Cats are natural hunters. This hunting instinct is deeply ingrained in their DNA, and even well-fed domestic cats retain the urge to hunt and play-hunt, whether it be with a toy or insects.
It’s a primal behaviour that involves stalking, pouncing, and capturing prey, and it’s often observed in their play as they chase toys and bat at moving objects.
However, if you’ve ever seen a cat in the middle of hunting, you will most likely have noticed them often wiggling the back part of their bodies as they’re hunching down onto the ground before they make the attack. While it might look funny and cute, it actually serves an important purpose.
Clinical cat behaviourist Amanda Champion has taken to her TikTok account, where she has over 98,500 followers, to share the exact reasons why cats often do this before jumping or doing a leap.
“Have you ever noticed your cat do a little wiggle dance with its bottom just before it pounces?” she asked her viewers. She then went on to explain the reasons why they do this.
“That adorable butt wiggle just before the leap, it’s not just for show,” she explained.
She went on to say that wiggling their butts helps stabilise their back legs just before they launch their attacks.
“They’re also testing traction and balancing their weight,” she said. “It’s an energy boost, it’s a bit like a warm up before a sprint.”
She also explained the wiggle can be a response of playfulness and anticipation as they eagerly wait for the perfect moment to launch at whatever they’re focused on.
And it’s not just domestic cats that do this butt wiggle, as Amanda went on to say that it’s often also done by different kinds of wild cats.
“And in wildcats or free roaming cats that are hunting, this wiggle ensures a better projection,” she explained.
However, if you have multiple cats and notice that one wiggles more than the other, it’s nothing to worry about as she said it all depends on the cat’s play style. It’s then often followed by a serious or playful strike.
“Either way, it’s their instinct,” she explained.
After watching the informative video, several people took to the comments to share their thoughts.
“Wait that’s really cool! My cats stretch on the chair before they hop up on it,” one person wrote. A second viewer said: “Ours starts with the wiggle and moves into a full blown tippy tap dance before the strike!”
A third person said: ” I love when my kitten does this! It’s so cute.”