Why Does My Cat Bunny Kick?
Cats are known for having great control over their incredibly flexible bodies. They can curl up into the tiniest spaces and jump from high places to a swift landing on all fours.
Another move you may have noticed your pet does frequently is the bunny kick, where the cat kicks its hind legs at you, a toy, or a fellow cat. If you’re wondering “why does my cat bunny kick?”, then this article is for you.
A bunny kick can be a playful or aggressive gesture, the true motive depends on the immediate circumstances. Below, we’re discussing the so-called bunny kick in more depth, explaining the reasons for this action as well as how you can identify it, anticipate it, and reduce it.
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What Does a Bunny Kick Look Like in Cats?
The reason behind a cat bunny kick may not be clear to owners right away, but one thing is for sure: you’ll know it’s a bunny kick when you see one.
Often demonstrated during playtime, your feline friend will roll on its back or side, wrap its front two legs around the intended target (for example, your arm, a toy, or another cat), and then start kicking at it with its hind legs like a little thumper.
Why do Cats Bunny Kick?
Usually, cats do the bunny-kick move when engaging in aggressive play or when they’re fighting and attacking their prey. Despite being given a cute name, a cat’s bunny kick is a stealthy move that could be dangerous. It’s essentially a tactical maneuver that serves two purposes: self-defense and hunting.
Whether performed by an indoor cat roaming the rooms of a house or a big cat in the wild, and whether it’s done in playtime or real-life battle, the opponent will lose to the cat when it lies on its back with all four paws and claws on display and ready to charge.
In the wild, big cats use the bunny kick to weaken or stun their prey just before killing it. You may notice something similar with your pet cat when it’s trying to catch a mouse or bird.
Still, the cat won’t always kill the captured prey, especially if they didn’t do it out of hunger. A cat may also pair bunny-kicking with other moves such as tossing the prey around in its paws for a little while.
When it comes down to it, cats bunny kick because it’s in their nature. Even if you and your pet are just playing, the use of the bunny kick is considered an aggressive gesture despite not looking like it. After all, cats are masters of pretend.
They often trick their opponents by acting docile then pouncing on them right when they let their guard down. This commonly starts with the cat exposing its belly.
Your purring pet may look at you as if it’s inviting you to rub its soft belly, which is actually true most of the time, but it’ll take hold of your arm the second you touch its fur if it’s feeling feisty.
How Can You Tell the Difference between Play Kicking and Fight Kicking?
As we explained above, cats mainly bunny-kick during playtime or while fighting, but it’s considered aggressive behavior even if it’s the former situation. If you’re having trouble figuring out which bunny kick is “goofy” and which bunny kick is “serious”, you need to be able to read the body language of your cat.
The demeanor of the cat can give you clues to whether it’s bunny-kicking playfully or forcefully. If your cat has its ears back, its muscles tense, its pupils dilated, and its tail jerking back and forth, then it’s probably feeling aggressive or defensive.
On the other hand, if your cat has its ears forward, its face and muscles relaxed, and it’s not hissing or snarling, then the mood is probably playful. Even if this is the case, always be careful not to get hurt.
The best way to do so is by using a wand toy when playing with your cat to keep it from considering your hand a toy that’s meant for biting and scratching.
Is it Okay to Let your Cat Bunny Kick You?
It may seem tempting to let your cat bunny kick your hand or arm, but you shouldn’t allow such behavior even if it doesn’t cause you much pain.
Even in play, bunny kicking is still an aggressive response that you shouldn’t promote with your cat. Your cat may not mean to harm you, but its claws can cause your hands, arms, feet, or legs severe damage
If your cat starts to “wrestle” with one of your body parts, lure its bunny kick play to a cat toy instead. Also, if there’s a history of grabbing your hands, refrain from falling under your pet’s charm the next time it exposes its belly to invite a rub.
Can you Anticipate a Cat’s Bunny Kicks?
As a cat owner, understanding cat behavior is one way to tell when a bunny kick is in store. The more time you spend with your pet, the more knowledge you’ll have of its likes and dislikes, which will help you better anticipate its actions.
Rubbing a cat’s belly often leads to bunny-kicking, which is the oldest trick in the book that cat parents fall for. If your feline friend plops on its back, exposes its belly, and you reach your hand to rub it, your cat will often respond by clutching your limb with its front paws and bunny-kicking it with its rear legs.
You see, cats don’t typically like it when their abdomens are touched. So, if yours is asking for it, then it may be tricking you and it’ll quickly become aggressive if you try to stroke its belly.
How can you Reduce the Use of the Bunny Kick?
Before we get into the techniques you can apply to reduce bunny kicking, you should keep in mind that when your cat doesn’t intend to hurt you when it bunny-kicks you during playtime. However, this doesn’t mean you won’t get bitten and/or scratched.
Also, you should recognize that the use of a bunny kick is in the nature of your cat. From an evolutionary point of view, only the best hunters are able to survive and reproduce. This means that pet cats nowadays are descendants of the most skilled hunters.
As such, the hunting instinct of your cat is deeply rooted, making it impossible for you to completely stop it from doing bunny kicks – part of its ingrained behavior. Don’t worry, you can still redirect it, and here’s how:
- One way to minimize a cat’s bunny kicks is to avoid engaging in aggressive play with your feline pet. You should refrain from roughhousing (for example, letting your hand and/or arm serve as a chew toy) because it promotes hostile behavior.
- Another way to reduce your cat’s aggression is by providing it with a stuffed animal or toy so it can stalk and attack it instead.
- Engage only in positive playtime using things like food puzzles or cardboard boxes to keep your cat’s shenanigans in check.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, a detailed answer to the question: “why does my cat bunny kick?”. As we explained, cats simply use bunny kicks because it’s in their natural instinct.
Cats may bunny-kick during playtime or when fighting, but either way, it shouldn’t be directed at you. In this case, you need to redirect the aggression towards a toy or positive playtime.
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