Living with a cat could be a really fun experience for cat parents. You get to learn so much about your cat; you have fun times, family photos, family feud, and all of the interesting baggage that comes with cats. Very often, you may find your cat exhibiting some behaviors that make you wonder why exactly they do that; why does my cat reach his paw out to me? Why does my cat sleep on its back? Those questions are endless.
The allure and uniqueness of cats for many owners are that these creatures are as mysterious as they come, yet in their way, they try to express their feelings and also try to interact with humans. One of these behaviors is when your cat reaches its paw out to you. Wondering why they act this way? Stick around, and we will be talking about some theories or ideas about this.
Why Your Cat Reaches its Paw Out to You?
You probably have seen your kitty reach her paw out at you, or similarly, when you hold them to your face, they reach out and rest their paws on your nose. This could be a really cute thing to experience, but we often have a hard time deciphering what they mean when they do it and purr, or when they stroll up to you and reach out and touch you with their paw.
Cats’ behaviors have not been studied in depth to the most quirky ones, but we will love to share what we think with you to help you figure it out.
Your Cat May Need Attention:
Cats love attention, and that’s a fact. Some desires more attention than others, but every kitty wants to have some attention. There is an almost endless list of all the things cats could do for human attention. Many of their behaviors, like lying on their backs, kneading on their owners, or laying on their owner’s lap, have elements of attention-seeking, if not entirely aimed at seeking attention.
We may find those cute, but other things they do for attention like peeing on people, biting or nibbling on humans can be annoying, but in their defense, they’re just trying to pass a message.
When your cat reaches his paw out, it might be making attempts to get your attention for a particular reason, or it just needs you to pay attention in general because it feels lonely or ignored.
They Are Asking to Be Pet:
Part of their attention-seeking, your cat may be sticking his or her paw out in the air or at you to get you to pay attention so you will pet him or her or give a gentle stroke. If you notice your cat stretching his or her paw at you, you could try petting or cuddling it. It might do the trick.
It Could Be Part of Their Stretching Routine:
Cats stretch a lot of time because they find it very relaxing. It is not a bad thing for your cat to do because it is an instinctive behavior. When your cat reaches his paw to you, it could be part of its stretching habits. Often, after a cat reaches out like that, it might proceed to have a complete slow stretch.
If your cat does this just after waking from a nap or noticing it stretches before it sleeps, you could chalk the reaching out behavior as part of a full-body stretch.
Your Cat Might Be Hungry:
When cats are starting to feel hungry, they become restless. You may notice your cat doing some antics like disturbing you when you’re working, or sticking out their limb to you. This may not be the case with all cats, but if you notice that your cat does this just before you give him or her food more than a few times, it could be trying to communicate with you.
They Might Want To Play With You:
If you have a cat whose habit is to reach out at you and even give you a tap before running away, the whole charade could mean he or she wants to play with you. This is a common habit with cats. They will gleefully tap or quickly pat other cats with their paw, to get them to engage in a play session. So it makes sense that your cat may want to try this behavior with their human companions.
Many people usually think that this kind of playful behavior is something only dogs exhibit, but it has been observed by many cat owners and even Vets that cats can be very playful when they want to be. So, your cat might just be in the mood for some playtime when he or she is tapping you with their paw reached out at you.
They Could Be Showing You Affection:
Many cat parents have experienced their cats reach out their paws and touch them while cuddling or petting them. It is usually interpreted as a sign of affection because many cats do this while laying on their backs, and they typically only lay on their backs –exposing their underbelly- when they are around people they trust or feel safe with.
Your Cat Might Be A Mimic:
Some theories suggest that several cat behaviors have hints of mimicry. Based on this, it is likely that your cat is reaching his or her paw out to you because they are mimicking your pointing gestures at them.
Conclusion
So, those are some of the thoughts and theories we could cover on this topic at this time, and as said earlier, many cat behaviors and habits haven’t been studied in detail, so many interpretations of our cat behaviors are based on instincts or assumptions. Did you find any of the reasons highlighted useful or even familiar? Let us know.
You might also have your own thoughts or stories about why you think cats reach out their paw at their owners. Don’t be a stranger; we would love to hear all about your kitty experience and also offer help in any way we know.
