You’re having a great time with your Feline best friend, who’s gamboling and having fun. Everything is perfect until … you notice she’s humping your fleece blanket.
SO awkward! Right? I can feel your pain. But why do cats hump blankets anyway?
Your feline humps a blanket for many reasons. Stress and pent-up energy are the main causes of this behavior. Kitty could also hump a blanket out of being ignored or bored or to show dominance. Both male and female cats exhibit blanket-humping behavior.
You’re at the right place for a solution. In this article, you’ll get to know why cats hump blankets. Is it normal behavior? And how to get rid of it? To find out the reason, keep reading the blog forward!
Key Takeaways
- Blanket humping is a common behavior in cats, both male and female.
- Reasons for blanket humping can include stress, pent-up energy, boredom, and showing dominance.
- To solve this humping behavior, cat owners can try to decrease stress, provide more stimulation and exercise, and ensure that their cat has enough toys to play with.
Give Your Cat the Perfect Day
Get the Free Ebook!
Is It Common For Cats To Hump Blankets?
Yes, blanket humping is as common as other confusing behavior of your kitty.
Cats are known for their weird behavior and nature. As a cat owner, you must be feeling seek of your cat’s blanket humping behavior.
But humping blankets, other cats, toys, and pillow is a common behavior in male and female cats. Sometimes it can occur as a sign of boredom or stress.
Humping your fleece blanket is a quite natural behavior in cats. But in some cases, excess humping can be a factor of concern.
Interesting read- Why Do Cats Hump? Is It Normal For A Cat To Hump?
Common Objects That Cats Hump
| Object | Description |
|---|---|
| Blankets | Cats may hump blankets as a form of self-stimulation or territorial marking. |
| Pillows | Cats may hump pillows for similar reasons as they would hump blankets. |
| Stuffed animals | Some cats may become fixated on a particular stuffed animal and begin humping it as a form of self-stimulation. |
| Other animals | Some cats may engage in humping behavior towards other animals, such as other cats or dogs, as a form of dominance or territorial marking. |
Reasons: Why Do Cats Hump Blankets?
Humping is an impulsive trait in cats. They often hump on a soft surface, such as a blanket, another cat, or you. It appears to be relaxing and calming—many cats get addicted to blanket humping whereas some take it as a solution to boredom.
Generally, showing dominance and hormones are the basic reason for blanket humping.
There are a few more reasons responsible for the blanket humping of cats. If you will know the reason, it will be easier to get the solution.
What Are The Reasons For Humping Blankets Of Cats
1. Stress
Stress can be one of the reasons for blanket humping. Stress can be caused by many things, such as changes in the home environment (move to a new home, new baby, etc.), being around other animals, or anxiety related to medical conditions.
Cats are not so change-loving creatures. Your cat loves her comfort zone without much disturbance. Changes make her stressed.
If you have recently brought a new kitty or pet, then chances become higher that your old cat is humping out of insecurity that now she won’t get your attention.
Your new pet is a new growing headache for your old kitty. For balancing the situation, increase the attention and love for your old kitty.
2. Sexual Frustration
Cats may hump blankets when they are not able to find a mate. Or, when they are not getting enough stimulation. If your cat is never involved in mating then also, it is possible.
Feeling this way is a natural behavior in all cats – Neutered, spayed, male and female.
Sex hormone plays the role of catalyst in the humping habit of unneutered cats. It’s an alarm that now your small kitty needs sterilization.
3. Boredom
Boredom is one of the basic reasons for blanket humping in cats. Cats need to release a certain amount of energy on daily basis.
If you’ll not play enough with your cat, she won’t get a chance to burn her energy. When cats have pent-up energy, they release it by humping blankets or stuff.
Exercise or giving her cat toys to play with can help you.
4. To Mark Territory
Cats are social animals. They see themselves as a part of society where they believe in dominating. Humping blankets is one of the common ways for them to mark their territory for dominance.
Their territory can be anything – your blanket, pillow, toy, bathrobe, etc.
Sometimes they even hump small cats to show their dominance.
5. Asking For Attention
Your feline friend is an attention-lover creature. When she doesn’t get enough attention from you, she tries many ways to get it.
Humping a blanket is one of those ways. Whenever you see her humping blanket – you ask her not to do it, that denial is also a reaction to her.
May you like to read- How Long Does It Take A Cat To Adjust To New Home?
Factors That Can Affect Cat Humping Blankets
| Factor | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Recently neutered | Neutering/spayed takes 6-12 weeks for hormones to abolish properly. Before that time period, humping blanket is common. |
| Late sterilization (more than a year) | In cats, sterilization should be done before age of a year. After that, they ingrained the habit of humping blankets, and it takes time to unlearn. |
| Depression | Depression is one of the major reasons for blanket humping in cats. Your kitty needs more love and attention. Must visit your vet soon to get anti-depression treatment too. |
| Health issues | Urinary tract infection or hormonal disbalance can be another usual reason for excess blanket humping in cats. |
Also, read- Why Do Cats Purr And Knead? Unraveling the Mystery
Do Neutered Cats Hump Blankets?
