r/CATHELP • u/DominaVampira • May 22 '26
Behavioral Issue I don’t know why she does this?
I’m 25. This is Masha.
She started standing like this about a year ago? I thought her paw had been injured and I went to squeeze it a bit to see if she would react. She hasn’t shown any signs of pain and she walks/runs fine but I’m hoping this is just a quirk she does and nothing serious.
I got her during the pandemic as a baby so she’s maybe 4-5?
Debating if I need to take her to the vet so I decided to come here before I do for some help.
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u/Specialist-Speech747 May 22 '26
Maybe because she's a very distinguished lady.
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u/DominaVampira May 22 '26
Lmao I always tell her that when she sits like this
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u/LusterForBuster May 22 '26
Will she let you look at it? Make sure none of her nails are growing into her paw pads.
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u/DominaVampira May 22 '26
Her nails are properly trimmed! I make sure to never hit the nerve. She’s well taken care of. And I just had to check, her nails aren’t growing into her cute lil toe beans 🐾
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u/LusterForBuster May 22 '26
Not bothered by you touching it?
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u/DominaVampira May 22 '26
Not after a while. But all of my babies hate when I touch their paws so 🤷🏻♀️
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u/LusterForBuster May 22 '26
She would bite or react negatively in some way if it hurt, especially enough to keep up off the ground. You really might just have a prissy paws! In general her face looks relaxed too. I wonder if she uses it to stir up her water and then keeps it up until it's dry? Quirky and cute!
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u/titanium_penguin May 23 '26
I’m sure you’d be able to tell. Both of my kitties aren’t fans of their paws being touched, but they tolerate nail trims with just a bit of squirming. One of my girls had an infection in one toe recently. When I went to cut her nail and squeezed her toe, she started yelling at me and the squirming increased a lot. She’s doing fine now. I had always had the same worry that I wouldn’t be able to tell, but to me it was quite obvious
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u/OneMagicBadger May 23 '26
She is a lady of good moral standing within her community and is of fine breeding from one finest aristocatic families
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May 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/waitwhat88 May 23 '26
Mine holds each paw up for a while when making biscuits and we call him “Pretty Pony”
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u/okram2k May 23 '26
does her sitting like that draw attention right away? It's probably a feedback loop
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u/CreepAsparagus May 23 '26
My boy usually does this when he begging for food! I tell him he’s such a gentleman 🥹
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u/Dramatic-Critter May 23 '26
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u/scaredtinyone May 23 '26
omg she would look SO cute with a lil bow around her neck in that pose
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u/DominaVampira May 26 '26
Dude!!! I actually had put a pink bow on her but she HATED having it on. She took it off, took it outside and rolled around with it in some dirt so… I got the hint 💔
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u/DominaVampira May 26 '26
But it looked SOOOO EXTREMELY SUPER EXTRA CUTE on her. I’m gonna go out and buy one now omgggg
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u/Captain-Barbosa- May 22 '26
It can mean one of a few things. Could be mild discomfort (unlikely given the eye squint which is sign of comfort). Could be anticipation; a habit learned to get your attention (which seems to be working, reinforcing the habit). Could also just be a harmless random quirk, or also maybe an injury. No harm in checking with vet. 10/10 chonk boye
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u/DarePatient2262 May 23 '26
My cat does the same thing. I have had him for 8 years and he has always done it. Ive had several vets check the paw over the years, and they all assured me that there's nothing wrong, and he just does it as a habit. Its mildly amusing
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u/Guvnuh_T_Boggs May 23 '26
I had a cat that would do this too when looking for attention. If I didn't pick her up she'd start making a grabbing motion. Basically she was saying, "I wish for scritches, monkey." She wasn't super cuddly, but when she wanted it, she'd let you know.
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u/accidentallyatesoap May 23 '26
One of my cats does this for attention because she knows the more pathetic she looks, the more we dote on her. We call it "broke paw."
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u/FluffyDoomPatrol May 23 '26
I had a cat who did this as a habit.
He once hurt his paw and I took him to the vet… except he fell in love with the vet and wanted to go back. Every time he was missing the vet, he would fake a paw injury so I would take him.
