Feel the Knead!
So what is kneading all about? Most scientists and vets will say no one really knows why cats knead things, just that they seem to do it from kittenhood into their senior years. But anyone who's seen newborn kittens with their mothers knows that they knead to encourage milk flow. It seems that behavior sticks with them even when they grow up. When they knead on your lap, a blanket, pillow, or anything else, they are recalling that action because they are content and happy - as they were when nursing their mothers. You might even notice that your cat purrs or drool when they're kneading.
Some cats are gentle kneaders and some march along like they're in a parade. Some cats even get their back paws into the action! Whatever it looks like, that action is creating a special place for the cat - moving whatever it's sitting on into the best and most comfortable position, just like when people adjust pillows and blankets at bed time.
As with many things about cat behavior, kneading is something cats have carried with them through their evolution from ancient cats in the wild to the ones we know today. When cats lived exclusively in the wild, kneading took care of a couple of things. In addition to making their bedding space more comfortable for them, tramping down grass or whatever else was around it also helped a cat mark that space as its own. A cat's paws have scent glands that leave a distinctive smell that only other cats can detect. It would tell another cat who had an eye on the same space, "this place is taken!"
The highest praise your cat can give you is to knead on you, which means you are connected and your cat is saying "you're mine!" It's enjoyable unless your cat's nails are in need of a trim! Some cats actually sheath their claws when they knead but if yours doesn't, put a folded towel on your lap and make sure to keep your cat's claws trimmed so you both enjoy this ultimate expression of love and trust!
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