Buzz
The fierce, cold intensity of a cat’s gaze just before it leaps at an unsuspecting bird loses some of its edge when you focus on the adorably wiggling little behind in the air.
There’s no definitive answer for this quirky behavior (mostly because there’s not a huge push for studies on it). But similar to other curious feline habits like kneading, lounging in sinks, and countless others, experts have some ideas.
As Live Science reports, one possibility is that cats are attempting to gain better traction between their back legs and the ground to enhance their jump. This stability is key, especially since they’re leaping off of both paws at once.
As veterinarian Katie Grzyb explained to PetMD, when cats pounce, they need to launch themselves using both hind legs for a full jump. Unlike when they walk, where their back legs alternate, they use both legs simultaneously for jumps and pounces.
It could also be less about their legs and more about the surface beneath them. Shifting their weight from one back paw to the other might help them check that the ground is solid enough to leap from. Or perhaps cats are simply making similar minor adjustments we do before a major physical task.
Veterinarian Meghan E. Herron told PetMD, “It seems like they are getting their muscles ready for a big move, with tiny shifts of their feet and hind limbs—much like a golfer prepping at the tee or a batter getting ready to swing.”
Excitement may play a role as well. Cats love to hunt, and that little wiggle might be their way of burning off some extra energy before they pounce. As for whether this shake affects their hunting success, that remains a mystery we can’t solve.