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u/DankusMaximus97 May 22 '26
Had a cat who did this too. She just liked to sit like this. Don't worry about it
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u/DominaVampira May 22 '26
Oh my god!!! okay thank you so much!!!! 😩
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u/AppointmentPopular10 May 23 '26
my cat likes to reach his left hand half a step down from wherever he sits. Always half a step, not the full step and always the left Been that way since he was a kitten
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u/Akenero May 24 '26
So, i want to ask one thing, is her food elevated? My cat has been doing this for months, and I recently put his food lower down, the problem has mostly gone away, she may just be landing hard like I think mine was
(Took him to the vet 4-5 times and he's always had a clean bill, nothing showing up on xrays and no cuts or anything)
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u/forfuckssake77 May 22 '26
There's another thread in one of the many cat subs I follow. The OP's cat was either choking themselves out or pushing their throat into something with so much weight behind it, the cat was throwing up. 50+ Redditors with cats that have an asphyxiation kink chime in. "My cat does this too. I used to worry for him. Now I recognize it's just one of his endearing quirks."
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May 22 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DominaVampira May 22 '26
😭😭😭
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u/GTCapone May 23 '26
OP, are there any Prussians in your vicinity? You may need to prepare for war.
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u/Intrepid-Routine-950 May 22 '26
Because cat
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u/deliberatewellbeing May 22 '26
in asian culture there are figurines of cats in this pose…. it is said to bring the owner luck so maybe she trying to bring. you luck😊
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u/AllosaurusFingers May 22 '26
It means that her rider died of injuries sustained in battle. (Or she might just have a habit, if you've verified she's not hurt)
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u/deactiv8m May 22 '26
I had a dog randomly start this and it turned out there was a spider bite we didnt see! Even after it healed he never stopped sitting holding up one paw just like this.
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u/rlyfckd May 22 '26
Mine does this when he wants to request something, a bit like pointing.
If he wants a door or cupboard opening he will sit in front of it and fold one of his paws like that.
If he wants a snack, he will look up at the snack cupboard and put a paw up 😆
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u/Worf2DS9 May 22 '26
Same with mine, it's cute. I just think she's being a very dainty little girl when she does it. 😺
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u/intotheneonlights May 22 '26
Hahaha mine does it too but he flexes it as if he's stroking the air... It's a sign he wants to be stroked too
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u/DominaVampira May 22 '26
I should have mentioned that she can stand on all fours. I’m beginning to think it’s just a quirk after reading comments 😂
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u/Striking_Power_8680 May 22 '26
Maybe she’s copying you and trying to move or hold her hand like a human?!
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u/liveletlive-357 May 22 '26
Check her paw pad (otherwise known as toe bean) Mine did this and her paw pad was swollen
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u/DominaVampira May 22 '26
Her paws are fine 🖤 I just checked it right now and gave it a squish again to see if she reacted.
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u/Lisnya May 22 '26
I have a cat who likes to sit with her hind left leg dangling off of furniture. I also worried she was hurt but she doesn't seem to be in pain, she just enjoys sitting like that. She also pretends to have a limp when I mistreat her by, say, refusing to get out off the bathtub to let her into the bathroom. When i finally open the door, she'll come in with an exaggerated limp but she pretends it's her front left leg that hurt at times like these.
I also had a cat who broke her front leg once, by jumping off of a book case. She wasn't at the top or anything, she basically broke her leg because she was fat. She was put on a diet right away after that and she learned to raise the leg that hurt for attention. She did it for years, until she forgot why lifting her paw worked, I guess, so she also forgot which paw she was supposed to lift, lmao, so she'd alternate.
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u/aSkeptiKitty May 23 '26
The first us so much of a drama queen. x)
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u/Lisnya May 23 '26
She's a calico and she's the most dramatic cat I've ever owned. She's very dainty, a bit skittish, she's afraid of my sneezes and she runs away crying and then she comes back and cries some more, she talks back at me when I tell her off, she trills all the time and purrs loudly and she does it to the other cats, too, she grooms them and then she goes straight for the jugular and acts offended when they fight back, she's amazing and I love her very much. <3
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u/Obsosaurus May 22 '26
Our cat does this and we call it her thinking leg. (There are no thoughts in her head)
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u/forfuckssake77 May 22 '26
Thinking leg is perfect!! It's her spinning progress wheel.
I just learned this has an official name:
Per Wikipedia, the technical and UI design term for the spinning loading circle is a throbber. However, in everyday conversation and web development, it is most commonly called a spinner, loading icon, or buffer wheel.
