Why do cats roll around on concrete?
- Your cat feels safe and secure. Although cats are predators, their small size can make them appealing to larger...
- Your cat is trying to catch your attention. Another possible reason why your cat is rolling on the floor is that he...
- Your cat is marking his territory. Domestic cats are not the only felines that exhibit the...
Why do cats roll on concrete?
Cats roll on concrete because the surface is warm or cool their bodies. Concrete is scratchy and dirty, and your cat may be rolling on it to tend to its coat or soothe its muscles. A cat rolling on its back can be communicating something to you and tending to its own needs simultaneously. Interested in checking out the best litter boxes for cats?
Why do cats roll on the floor when in heat?
The reason why your cat is rolling on the floor is that she is in heat. Female cats in heat exhibit a few behaviors that they do not usually do, including rolling on concrete. This particular action allows your cat to attract the attention of male cats and announce that she is ready and willing to mate.
Why do cats like hard surfaces?
It’s natural for cats to like hard surfaces, given their wild instincts. Their ancestors slept high up in lumpy, rough trees, not in plushy, exposed meadows. I’m pretty sure everyone has looked at a kitten and felt the overwhelming urge to wrap it up in the softest blanket on earth.
Why do cats like rolling on the floor?
Marking Behavior Rolling on the ground can spread the cat's scent. Because cats primarily communicate through the way someone or something smells, they use their scent glands on their cheeks, paws, and flanks to put a personal scent on it. This behavior is seen in both domestic cats and large cats.
Why do cats roll on the floor when they see you?
Cats roll on their backs to greet owners and express happiness at reuniting. Cats often roll onto their back when feeling relaxed and confident. The cat may also be requesting attention, including play or food. A cat rolling over isn't requesting a tummy tickle as the belly is the most delicate part of a cat's anatomy.
Why do cats do the sidewalk?
Cats don't have to feel threatened to run or walk sideways. Sometimes it is actually a sign that your cat is feeling playful! You might notice kittens doing this while playing with others, and adults will do it too. They are most likely to do it when they are feeling excited.
Why do cats rub against the floor?
To Seek Attention Cats often roll around on their backs to show people and other animals they are feeling social and friendly without necessarily wanting to be touched. A cat that's rolling on its back to show he is feeling social will often rub his head on the ground while moving it all around and purring loudly.
Do cats feel love when you kiss them?
Some cats do seem to like or at least tolerate human kisses. If your cat leans in, purrs, and rubs his head on you when you kiss him, he probably understands that you're trying to show him affection.
Why does my cat bite me then lick me?
Cat licking and biting is a normal part of the way cats interact with the world, and is generally not cause for any concern. Whether it is to show affection or to ask for attention or alone time, licking and biting is their way to communicate to us what they want or what they are feeling, so close pay attention.
How do I tell if my cat is happy?
A good sign of a happy cat is kneading their paws into their bed, blanket, or your stomach. This behavior is often accompanied by purring, usually another signal of contentment. Using the Litter Box. A happy cat will use their litter box and is usually more forgiving if its maintenance isn't quite up to snuff.
Do cats like their belly rubbed?
The Cat Belly is a Vulnerable Place Unlike dogs, who love to have their tummies rubbed, cats are a good deal more reticent about it. Sure, there are some cats who love belly rubs, but they're few and far between.
Why is my cat rolling on the floor and meowing?
If your female cat isn't spayed and she periodically meows excessively, she may be in heat at those times. Female cats in heat typically become increasingly affectionate, rub against you more, purr, roll around on the floor—and meow a lot. This lasts four to ten days.
Why do cats flop down in front of you?
The most common reason your cat flops down in front of you is that it is after your attention. They love you and want to be fussed and petted! This is even more likely if your cat rolls around when you get home from a period of being out of the house. They love you, miss you, and want some lovin'!
What does it mean when a cat follows you around?
In most cases, a cat following you around is considered normal behavior, especially when they share a close bond with you. Cats follow humans for multiple other reasons, including: Curiosity. Attention-seeking behavior (they want cuddles and pets)
Why do cats stretch when they greet you?
Your cat can stretch simply because it has awakened from a long nap and needs to stretch its muscles. However, a cat willing to stretch in front of you as it is greeting you can indicate comfort. A stretching cat means that it is secure, safe, and desperately wants your attention.
Why do cats roll on the ground?
To increase the bacterial count and variety, cats often roll on the ground. [ Source] Their fur catches a host of such creatures. And as the cat licks itself, for its regular cleanup, it ingests the day’s catch of bacteria. This is how the street creatures are introduced to your cat’s digestive system.
Do cats like to cuddle?
