The little wiggle that cats display before pouncing might be one of the most adorable things that you’ll observe as a cat parent. Whether your pet is stalking a live critter or a catnip-infused plush toy, before your cat gets down to the attack, there’s bound to be a bit of butt-wiggling.

Big cats like lions and tigers get in on the action too: They wiggle their mighty hindquarters before pouncing on prey, just like your pet! While it’s a common prelude to an attack, some cats don’t bother with the wiggling preliminaries, preferring to simply crouch and spring.

No one is entirely sure why some cats wiggle before pouncing and others don’t. Nor is there consensus regarding why cats wiggle as a prelude to an attack at all. However, there are several theories, including one suggesting that cats wiggle their butts to test the ground and stay balanced before jumping. Read on to learn four common reasons that cats wiggle before they pounce.

The 4 Possible Reasons Cats Wiggle Before They Pounce

1. Testing for Solid Ground

Cats alternate putting weight on their hind legs as they walk, while a pounce requires them to push off the ground with both hind legs at the same time. A cat getting ready to jump may use a wiggle or two to evaluate the floor under all four feet, particularly the hind paws, for firmness to ensure that there is sufficient resistance and traction to execute an intense pounce. Domestic cats are expert jumpers, with most able to spring more than 5 feet in a single pounce!

2. Balancing Themselves

The wiggle may give cats a chance to center and balance themselves. It also helps them determine how far they can jump from that surface. Cats have a fantastic sense of balance! But they are not just great at balancing themselves when it comes to pouncing; they’re also able to right themselves if they fall. Not only are cats incredibly flexible, which increases balance, but they’re also able to use their sensitive vestibular systems to right themselves while falling.

3. Preparing Their Muscles for Action

Tennis players jump up and down when waiting to receive a serve to keep their muscles alert and firing. Some animal behavioral experts suggest that the feline pre-attack butt wiggle may serve the same purpose for cats as bouncing up and down does for athletes, ensuring muscles warm up. These quick movements may be your cat’s way of getting their muscles firing and ready to spring into action.

4. Releasing Excess Energy

Cats’ brains release dopamine, a powerful feel-good hormone, when they play and hunt. That little butt shake may be evidence of a burst of dopamine-related energy designed to shift cats into turbo mode in the moments right before a kill.

Think of it as a sort of uncontrolled excitement that rushes through your pet’s body in anticipation of a successful kill. Indoor cats respond to these dopamine rushes by stalking teasers and rabbit-kicking their plush toys.

Final Thoughts

Seeing that adorable butt wiggle up close and personal is one of the best things about living with a cat. It’s sweet, endearing, and full of the wild, effortless athleticism that cats bring into our homes.

Cats love to play by chasing, jumping, stalking, and pouncing, which explains why your pet wiggles their butt right before demonstrating mastery over their favorite plush toy. Playing with your cat in 15-minute sessions multiple times per day, as most veterinarians recommend, will give you plenty of opportunities to see the butt wiggle in action!

• Related Read: Cat Pouncing: Understanding Why & How They Do It

Featured Image Credit: LaurenMJohnson, Shutterstock