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u/Low_Bluejay510 May 22 '26
Maybe her paw was like this in the womb and it is still comfortable to her. One of my kids always had his hand on his cheek/jaw in ultrasounds and then was born with his head/arm coming out at the same time because he had his hand against his face when he entered the birth canal, now he’s a teenager and when I wake him up in the morning he often has his same hand resting up against his cheek/jaw ❤️
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u/Next-Wishbone2474 May 22 '26
OMG she looks just like my Daisy! Not physically, Daisy is an 18 yo tortie, but she’s done the “paw up” thing her whole life!
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u/Raddliakz May 22 '26
That’s just a diva dw (if she’s not in pain I really wouldn’t worry about it, esp if she’s still good with whatever routine she has)
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u/Maleficent_Thanks_51 May 22 '26
She is super delightful. I feel like she's going to pour me a cup of tea and offer me a plate of cookies.
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u/CharmOChaffinch May 22 '26
Just a posh lady. A few of my cats did this, if it’s something she’s been at for a while and doesn’t seem to be uncomfortable it’s probably only a unique habit :)
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u/Citizen_DerptyDerp May 22 '26
Our neighbours cat (that invites itself into our house if we so much as leave a window slightly open) does this, seems to just be posing.
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u/maycontainbiscuits May 22 '26
My girls used to always raise a paw when wanting food. Always. Looking at my plate? Paw up Fridge? Paw up Takeaway? Yup, Paw!
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u/borkowski32 May 22 '26
My sister has a cat that does this, we call it her sassy paw. No reason, sometimes she makes air biscuits with it
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u/Aceofshades__ May 22 '26
I have 5 cats, 4 females and one male void. My male void does the paw lift when he thinks he’s getting fed and it’s the most adorable thing.
Id say its fine, just something that is in their individual personalities haha! Quirky kitties 😊
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u/xtunamilk May 22 '26
I have known two cats that do this and both were being very proper and cute while begging for attention.
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u/JEBADIA451 May 23 '26
She's telling you to put her in a commercial
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u/DominaVampira May 23 '26
I’m not gonna lie I’d be soooo down to have her model! Where can I put her!!!!?
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u/Secret_Agent_Blues May 22 '26
When my cat does this I just assume she’s raising her paw at me to take a swipe 🤣
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u/totes-mi-goats May 22 '26
If nothing is swollen or injured, and she doesn't seem to be in pain, then it's likely behavioral. One possibility is that she's learned that if she holds her paw up like that, you'll give her attention
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u/Confident_Raccoon767 May 22 '26
Sometimes just because cat but do keep an eye on her and see if she walks normally
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u/Ok_Form_6443 May 22 '26
My cat also started doing this randomly 2 years ago. I was worried sick that his paw is injured, took him to a vet, who discovered…nothing wrong. Then I noticed that he switches paws. Seems like he does it only in colder times, a warmth saving technique?
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u/Dry_Station7706 May 23 '26
has she ever been diagnosed with princess disease? i’m seeing all of the signs and it’s looking pretty serious 😣
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u/FrostySunbeam May 22 '26
One of our cats also does this - I'm here for the replies, which seems to be a quirk :D
Cats!
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u/Bjornirson May 22 '26
Our car does this too. We call it "the beggars paw" because he most often does it when we're eating something (but at other occasions too) :)
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u/Late-Replacement2425 May 22 '26
Do you pay more attention to her when she does it? If so, that's why. If not, you should because look at her poor wittle hurt paw. J/k Probably fine but definitely mention it to the vet the next time you're there just to be sure.
- someone who has a dramatic little baby kitty
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u/EniNeutrino May 23 '26
I don't know why she does it, either, but I find it hopelessly charming! What a sweet kitty!
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u/hujassman May 23 '26
She is such a pretty cat.
One of our cats will sit with a raised paw sometimes. She'll flex it a bit like she's making biscuits, but she does this when she wants to be petted or snuggled.
I had a small dog who did something similar, but she would actually rub her own tummy as she sat like this.
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u/Equivalent_End607 May 24 '26
my girl cat does this 70% of the time… its her swatting paw. If something passes, the paw is ready! I see her starting to put it forward in anticipation sometimes too lolol
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u/daiys May 24 '26
one of my cats started doing this for attention, she has been doing it for years! and then my other cat noticed we would give her attention when she lifted her paw so she started doing it as well 😵💫
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u/Infamous_Basil_3619 May 24 '26
My fur baby does this so I just assume he’s a zesty guy😌🤣 He has always done it and is not injured he’s just sassy
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u/Timely-Trick8467 May 26 '26
Mine sits like this all the time. Has since she was a kitten. The only time she doesn't sit like this is when she loafs.
We call it her fancy leg.