Cats tend to cuddle up in warm places. They could take their coziness a bit too far at times, and as they overheat, they’ll look for a cool surface to absorb their excess heat. Concrete surfaces could be that antidote to their hot flashes.
Territory Marking via Scent Glands
The most common and well-understood reason why cats roll around on concrete is to mark their territory. Territory marking is done by releasing pheromones from scent glands. These scent glands are located all over your cat’s body. By rolling on a flat yet textured surface like concrete, they are able to more efficiently spread their scent.
Scratching A Hard-To-Reach Itch
Another common reason why cats love rolling around on surfaces like concrete and asphalt is to scratch hard-to-reach spots. Since cats can’t simply reach around and scratch their backs with their paws, they will often get a bit creative. Many will rub themselves against walls or the ground to satisfy the urge.
Temperature Regulation
There are many ways cats are able to regulate their core body temperature. You might have guessed by now that one of them is rolling around on surfaces like concrete.
Showing Submission (To Other Cats or Humans)
Cats are expert communicators. They have many unique ways to show submission or display dominance to other cats. Sometimes, they communicate solely to signal their presence to other cats nearby.
Catnip Affecting Behavior
If you’ve given your cat catnip recently, you’ve probably noticed that their behavior changed pretty significantly. Generally, cats become more playful and relaxed when exposed to catnip. This is because catnip has an oil called nepetalactone in it that mimics feline sex hormones.
Cats Instinctually Prefer Flat Surfaces
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that cats naturally enjoy lying on and rolling around on hard, flat, and slightly textured surfaces. This is thanks to their deeply ingrained instincts.
Related Questions
If your cat often rolls onto its back whenever it sees you, it means they’re happy to see you. Not only that, it also means they feel safe around you.
Why does my cat roll on the floor?
Another possible reason why your cat is rolling on the floor is that he is trying to get your attention. Maybe he is hungry or perhaps he just wants to play with you.
Is it easy for a cat to be relaxed?
Although cats are predators, their small size can make them appealing to larger predators. As such, it is not easy for a feline to feel relaxed, especially in a new and unfamiliar environment.
They are marking their territory!
Let’s face it, rolling around on concrete seems like one of the least fun things anyone or any animal can do. It’s got to be uncomfortable and maybe even painful. So why do cats do it?
The cat may be ready to mate!
Many cats that you might see roaming out and about in the neighborhood have never been domesticated, meaning they have never been tamed or been part of a family.
The cat might be regulating its body temperature!
Another reason you might see a cat rolling around on concrete is to help regulate its body temperature.
The cat might have a hard-to-reach itch!
You know you’ve been there. The hard-to-reach itch gets more and more annoying the longer you leave it alone, and no matter how hard you try to get it, you just can’t seem to find the right angle to reach it. Well, cats can get that feeling too!
The cat might be trying to get your attention!
While many cats that you see roaming the neighborhood are strays that don’t like to be around people, some used to be house cats with family.
The cat might want to play!
Sometimes cats get in goofy moods where they are ready to play with anyone and anything. You can see this with house cats and their toy mice, hair ties, and catnip-filled balls.
Why Do Cats Roll On Concrete?
As we have stated previously, there could be a bunch of reasons for this particular behavior. We will go into each of those with details in this section. They are as follows:
Attention
Cats can roll for several reasons, and asking for your attention is one of them.
Why Do Cats Roll On Their Backs When They See You?
Cats have their unique ways of asking for something. Sometimes it is even just showing affection to you. One of those behaviors is their tendency to roll on their backs whenever they see you. You might think it wants to get cuddles from you, but actually, there could be other things as well.
Why Do Cats Roll on Concrete?
Cats roll-on concrete to cool or warm themselves, soothe achy muscles, get rid of itchiness in their skin, mark their territory, or get your attention. These are all typical behaviors for a cat.
How Do Cats Warm Themselves on Concrete?
Cats will often roll on the ground when the weather is hot to cool off. Rolling on concrete during the summer happens for a reason that may surprise many. The reason for a cat rolling on concrete may be because your cat is too cool!
Can Cats Cool Themselves on Concrete?
According to Washington State University, cats have no sweat glands. They cool themselves by panting or finding cool surfaces to rest on.
Why Do Cats Use Concrete to Soothe Muscle Aches?
Many cat owners don’t realize that cats need to massage and stretch their muscles. Cats that spend a lot of time pouncing and running probably feel the effects of their activity and need some relief.
Do Cats Prefer Concrete to Get Rid of Itches?
According to PetFirst, cats seldom require bathing. Cats prefer to rid their coats of bothersome debris by rolling on the ground, often in the dust.
How Do Cats Mark Their Territory on Concrete?
