Cat Behavior Glossary

Plain-English definitions for the terms used throughout the library.

Allogrooming: The act of one cat grooming another. It typically happens between cats that share a close social bond and helps reinforce that relationship while spreading a shared scent.
Piloerection: The involuntary raising of fur, especially along the back and tail, that makes a cat look larger. It is an automatic response triggered by fear, surprise, or high arousal.
Bunting: Rubbing the head or cheeks against a person, animal, or object. Cats have scent glands on their face, so bunting marks whatever they rub against as familiar.
Flehmen response: A curled-lip, open-mouthed facial expression a cat makes after smelling something interesting. It helps draw scent molecules toward a special organ in the roof of the mouth for closer analysis.
Caudal: A descriptive term meaning related to the tail or the rear of the body. It often appears in discussions of tail position and movement.
Dilated pupils: Pupils that have widened more than usual for the current light level. In cats this can reflect fear, excitement, or playful arousal, so it is best read alongside other body language.
Socialization window: A short developmental period in kittens, roughly two to seven weeks of age, when they are especially receptive to new people, animals, and experiences. Positive exposure during this window tends to shape a more confident, adaptable adult cat.
Redirected aggression: Aggression aimed at a nearby person or animal because the cat cannot reach whatever actually triggered its arousal, such as an animal seen through a window. The pent-up energy gets released on the closest available target instead.
Vomeronasal organ: A specialized scent-detecting structure located in the roof of a cat's mouth, also called Jacobson's organ. It is used during the flehmen response to analyze certain scents in greater detail.
Agonistic behavior: An umbrella term covering behaviors related to conflict between animals, including aggression, defense, and avoidance. It describes a whole category of interactions rather than a single behavior.
Scent marking: Any behavior that deposits scent to communicate with other animals, including rubbing, scratching, and urine marking. Cats rely heavily on scent marking because their sense of smell is so highly developed.
Crepuscular: Describes animals that are most active around dawn and dusk rather than during the day or night. Many of a house cat's natural activity peaks follow this pattern.
Petting-induced overstimulation: A sudden swat, bite, or attempt to leave that can occur when petting continues past what a cat finds comfortable. It is a normal response to too much repeated touch rather than a sign of a bad temperament.
Stereotypic behavior: A repetitive behavior, such as pacing or excessive grooming in one spot, that appears to serve no obvious function. It can sometimes be a sign that a cat is coping with stress or an under-stimulating environment.
Allorubbing: When two cats rub their bodies against each other, mingling scent and reinforcing their social bond. It is commonly seen between cats that live together comfortably.
Kneading: The rhythmic pushing of front paws against a soft surface, often alternating left and right. It likely carries over from nursing behavior in kittens and can be a sign of contentment in adult cats.
Chattering: A rapid clicking or chittering sound some cats make, often while watching birds or other prey through a window. It is thought to relate to excitement or frustration at not being able to reach the target.
Caching: The instinctive habit of covering up food, toys, or other objects, as if burying them. It likely stems from wild ancestors hiding extra prey to avoid detection by other predators.
Spraying: A distinct marking behavior in which a cat backs up to a vertical surface and releases a small amount of urine while the tail quivers. It is used to leave scent information rather than to simply empty the bladder.
FRAPs (zoomies): Short for 'Frenetic Random Activity Periods,' the informal term for the short bursts of wild running, jumping, or racing around that many cats display, often in the evening. They are considered a normal way to release pent-up energy.
Nepetalactone: The chemical compound in catnip responsible for the rolling, rubbing, and playful reaction many cats show when they smell it. Not all cats respond to it, since sensitivity is inherited.
Litter box aversion: A learned reluctance to use a litter box, often linked to the box's location, cleanliness, or past experiences near it. Addressing the underlying cause usually resolves the behavior.