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Why do cats headbutt stuff?

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  • 05-07-2009 12:57am
    #1
    Overblood
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,359 ✭✭✭


    My cat is driving her head into my laptop right now with such force that I think she may not only break the laptop but break her face as well.

    Cats do this a lot though. I have had many cats and they all liked to rub their heads on things ferociously. When I'm in bed my cat smashes her face against the solid corner of the hardback book that I'm reading. I'm like wtf? Then she tries to lick my armpits but that's a different story....

    What's this about? I heard that this action is due to them trying to spread a scent with glands located in their cheeks?


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    #2
    herya
    Registered Users Posts: 1,571 ✭✭✭herya


    Overblood wrote: »
    What's this about? I heard that this action is due to them trying to spread a scent with glands located in their cheeks?

    That's what I heard too, they are marking their area. My cat used to rub her head against the walls and corners passing them.


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    #3
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,836 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Hehe, with my cat it always meant "I want you to rub me and then I'm going to bite you" :pac:


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    #4
    star-pants
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    Someone was saying to me that cats have markers on the inside of their mouths so they rub off stuff and this duct or whatever inside their mouth will mark their area as theirs.
    So it could be that, or sometimes they do that when they want you to rub them, or if they do it against you they might be giving you kisses/marking you :)


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    #5
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,470 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    cormie wrote: »
    Hehe, with my cat it always meant "I want you to rub me and then I'm going to bite you" :pac:
    Hey, I know that one! "I'm going to roll on my back with my legs in the air, look incredibly cute, so that you rub my tummy, and then my back legs come out, claws and all and scratch your hand to pieces!".


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    #6
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,045 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    LOL it's the cat's laptop now :D


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    #7
    Harris
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭Harris


    My opinion on it is that it's from when they are kittens, and go to feed from the mother that they have to nudge her to get the flow of milk started. You will notice calves and foals doing this a lot, and much more noticeably.


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    #8
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    "Hehe, with my cat it always meant "I want you to rub me and then I'm going to bite you"

    lol ditto with my previous cat.

    Some cats are bigger head butters than others, as for the armpit thing eww perhaps it's the salt in the sweat lol.


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    #9
    Heroditas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,514 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    Overblood wrote: »
    Then she tries to lick my armpits but that's a different story....

    So its not just me then.... :D


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    #10
    Greenmachine
    Registered Users Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭Greenmachine


    Like everyone else has said she is marking your book etc as her book.


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