Nobody likes lots of population of cats in their home. Neither do we love the humping behavior of our cats. The solution to both problems is sterilization.
But sterilization cannot help to unlearn the habit of humping. As the humping blanket is not always related to sex hormones.
According to Marci Koski, Cats behavior consultant, “Humping behavior is not too terribly uncommon, but it is most frequently seen in intact males. However, both males and females can demonstrate humping, even if they have been neutered or spayed.”
According to Marci Koski, Cats behavior consultant
Humping blankets is not always about sexual desire or need. Sometimes humping is a way of playing and enjoying.
Neutered and spayed cats hump blankets to release energy or heat.
In some cases, cats get sterilization after being involved in mating. That means they already know about the pleasure of humping. It will take time to unlearn this habit.
If your cat is neutered recently then hormones will take time to be balanced.
In short, humping a blanket on a neutered cat is nothing uncommon.
Is It Common For Female Cats To Hump Blankets?
It is usual to assume that humping blankets is a male thing. But female cats also get involved in humping blankets.
You must wonder why is your female feline Humping the Blanket?
First, let me tell you it is a natural behavior, nothing to be worried much. Heat and boredom are the main reason for female cats’ blanket humping. Though they are female still they are cats, so they want to mark their territory through blanket humping.
Sometimes female cats hump to teach discipline to small kittens. In general, female cats hump when they feel anxious or unloved.
Female cats hump blankets to release their pent-up energy. Playing with them and giving them the required attention is a way to get rid of her humping.
How To Stop Your Cat From Blanket Humping?
1. Increase Their Space
If you give your cat more space that will help them to enjoy the place given.
Cats love to climb, so give them cat trees and windows to enjoy, and you can also install elevated walkways for helping them to stay out of their comfort zone of blankets.
2. Appreciate Their Good Behaviour
You can treat your cat with toys, treats, or extra attention when his mood is good, and he is calm.
This will be more helpful than other techniques like, yelling or squirting water and of course, hitting him is never an option to avoid them humping on blankets.
“Do not physically punish your pet for blanket humping behavior, verbal reprimand may be enough to banish him/her to the other room.
According to Shawn-haubenstricker , Licensed Veteniary
3. Distract Them
If your cat looks like to hump blankets, just distract him by dropping a book or clapping your hands loudly. You can also give a stuffed toy to the cat who is intent on blanket humping then he will leave the blanket and humping and gets engaged in something else.
4. Give Them Attention
Giving attention to your cat will help him from being stressed, bored, and mentally stimulated. Play with your cat at least daily. If you can see any kind of stress, then help them to reduce it.
5. Understand Their Change In Behavior
If there is any medical reason for your cat humping over blankets, then you must give him veterinary treatment.
First, understand the cat world to understand the behavioral change of your cat. Then only you can resolve the issues of your cats naturally.
Interesting Read: Why My Cat Humps Me? Is It Normal For Cats To Hump Their Owner?
Health Benefits Of Humping Blankets In Cats
| Health Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Stress release | Humping a blanket is a significant way to release stress and anxiety in cats. |
| Good sleep | After releasing stress, it becomes easier for cats to have a good sleep cycle. |
| Helps in releasing pent-up energy | Excess heat is harmful to cats. Blanket Humping is a way to get rid of excess pent-up energy. |
“Blanket humping could be the result of a stressful situation and mounting/masturbation may serve as a relief from anxiety, or it could be a pleasurable action.”
Shawn Haubenstricker, a Licensed veterinary technician,
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do Female Cats Hump Each Other?
It may sound weird but yes female cats hump each other. If you have two female cats then you know this uncommon behavior.
The reason for this type of humping can be boredom or showing dominance. Especially, in this case, big female cats hump small female kitties to show their power.
Why Humping Blankets Is More Common In The Heat Period?
The heat period is a reproductive period for cats. They want to mate in this phase more than on other common days. Their energy level is also high in this period. They want to release excess heat. So humping blanket helps them to release energy which makes them feel relaxed.
Final Words
Humping blanket is a familiar behavior in cats. Taking much stress is not required in this case. Follow the given suggestions to help your kitty to unlearn the addiction to humping blankets.
It may take time, but your positive support and love will make it possible to eliminate blanket humping.
But if you are concerned about the excess blanket-humping habit of your cat then it’s time to book an appointment with your cat’s vet. Follow his suggestion and proper medication in case there is something serious.
Tell me about your way, how do you stop your feline from blanket humping? Is your kitty-humping blanket extreme? What’s the most irritating of cat blanket humping?
Give your opinion to us in the comment box.
Interesting Read: Cat Humping While Kneading (Reason And Solution)
Interesting Read: Why My Cat Humps My Dog?