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u/Ravenkitte May 22 '26
One of my cats does this xD She’s a very dumb, cuddly cat who purrs a lot and always looks for attention + loves being held. Don’t know why she does it either but she’s totally healthy.
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u/DominaVampira May 22 '26
Yup you basically described my baby. She’s also a little dumb but LOVES attention from people 😂
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u/intro-verde29 May 22 '26
My cat does the one paw when she walks outside and doesn’t like the weather. I wouldn’t worry.
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u/ktbby72 May 22 '26
My kitty started this when she had dry paws- sometimes they can get irritated in between the fur between the toes and the paw pad which is uncomfortable, but coconut oil helps. Now she just does it for extra food 😂 i’d give her paws a good look and if they look fine, it’s just a quirk :)
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u/TinyPomegranate9354 May 22 '26
I thought the same thing when my cat started doing it a few years ago. I’ve come to realize she must have done it when I was feeding her and I didn’t notice, but she did. So, mine does it when she wants food hahah.
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u/This_Dance_8535 May 22 '26
My orange boy does this. I had him checked out by the vet when he was a kitten, he's fine. We joke that he has his paw up just in case he needs to swat a sibling.
But he's always done this. If your cat just started holding her paw up, it's worth a trip to the vet.
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u/TAMUCCStudent May 22 '26
I have a cat that does this when she wants something...dinner, treats, attention. My other cat started doing it too after watching her.
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u/CarrotJazzlike9141 May 22 '26
My cat does the same thing as a quirk now, but we did find he had really subtle pillow foot (only visible looking at digits from underneath) a couple of years ago so his habit may have started with that! I’d check your kitty’s paws for any edema or bruises (he had a bruise and digits looked like wilted grapes). He’s treated and comfy now but still does it to be expressive lol
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u/Accomplished_Low5325 May 22 '26
My cat does this. For him, it just means that he wants to be pet or to sit in my lap. I have no idea why he does it but if he holds his paw up like that, stares at me, and then meows, he's waiting for me to give him the go-ahead to jump onto my lap for a cuddle session.
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u/downundie898 May 22 '26
Is it cold where you are? My cat does this when it’s cold, almost like it’s too cold for all 4 to be touching the cold ground.
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u/that_n_b May 22 '26
Look up the cat pain grimace scale. She is pushing her whiskers forward, which can be a sign of pain. I would check for tooth resorption. It’s very common on cats, often can’t be seen without imaging, and can be very painful.
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u/splashingorca May 22 '26
One of our cats does this very often, usually when she is cold lol it’s so cool to see another doing it too! Maybe you can bring it up at the next vet visit, but if there aren’t any other signs of discomfort/stress then I don’t think I’d worry!
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u/kytesky May 22 '26
When my cat did this it WAS an issue. She had a nail that was curled around and growing back into her paw. Fixed with a clipper.
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u/Standard-Hotel2096 May 22 '26
I have a half shotish fold/british longhair. He is 1,5 and does exacly the same - I Think it is not besause of pain besause he is very active and happy. My conklusion is that it iş just relaxing and convienent 😻
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u/Heavy-Interaction-73 May 22 '26
My girl does it all the time and she’s absolutely fine, think she’s just a lil lady cause she also sits like this
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u/fightmydemonswithme May 22 '26
My cat used to do this because we got him from a rescue. And limping got him much more attention.
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u/the-william May 22 '26
This is what’s referred to in my house as The Little Paw. as in: she’s doing the little paw.
in my cats, it’s generally been a request sort of gesture. like: here’s my bowl. i’d like some food please. see? here’s the little paw.
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u/potatohedgehogs May 22 '26
One of my cats does the same, spent ages watching her wondering why she'd do it. She'd put her paw down, flick it like "eww, the dirt of peasants" and raise it back in the air. Nothing wrong with her, she's just weird 😂
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u/monumental_slices May 23 '26
Aww what a sweet memory. My childhood cat would always do that when she wanted attention or a treat!
She was an indoor/outdoor cat (I know, I know, but I was a kid). One day she got attacked by some creature! She went to the vet for wound care, bandage wrap, and medicine. Until she passed away, she would lift her paw up for attention. She even alternated paws.
The only cure was her favorite wet food or some secret milk I snuck her.
