After a long day at work or an extended vacation, most of us are looking forward to seeing our furry friends back home. Sometimes we’re greeted with a meow, a purr, or an affectionate rub letting us know they’re happy to see us too.

Cats are peculiar creatures, and it seems like every time we think we have them figured out, they start a new odd behavior that has us scratching our heads. One of those behaviors is hiding, which is common for even outgoing indoor cats to do every now and then. 

One of the primary ways cats communicate with each other is through scent and they have scent glands throughout their body, including on their paws. Kneading is a way for cats, who are naturally territorial, to mark their territory using the scent glands in their paws. This could apply to their favorite napping spot,litter box, blanket, or even you!