According to journalist Josie Turner, rolling on the ground is one of the methods that cats use to mark their territory.
Why Do Cats Roll to Get Your Attention?
Cats may also roll-on concrete because they are trying to get their owner’s attention. Kitties that enjoy a lot of human interaction may roll, while chirping or meowing. Cats that are used to such attention may be signaling their desire for a belly rub.
Leaving Scent in Concrete: Territory Marking
You may not realize this, but cats only have sweat glands in their footpads. They can’t sweat through the skin. This lets them mark their territory through their sweat. One of the most common places for scent glands also happens to be in the paws.
Rolling on Concrete a Good Thing?
A cat that feels like he owns his space through scent soakers like concrete will display fewer annoying behaviors. That is why letting your cat roll on concrete is a good thing. It lets him mark his territory with his scent in a harmless way that won’t cause you trouble.
Scratches an Itch
Your cat may roll around on the concrete because it scratches an itch. Concrete’s hard, scratchy and uneven surface makes it perfect for a cat that can’t itch himself. Cats do the same thing when they roll around in dirt (I wrote about that here).
He Likes the Hot and Cool Surface
Your cat may like rolling on concrete because it warms him up. Cats have a natural urge to seek the sun’s rays. The domestic housecat descends from the African Wildcat, a cat that inhabits the fringes of the open sand deserts. In other words, heat doesn’t bother them.
Taking a Dust Bath
Believe it or not, concrete has some dirt and dust on it that may hold appeal to your cat. A white cat that rolls on concrete will come in looking sooty, and a black cat will come in brown and leaving his dirt shadows all over the kitchen tile.
He Seeks It out Purposely
A lot of cat owners report how their cat purposely and eagerly seeks out the concrete as soon as they open the door. Kitty goes right to it and starts to roll around. “What on earth?” you laugh to yourself. The concrete serves many purposes that he finds attractive.
He Feels Happy and Content
You will never see your cat plop down on concrete and start rolling unless he feels happy and content. This behavior also denotes trust and love to the one he does this with. It’s called a social roll when done as a type of greeting or to grab your attention. I wrote about that in my article, “Cat Psychology: The Social Roll.”
Does anyone else clean the mess they made at a table in a restaurant?
I always do this. If I spill a few drops of whatever, I always grab a tissue and just wipe it clean. My mom says not to as its the job of a waiter or cleaner. But my justification is, If I can do something, even if it's insignificant, that makes a waiter or table cleaners life easier, I would. Does anyone else do this?
You ever look in the mirror, directly into your own eyes, and have a weird experience?
You ever look in the mirror, directly into your own eyes, and have a weird experience?
Table of Contents
They Are Marking Their Territory!
- Let’s face it, rolling around on concrete seems like one of the least fun things anyone or any animal can do. It’s got to be uncomfortable and maybe even painful. So why do cats do it? Well, the first and most probable reason that you might spot a cat rolling around on concrete is that the cat is marking its territory. Cats are very territorial animals, and they do not like it when other ani…
The Cat May Be Ready to Mate!
- Many cats that you might see roaming out and about in the neighborhood have never been domesticated, meaning they have never been tamed or been part of a family. This also means that there is a good chance that they are intact. An intact animal is one that has the ability, the will, and the need to mate with another in order to have babies. When a female cat is ready to mate, she i…
The Cat Might Be Regulating Its Body Temperature!
- Another reason you might see a cat rolling around on concrete is to help regulate its body temperature. You see, while cats may be warm-blooded animals, they still occasionally need help from outside sources to maintain an ideal body temperature. Cats, just like people, dogs, and horses, can become overheated if left outside in the sun for too long...
The Cat Might Have A Hard-To-Reach Itch!
- You know you’ve been there. The hard-to-reach itch gets more and more annoying the longer you leave it alone, and no matter how hard you try to get it, you just can’t seem to find the right angle to reach it. Well, cats can get that feeling too! Instead of scratching away with their back or front claws, it’s quite easier to just roll around while trying to scratch that itch. And while grass or dirt …
The Cat Might Be Trying to Get Your Attention!
- While many cats that you see roaming the neighborhood are strays that don’t like to be around people, some used to be house cats with family. Some might also just find the company of a person more appealing than the rest. No matter why, some outdoor cats like it when people pet and give them attention, which is why you might see one rolling around on concrete. You might …
The Cat Might Want to Play!
- Sometimes cats get in goofy moods where they are ready to play with anyone and anything. You can see this with house cats and their toy mice, hair ties, and catnip-filled balls. Occasionally a cat might even bring you their toys when they are ready to play. But how is a cat that doesn’t have toys supposed to signal that it is playtime? By rolling around like a goofball, of course! This can …