her mother’s mammary glands stimulate milk flow, so this behaviour does serve a real purpose at one point in a cats life, then why does it continue into adulthood? Animal behaviorists speculate that your loving kitty kneads during cuddle time to show contentment, to calm herself when she’s feeling anxious, or to mark a person or object with her scent from the sweat glands in her paws. Basically, she’s saying “this is my person, all other cats back off!” Either way, making sure to keep your cat’s paws nicely manicured helps to keep the scratches away from cuddle time! 🙂