Your lovable pet cat crouches down, wiggles brock purdy jersey yeezy boost 350 v2 hyperspace oregon football jerseys custom youth nfl jersey black friday wig sale nike air jordan 1 elevate low penn state jersey custom youth nfl jersey adidas yeezy boost 350 turtle dove brock purdy jersey sit top kayak johnny manziel jersey castelli gabba yeezy shoes under 1000 brock bowers jersey the backside, and then suddenly leaps on you! Now, the swift wiggle looks way too cute for you, right? I bet you can’t resist the charm of this little shimmy.

As a pet parent, you get many chances to see your cats’ weird but adorable activities. One of them is the sudden butt-wiggling pounce that happens in the blink of an eye. At the same time, your mind hits why the furry cat does so.

Since cats are full of surprises, there is no exact reason behind their wiggle-waggle. Also, Wiggle is not harmful for your cat. It can be their quirky behavior, a mix of instinct, or just plain old fun. So, let’s find out the funny yet mysterious reasons why cats wiggle before they pounce.

9-Reasons-Why-Do-Cats-Wiggle-Before-They-Pounce

1. Improve Their Grip On The Ground For Better Jumps

The most logical reason cats wiggle before pouncing is they want a better grip on the ground. Most people believe this because of the theory of John Hutchinson, a professor of evolutionary biomechanics at the Royal Veterinary College in London.

He claims that when cats wiggle their hind limbs, it helps to firmly press their paws into the ground. This increases the friction, and it enhances the traction of their back legs. As a result, cats’ ability to successfully pounce on their prey. It’s all about getting that extra oomph in their jump.

2. Find The Right Angle Before They Pounce

Cats wiggle and may try to find the right angle. Like if the cat wants to jump on you from a distance, it needs the right direction. Otherwise, the cat will miss you and land somewhere else. This is precisely the same as a golfer lining up a shot. To find the exact angle of the location, the cat flexes its body by wiggling. They make sure their body is perfectly aligned for the leap.

3. Muscle Tension And Energy Buildup

Your cat is lazy, and you know that. They spend 12 to 16 hours a day. This is twice your sleeping hours. So, it is possible that after a long rest, they will wiggle to charge up their internal springs!

They just simply warm up themselves. When they wake up from sleep, they need to stretch their body. During sleep, the blood pressure of cats drops. With the wiggling, they reverse the process.

Simply, we can say it is a buildup of muscle tension and energy. They want to get rid of the lazy, sleepy mode. This wiggle helps cats build up the necessary energy for a powerful jump.

4. To Check Their Balance

Can kitty twerking be a balance check for your kitty? Cats are remarkable for their agility. Still, they make sure they are not going to topple over mid-pounce. They are excellent at having a good balance. You have heard about the catwalk of models. This is because the balancing capability of a cat is impressive. This little wiggle helps them test their balance and ensure they’re as steady as a rock.

5. Sometimes Cats Wiggle For Fun

Cats are great fun lovers. To play or to have fun, they do a lot of weird things. Kittens are very playful. If they get bored, they may wiggle, then aim for a powerful jump. They also make some noise at this time. It is entertaining for them. You can think of this as a dance move of your little kitty. They enjoy twerking their back out of excitement to show kitty dance.

Here is a scientific reason also involved. When the brain releases dopamine when they play or hunt. It makes them excited and happy. The adorable butt-wiggling they do might just be their way of having a good time. 

6. Cats Wiggle As They Plan Their Next Move

Cats have their hunting wildlife instinct. They inherit the behavior of planning the next move before they go hunting. The cat may want to prey on a mouse or small bird. You will notice that before pursuing, they crouch down, stay steady, and wiggle the butt and tail. By the time he is planning how to catch the prey. When it is the right time, he jumps and hunts.

This is why many people assume cats are more clever than most of the pets. Other big cats also do this in their wildlife for hunting their meal.

7. Focus Better On Their Prey

Focus Better On Their Prey

We just talked about how, while wiggling, cats plan their next move to catch prey. Cats most often have a close eye on the prey first before attacking. They observe every step and wait for the right scope. They do not want to miss their hunt.

If your cat wiggles at a corner and you notice he is waiting to catch something, then you can be sure he is doing it to focus better on the prey. They stay alert about every movement. By wiggling, they’re honing in on their target, ensuring they have their eye on the prize.

8. Release Any Nervous Tension

When a cat prepares for a significant moment, like pouncing on a toy or jumping from a high surface, you notice this peculiar wiggling behavior. Even during the playful chase, they do it. So, another theory is that just before they spring into action, their body tense up. Then, they give themselves a little wiggle.

This is a fascinating way to display the ability of cats to let go of any nervousness or tension. They psych themselves out. They mentally prepare for the task, especially for hunting. In that intense moment, you can almost see the determination and excitement running through their veins.

This is much like us humans. We shake hands to release tension before stepping into anything big. Cats simply reassure themselves, show more confidence, and be prepared for the challenge. It’s a self-affirming gesture that says, “I’ve got this!”

9. Mentally Prepare For Whatever Comes Next

Cats are clever creatures. Also, I always intend to do mischief all the time. If they wiggle without chasing any prey, it can be they are planning for whatever comes next. Now, it is your cat who best knows what he plans to do with the next mischief.

Or it can happen that he senses some danger. Now, he is wiggling to make mental preparations so he can pounce on the danger. Most of the time, these animals plan their next action. And it can be a part of their wiggling style.

Verdict

As a pet cat owner, the cat wiggle itself is a captivating sight. This seems so cute when a kitty twerks before pouncing on your lap. This is not a matter of concern at all. But out of curiosity, many pet owners want to know the reasons.

The reasons are not fixed. Cats most often do it to prepare themselves to catch prey. Or they may be bored and want to play. Even to have a good grip on the ground, they wiggle before pouncing.

In case you want to stop your cat from jumping, you can predict their wiggle and stop them immediately.