Why Do Cats Rabbit Kick?
Cats display rabbit kicking, or a rapid-fire series of kicks delivered with the back feet, when they are hunting and playing. What lies at the root of this fascinating behavior?
Cats Do It For Fun
Cats are playful by nature. Rabbit kicking offers cats an opportunity to expend energy, sharpen their reflexes, maneuver around their environment, and learn about their prey and hunting skills. In essence, rabbit kicking is cats having fun.
It’s An Instinctual Response
When cats hunt in the wild, they use their back feet to dig into the fur of their victims. This motion releases the hold of the victim’s claws and renders the cat an easier target to capture. Attempting to capture a stationary object can create similar feelings of elation in house cats.
It’s A Literal Form of Play
Rabbit kicking enables cats to explore the physical properties of their environment and the objects they find within it. It’s a type of “physical play” that can help cats stay sharp mentally and apply these physical skills during moments of real danger.
It’s An Expression of Excess Energy
Formerly hunting cats often display rabbit kicking because it expends energy pent up from their predator nature. This type of physical expression can also indicate that cats need an outlet for their energy. Encouraging your cat to play and engage in activities such as chasing toys or investigating the environment helps to keep their energy levels balanced.
Rabbit kicking is an instinctual and playful behavior that cats engage in as they express and explore their natural predatory behaviors. Engaging your cat in activities that suit their physical and mental needs can encourages your cats to keep that rabbit kick behavior in check.
What You Should Do
- Encourage Physical Play: Provide your cats with plenty of games and toys that they can enjoy and explore.
- Show Affection: Show your cats affection and even roughhouse with them, as this will help to reduce their feelings of anxiety and stress.
- Spend Quality Time: Spend quality time playing with your cat and observing their natural behaviors.
Why do cats rabbit kick when they are playing?
Rabbit kicking is an instinctive behaviour that cats display when playing. It is believed to replicate the hunting behaviour of cats in the wild, who might kick and scratch their prey before securing it in their jaws. This behaviour can also be seen in cats who are playing with their toys or with owners.
Kicking is a way for cats to express their pleasure, excitement and energy, stimulating the senses and providing playful physical interaction.
Cats also rabbit kick when playing because it helps release excess energy that can build up from hunting instincts, or from boredom. Providing stimulating activities, such as scratching posts, toys and perches, can help to reduce the need for rabbit kicking and other forms of physical expression by cats.
What is rabbit-kicking behavior in cats?
Rabbit-kicking behavior in cats is an instinctive behavior seen in many cats. It consists of a cat turning around and kicking their hind legs in the air while they are lying down. This may be in response to a perceived threat, or simply out of excitement or play.