If your cat keeps going between your legs, this post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do about them.
So, why does my cat go between my legs? Possible reasons why your cat goes between your legs are that it is being affectionate, it feels safer, anxiety, or it is waiting to get something from you.
There are actually multiple possible reasons why your cat goes between your legs and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are a number of things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Reasons why your cat goes between your legs
Below are a number of possible reasons and what you can do about them.
It is showing affection
Cats will rub themselves against you when they are showing affection. This could be why your cat goes between your legs. This would be more likely if your cat tends to rub itself against you and purr when it goes between your legs.
It feels safer
A possible cause is that going between your legs makes your cat feel safer. This would be more likely if your cat tends to do it more when other animals are around or when there is something else that might be causing it to feel anxious.
Anxiety
The reason why your cat has been going between your legs could be that it is anxious. If it is anxious then going between your legs could be helping it to feel more secure and to calm its nerves. This would be more likely if it does it when something might be causing it to be anxious such as another person or pet being around that it doesn’t know or like.
It could also be the case that it does it because it has some separation anxiety. This is where being left alone causes your cat to become anxious. This would be more likely if it only seems to do it before it knows you will be going out and if it shows signs of being anxious when you are leaving.
It likes the spot
It might also be the case that your cat has been doing it because it likes the particular spot that you sit in. This would be more likely if your cat goes between your legs when you sit in a specific spot and if your cat tends to sit there when you are not sat there.
It wants something
Another possible cause is that your cat wants something from you and it is waiting to get it. This would be more likely if your cat tends to go between your legs before it has been fed and if it stops doing it after getting fed.
Things to consider about your cat going between your legs
Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.
If your cat has always gone between your legs
If your cat did not always go between your legs, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be due to things such as something causing it to become anxious or because it learned that it is comfortable to go between your legs.
What is different when your cat does not go between your legs
If your cat seems to do it more at a certain time, it would also help to consider what is different about the timing. For example, if it tends to do it before you have fed it, the cause would be more likely that it is waiting to get fed.
What to do about your cat going between your legs
Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Give it other places to sit
One option would be to give your cat other places where it can sit. Perhaps you could try putting a cat bed down for it to sit in.
Let it do it
If your cat does not seem to be doing it due to any issues, another option would be to simply let your cat continue doing it.
Limit reasons why it might get anxious
It would help to limit reasons why your cat might get fearful when you are not around. Ways to do so could include letting your cat stay in a different room than your dog if you have one or letting your cat stay in a quieter room.
Why does my cat go around my legs?
The reason why your cat goes around your legs is likely to be that it is showing affection. This is because, by rubbing itself against you, it will be rubbing its scent onto you which shows that it is making claim to you.
Why does my cat go through my legs?
If your cat goes through your legs, it would be more likely that your cat is either doing it because it feels safer. It could also be the case that your cat just goes through your legs because it cannot be bothered to go around.