Why Is My Cat Army Crawling: Understanding This Behavior

If you’ve noticed your cat army crawling, you may be wondering why they’re behaving this way. Army crawling is when a cat moves along the ground with their belly touching the floor and their back legs extended behind them. It might look odd to some owners, but it’s a common behavior in cats.

Understanding cat behavior can help explain why your cat is army crawling. Cats are natural predators and often use stalking and crawling behaviors to catch their prey. Army crawling may be a way for your cat to get a better view of their surroundings and sneak up on potential prey. However, army crawling can also be a sign of fear or anxiety in cats, so it’s important to pay attention to your cat’s body language and other behaviors to determine the cause.

Several factors can influence why cats army crawl, including physical factors like age and weight, as well as health concerns like arthritis or injuries. Additionally, gender differences can also play a role in why cats army crawl. By understanding the reasons behind your cat’s behavior, you can better care for them and ensure they are happy and healthy.

Key Takeaways

• Army crawling is a common behavior in cats that can be caused by a variety of factors, including predatory instincts, fear, anxiety, physical factors, and health concerns.

• Understanding your cat’s body language and other behaviors can help you determine the cause of their army crawling.

• By addressing the underlying cause of your cat’s army crawling, you can help ensure they are happy and healthy.

Understanding Cat Behavior

As a cat owner, it’s essential to understand your cat’s behavior to ensure they are happy and healthy. Cats have peculiar instincts and behaviors that are different from other pets. In this section, we will discuss some of the most common cat behaviors and what they mean.

Predatory Instincts

Cats are natural predators, and they have a strong instinct to hunt. This instinct is often seen in domestic cats when they play with toys or chase after insects. If your cat is army crawling, it could be due to their predatory instincts. They may be stalking something on the ground, or they might be trying to get a better view of their prey. If your cat army crawls during play sessions there is nothing to worry about.

Playfulness

Cats are known for their playful behavior. They love to play with toys, chase after objects, and pounce on things. If your cat is army crawling, it could be a sign of playfulness. They may be pretending to stalk their prey or playing a game of hide-and-seek.

Grooming

Cats are meticulous groomers and spend the majority of their time cleaning themselves. If your cat is army crawling, it could be a sign that they are trying to groom themselves. They may be trying to reach a spot that they can’t get to while standing up.

Understanding your cat’s behavior is essential for their overall well-being. If you notice any changes in your cat’s behavior, it’s important to pay attention to them and seek veterinary care if necessary.

Why Cats Army Crawl

If you’ve ever seen your cat army crawl, you might be wondering why they do it. There are a few reasons why cats might army crawl, and we’ll explore them below.

Hunting Behavior

Cats are natural hunters, and army crawling can be a part of their hunting behavior. When a cat is stalking prey, they will often get low to the ground and move slowly and quietly. Army crawling mimics this behavior, and it can be a way for your cat to practice their hunting skills.

Exploring Their Surroundings

Cats are curious creatures, and they love to explore their surroundings. Army crawling can be a way for your cat to get a different perspective on their environment. By getting low to the ground, they can see things from a different perspective. Army crawling also helps them reach places they can’t otherwise such as below a sofa or cupboard.

Seeking Attention

Cats are also social animals, and they crave attention from their humans. Army crawling can be a way for your cat to get your attention and interact with you. If your cat army crawls towards you or on your feet or between legs, they might be looking for some playtime or cuddles.

Sign of heat

If your female cat is army crawling and constantly making noises it might be a sign of heat. Female cats will army crawl and uplift their backend with tails to the side to express that they are receptive to males.

Marking territory

Male cats will often army crawl when marking their territory. Army crawling helps them get low and spread their scent on the ground.

In summary, cats army crawl for a variety of reasons, including hunting behavior, exploring their surroundings, seeking attention, or as a sign of heat. If you notice your cat army crawling, it’s nothing to be concerned about. It’s just a natural behavior that cats exhibit

Influence of Physical Factors

Harness Effect

If your cat is army crawling, it might be due to the discomfort caused by wearing a harness. You might have noticed that your cat is walking low to the ground and dragging its belly. This is because the harness is putting pressure on its belly, causing discomfort and irritation.

