Strange habits of pets stop seeming so after an expert explains the behavior.
An example would be a cat's habit of kneading a person or a soft and fluffy blanket with its paws. Quite understandable behavior, which is explained not only by a feeling of gratitude.
As reported by the publication “Primorye24” with reference to expert Alexandra Shikina, scientists put forward several theories to explain this feline oddity.
One of them says that the cat feels completely safe next to its owner.
The habit appears at an early age, when kittens feed on their mother's milk and knead her warm and fluffy belly with their paws.
Massage stimulates milk production and becomes a habit.
Hence the name - "milk walk" or other variations.
An adult cat's stamping on the spot indicates that it feels good and safe next to a person, just as it once did with its mother cat.
As for more complex explanations, the “milk walk” stimulates the production of endorphin hormones.
That is, the cat simply enjoys what it does, which is why it often purrs.
The hormone serotonin is also produced, which normalizes the cat’s mood, and in general, simple movements help the animal fight stress.
In addition, there are glands on the pads of cats' paws that secrete pheromones.
That is, by massaging a person with their paws, cats leave their marks.