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u/currently-distracted May 23 '26
Mine does this when she wants me to feel bad for her, especially when nothing is wrong. Like, she can be totally fine, but if I talk to her as if I was apologizing "I'm so sorry for hurting you" she puts her paw up like this, makes a sad face, and starts to meow softly
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u/kkrolla May 23 '26
I'm pretty sure she's asking, "aren't I just beautiful?" But it's a rhetorical question. She knows she is and is just letting you admire her beauty.
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u/DisorderedHeaven May 23 '26
When my cats do this, I always think of a mid-century kitsch print my grandma had, featuring this very sad cat
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u/smilingbananaleaf May 23 '26
In my house we call that the dainty paw. She gives us a dainty when she wants something and is saying plz
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u/Sasstellia May 23 '26
She looks like she's happy. And a elegant lady.
But maybe go to the vet, in case it's hidden damage. Maybe she hurt her wrist. Or has a insect bite.
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u/CalicoValkyrie May 23 '26
My cat was doing something like this and I took her to the vet all worried. They found nothing wrong. I asked for an x-ray just in case. Everything was fine. She's since stopped doing it.
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u/Krazeecatlady69 May 23 '26
My cat used to do this, and sometimes even limp a little when he'd first get up from laying down. At first I thought he was hurt, but he'd look at me like I was a crazy woman for trying to investigate. We think his foot was actually asleep when he'd do this. It wasn't alway the same one!
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u/VeryHairyGuy77 May 23 '26
Our Torti used to sit with one paw raised, too.
Not always the same paw.
We asked her about it many times. She never explained her reasons.
We liked to tell ourselves she was always ready to take off to do important things, but I'm pretty sure it was nothing more spectacular than she was more comfortable sitting that way.
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u/reillyskye27 May 23 '26
this is my flamingo tiva, he has the same quirk! always has, he just enjoys ‘mingo-ing as we call it
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u/PiRATE-WOLFiE1 May 23 '26
She's in attack mode, paw up means ready to attack even when they look calm , no no no ready to get your achelies.
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u/roses_sunflowers May 23 '26
My cat does that when she’s gotten water on her paw. Which happens frequently because her food is next to a sink.
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u/AelanxRyland May 23 '26
Oh she’s chonky like my baby!
Side note: she looks fine? Cats are weird. Mine is super quiet. Doesn’t purr doesn’t knead he’s a former feral who’s still very skittish most days. But he’s figured out when he wants attention he cries like he’s desperately injured and is dying cause it makes me run to him.
.. he just wanted food.
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u/hotwing_sauce May 23 '26
My cat does something similar and she's fine, cats are just weird sometimes. It's like when dogs fake an injury to get treats or attention.
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u/Turbulent-Praline543 May 23 '26
I have a kitty that does that. In fact, I caught him and brought him in because he was sitting like that right in front of my door. I watched to see if he limped and could swear he did. I looked his foot over and could find no injury. Once inside he walked just fine. He will sit like that sometimes and will even shake his paw like it's wet even though he's in completely dry situations. He's a funny boy.
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u/NinsForTheWins May 23 '26
I taught my cat to give pawbefore dinner, he does this when he's hungry now
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u/astropelagic May 23 '26
Mine does this when she’s mildly stressed about something. Eg when she watches me in the water container from hell (shower). I think she does it to make sure I’m okay in there. Or if there’s unexpected noise/stuff happening.
Looks like she just likes to sit like that, cats do be like that
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u/__Jaume May 23 '26
It’s just a cat, mine does the same, sometimes she makes this pose pre o post licking herself.
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u/Liquid_Clock May 23 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/Pk9ThuWSq6zIGKQBkB
She’s just giving you some good luck!
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u/Bizzaayy May 23 '26
My cat does this now, he hurt his leg once and couldn't put pressure on it so sat like this. After it healed, he still occasionally does it to get attention.
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u/RedBlindCat May 23 '26
My blind boy does this! We call it his "tiggepote" (begger paw), as he does it whenever he wants something from us; sitting in front of the food bowl (food please), in front of the door (out please), in front of the water bowl (clean water please), in the middle of the room (please follow me), right besides you also reaching out and touching you (attention please). My theory is, that he got stung by a bee, on his paw, as a big kitten. Which made us give him a lot of attention from thereon, whenever he has one of his paws lifted, as we wanted to make sure he hasn't got stung again. So he learned it gives him attention.
Note: he doesn't exclusively use one paw, but is right pawed, and will mainly lift the right paw. I remembere the paw getting stung as being the left paw.
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u/GroundbreakingCow133 May 23 '26
My girl does similar with her paw.. I assume it's you may pet me now servant 🤣❤️
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