To avoid this, make sure that the harness fits your cat properly. A properly fitted harness should be snug but not tight, and it should not rub against your cat’s skin. Ideally, there should be enough space for you to fit two fingers between the harness and the skin of your cat.  You should also make sure that the harness is not too heavy, as this can also cause discomfort.

Short Legs

Cats with short legs might be more prone to army crawling. This is because short legs can make it difficult for cats to walk normally.

When a cat with short legs tries to walk normally, it might end up dragging its belly on the ground. This can cause discomfort and irritation, leading to army crawling.

If your cat has short legs, make sure that it has a comfortable and supportive surface to walk on. This can help to reduce the discomfort caused by walking and prevent army crawling.

By understanding these factors and taking appropriate steps to address them, you can help your cat to walk more comfortably and avoid army crawling.

Health Concerns and Army Crawling

If you notice your cat army crawling, it could be a sign of underlying health concerns. Here are some possible reasons why your cat might be army crawling.

Stress and Anxiety

Cats are prone to stress and anxiety, and it can manifest in various ways. Army crawling is one of them. If your cat is constantly hiding, not eating, or showing other signs of stress, it’s important to identify the source of the stress and address it. Some common sources of stress for cats include changes in their environment, loud noises, changes in the diet, introduction of new daily members, and the presence of other pets or animals.

Parasites

If your cat has external parasites such as fleas or mites it might army crawl. These parasites mainly infest the lower abdomen of your cat and cause intense itching. Your cat might army crawl on the ground in an attempt to scratch itself and reduce irritation caused by these parasites. If you see your cat constantly itching or biting its body accompanied by army crawling and hair loss you should see a veterinarian.

Injury or wound

If your cat has an injury or wound on the underbelly or the limbs it might army crawl. Itching on the wounds can also be a reason why your cat is army crawling. Closely examine the skin and fur of your cat to look for any wounds and properly address them if there are any.

Obesity

Cats that are obese will prefer to army crawl when moving around the house because they are unable to walk properly due to their increased weight.

Laziness

Some cats will army crawl just because they are lazy and don’t like to walk. If your cat is perfectly fine and shows no signs of any injury or parasites and is still army crawling it’s purely because of laziness.

Joint problems

Joint problems such as arthritis can be a cause of army crawling in cats. If your cat has swelling around the joints or feels pain when you touch them you should consult a veterinarian.

In conclusion, army crawling can be a sign of underlying health concerns in cats. If you notice your cat army crawling, it’s important to identify the source of the problem and address it. Stress and anxiety, as well as parasites, are among the possible reasons why your cat might be army crawling. By taking action early on, you can help ensure that your cat stays healthy and happy.

Gender Differences in Army Crawling

Army crawling is a common behavior in cats, but it can be more prevalent in certain genders. Understanding the differences between male and female cats can help you better understand why your cat may be army crawling.

Male Cats

Male cats may army crawl more often than female cats due to their instinct to mark their territory. When a male cat is marking his territory, he may crawl on his belly to leave his scent on the ground. This behavior is more common in unneutered male cats, but neutered males may still exhibit this behavior.

Female Cats

Female cats may also army crawl, but it is more common during mating season. When a female cat is in heat, she may crawl on her belly to attract male cats. This behavior is an instinct for female cats and can be difficult to prevent.

Caring for Your Army Crawling Cat

If your cat is army crawling, it can be a sign of discomfort or pain. While it’s important to take your cat to a veterinarian to rule out any medical issues, there are also things you can do at home to help your cat feel more comfortable. Here are some tips for caring for your army-crawling cat:

Exercise and Play

Exercise is important for all cats, but it can be especially helpful for cats who are experiencing discomfort or pain. Encourage your cat to play and engage in physical activity by providing toys and playtime. This can help your cat release pent-up energy and can also help to distract them from any discomfort they may be experiencing. After play sessions, most cats will start walking normally.

Patience and Understanding

It’s important to be patient and understanding with your army-crawling cat. They may need extra time and attention to feel comfortable and safe.

Be sure to provide a calm and quiet environment for your cat, and avoid making sudden movements or loud noises that may startle them.

If you have other feline friends in the house, be sure to monitor their interactions closely. Your army crawling cat may need some space and time to themselves, so be sure to provide them with a separate area where they can retreat if needed.

Remember that your cat may be experiencing discomfort or pain, so be sure to show them plenty of love and understanding. With patience and care, your cat can feel more comfortable and happy in their home.