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I adopted a stray female cat back in July and everything is going great, she's very lovely.

However, she have a habit that makes me smile but I wanted to know what it means.

Sometimes, when I walk through the house and pass beside her, she gives a paw stroke on my foot (most of the time when I have slippers). No claws, just a usual cat paw stroke. It seems it's a play thing, but I wanted to know if it's something else.

I'm sorry if my question is non-sense, I never had cats before so I don't know about their behaviors.

trond hansen
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Pauloscorps
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1 Answers1

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Cats have scent glands at strategic locations all over their body. The pads of the paw are one of them. When your cat touches you with their paw they are putting their scent on you marking you as something familiar in thier territory, or as some people refer to it as “marking you as their property.”

The cat is also marking you when he rubs up against your leg or rubs his head or face on you.

Little paw swipes are a playful gesture as well. It is also a way to get your attention so that you might pet or interact with them. I have a cat that puts his paw on me when he wants to be fed. Odds are the pawing behavior achieves all of these ends.

You see cats do this to each other a lot. Sometimes its playful other times it is “hey, move along, this is my spot.”

Don’t worry: You are in the right place for people to not think your cat behavior questions are nonsense.

Beo
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