You probably think catnip is your feline friend’s ultimate weakness. Let’s be real, those viral videos of cats rolling around in euphoric bliss make it seem like nothing could top that minty green herb. It’s hard to say for sure, but here’s the thing: not all cats even respond to catnip. Studies show that somewhere between a third and nearly half of cats couldn’t care less about it.
So what actually makes your cat’s heart race faster than that dried herb you keep in the back of your cupboard? Turns out, there’s a whole world of things that get your kitty more excited than you might think. From everyday activities that tap into their wild instincts to simple pleasures hiding in plain sight, your cat’s preferences might just surprise you. Let’s dive in.
Long, Luxurious Naps in Sunny Spots
Your cat spends roughly 15 to 16 hours per day sleeping, which is significantly more time than they spend doing anything else, including eating or playing with toys. Kittens and older cats may nap as much as 20 hours daily. Some cats will literally sleep through the sound of a can opener or ignore treats stacked on their body just to continue their nap.
Think about what your cat does most during the day. Chances are, you’ll find them curled up in that one perfect sunny spot on the couch or sprawled out on your bed. Cats love nothing more than finding a sunny spot and taking a nap, making sleep one of their absolute favorite activities. The warm rays combined with ultimate comfort trump almost everything else in their world.
Working for Their Meals Through Puzzle Feeders
Cats actually appreciate working for their food more than just being fed. This might sound crazy at first, but it makes perfect sense when you consider their natural instincts. When they don’t get to use their brains to track down prey, they get bored, which can cause all sorts of problems including aggression, territory marking, and attention seeking.
Puzzle feeders can help with this, as well as playing games, learning tricks, or putting your cat’s food in a different place so they have to search for it a bit. Your cat’s brain lights up when they successfully hunt down their kibble from inside a cardboard box with holes or figure out how to get treats from a puzzle toy. It’s the thrill of the chase, even if the chase involves batting a plastic ball around the living room.
Claiming You as Their Favorite Human
If there’s one thing your cat loves more than food, it’s you, the human who showers them with love and affection. Your cat picking you as their person is actually a pretty big deal. Cats generally gravitate toward people who feed them, play with them, give them tasty treats, and keep their litter box clean.
People who communicate with their cat by getting to know their cues and motives are more attractive to their cat companions, and wouldn’t you want to spend your time with someone who makes it a point to understand you? When your cat follows you from room to room, sleeps on your lap, or headbutts your hand for attention, they’re showing you that your bond means everything to them. Honestly, that level of devotion goes way beyond what any plant could ever provide.
Drinking Fresh, Running Water from Faucets
Drinking water from a running faucet is a favorite activity of cats. You’ve probably caught your cat staring longingly at the bathroom sink or pawing at a dripping tap. This is because cats are naturally suspicious of stagnant water, since standing water in the environment serves as a breeding ground for bacteria and can make wild cats very sick.
The tap water is also likely to taste better because it is cooler and oxygenated. Your cat isn’t being difficult or picky when they ignore their water bowl and beg for the faucet. They’re actually following ancient survival instincts that tell them fresh, moving water is safer and more appealing. Installing a cat water fountain might just become your feline’s new obsession.
Cardboard Boxes and Paper Bags
Cats love boxes because they provide them with comfort and security, offering a secure haven for a cat to observe while being unseen, which is ideal for cats whose natural reaction to stress is to run and hide. It doesn’t matter if you bought your cat an expensive designer bed. That random Amazon box is going to win every time.
The appeal is simple but powerful. Sometimes one of the easiest ways to provide enrichment is with stuff you don’t even have to buy. Your cat gets to hide, pounce out at unsuspecting passersby, and feel completely safe in their cardboard fortress. Paper bags without handles work the same magic. The crinkly sounds, the enclosed space, the new smells – it’s an instant adventure without leaving home.
Being Talked to in Soft, Gentle Voices
Cats are more likely to respond and socialize with humans if they are addressed in a calm and soft voice, with scientific evidence supporting this claim. Volume and tone of voice are important factors to consider while talking with felines since they may feel comfortable or frightened depending on the volume or tone of our voice.
Your cat genuinely enjoys it when you chat with them throughout the day. Whether you’re explaining your day, reading aloud, or just commenting on what they’re doing, that gentle vocal interaction strengthens your bond. Women tend to be favorites with cats since they generally have traits cats prefer, such as quieter voices and calm demeanors. Your cat might not understand your words, but they understand your tone perfectly, and they love the attention.
Silver Vine and Alternative Herbal Stimulants
Here’s where it gets interesting. The largest percentage of cats, 79 percent, responded to silver vine, whereas 68 percent of the cats responded to catnip. That means silver vine actually beats catnip in popularity. Silver vine seems to garner the highest response with about 80% of cats feeling the effects of Japanese catnip which contains two compounds that stimulate those happy neurons.
For cats that aren’t sensitive to catnip, there are actually a few alternative plants that can produce similar effects in felines, including valerian and silver vine, and if you want to distract your cat from begging for food and catnip isn’t cutting it, give one of them a try. Additionally, 53 percent of cats responded to honeysuckle and 47 percent to valerian. Your cat might have a whole menu of herbal preferences you didn’t even know existed.
Scratching Posts and Surfaces
Cats scratch to maintain the health and strength of their claws, communicate with other cats via pheromones, and to stretch their bodies and maintain flexibility. This isn’t your cat being destructive or spiteful. Cats don’t scratch furniture and other items to be spiteful – they’re behaving like cats.
Promote healthy scratching by providing multiple scratching surfaces and stations throughout your home. Your cat needs this activity like they need food and water. It feels amazing to them, serves multiple biological purposes, and lets them mark their territory. When you provide the right scratching posts in the right locations, your cat will choose them over your couch every time. They genuinely love a good scratching session more than almost anything else.
Conclusion
Your cat’s world is richer and more complex than a simple sprinkle of catnip could ever satisfy. From the pure bliss of a 16-hour nap to the satisfaction of hunting down their breakfast through a puzzle feeder, your feline friend has preferences that run deep in their evolutionary DNA. They crave your attention, love their vertical kingdom, and find joy in the simplest cardboard box.
The best part? Most of these things don’t cost a fortune or require complicated setup. Your cat wants quality time with you, safe spaces to explore, and opportunities to act like the wild hunter they still are at heart. What surprised you most about your cat’s true loves? Try introducing some of these elements into your home and watch your feline’s personality shine even brighter.
