Zoomies, Biscuits and the Butt in Your Face: Funny Things Cats Do When They’re Happy

Cats don’t smile like dogs, and they don’t wag their tails when they’re happy, either. So how do you know if your cat is happy? There are ways to tell, and a lot of the behaviors that mean a happy cat seem pretty odd to us humans.

We adopted our two cats, Thelma and Louis, in 2023 as kittens from a local rescue (they’re siblings). When we first went to meet them at the foster’s house, Louis immediately attached himself to me like a little lovebug, and Thelma immediately plopped herself in Cory’s lap.

A lot of the behaviors that mean your cat is happy go back to what they did as kittens with their mothers, or to how cats communicate with each other. Some of them are subtle (like slow blinking), while others are hard to miss (like zoomies at 3 a.m.). I rounded up the funniest ones with what vets and cat behavior researchers say about each, plus stories from other cat owners on Reddit and a few videos from cat accounts on Instagram. Some of these signs can also mean something is wrong, so I included what to keep an eye out for as well.

1. They get the zoomies

Zoomies are when your cat suddenly tears through the house at top speed and then stops like nothing happened, and vets have an official name for them: frenetic random activity periods, or FRAPs. They’re nothing to be concerned about and are most likely just your cat’s way of working out pent up energy. The act of zooming around the house taps into the stalking, chasing and pouncing behavior that most indoor cats don’t get many opportunities to act out during the day.

A post shared by @nimbus_siberian on Instagram

You may have also noticed your cat getting the zoomies right after using the litter box. According to a veterinary behaviorist quoted in PetMD, this may be due to stimulation of the vagus nerve that occurs during defecation and causes a sensation of relief, but more research would need to be done to prove this theory. VCA says some cats get a short bout of zoomies after using the box, too.

Poop zoomies are very very common. Trust me. My cat exclusively craps at 3am. The zooms keep me up, because he likes to zoom up and down the stairs so loudly it sounds like I’m hurling baseballs down the stairs.

— via Reddit.com

Thelma and Louis both get the zoomies, mostly post-poop LOL. Sometimes Thelma will just start darting around for no reason, and we like to say she’s “full of beans” when she does.

If your cat’s zoomies change dramatically or an older cat all of a sudden becomes more restless or hyperactive, let your veterinarian know. Hyperthyroidism can cause restlessness in cats, and according to VCA the average age of cats that receive a diagnosis is around 12 years old.

2. They make biscuits

If you’ve ever watched a cat push their front paws in and out against your thigh, one paw at a time (also known as “making biscuits” because it looks like kneading dough), you might’ve wondered what on earth is going on in their head.

According to VCA, kittens knead against their mother while nursing to stimulate the flow of milk, so when an adult cat does it, it’s usually because they’re feeling comfortable and relaxed. iCatCare says it also means your cat associates their relationship with you with the one they had with their mother. Oh, and just so you know, cats have scent glands in between their toe beans, so when your cat makes biscuits on you they’re also marking you with their scent! Their claws can poke out a bit, so it helps to keep a folded blanket on your lap.

My cat sits on my chest and makes biscuits on my face and neck while I try to go to sleep! I hum to get the biscuits to stop so I can fall asleep lol

— via Reddit.com

The nursing part makes sense to me, because Louis has a suckle blanket (a cat’s version of a security blanket), and he kneads and suckles his favorite one at the same time. It stays on our bed at all times, nestled between Cory and me, and he actually has two of them, one he likes and one he doesn’t. If the wrong one is on the bed, Louis will still hop up but just won’t snuggle as much. He also loves to knead my arm or chest. He’s a big snuggler!

Thelma isn’t really a kneader. Sometimes we’ll catch her baking biscuits when she goes into her donut bed, but she’ll do that for about a minute before settling in to take a nap.

A post shared by @poupeeandfriends on Instagram

Although kneading is generally a sign of a happy, contented cat, PetMD points out that if your cat is doing it a lot more than usual, it could be a sign they’re feeling stressed or anxious.

3. They drool when they’re happy

Some cats drool when they purr, knead and get rubbed, and it can get messy. According to a vet writing for PetMD, this kind of slobbering is most likely just a sign that your cat is feeling really relaxed and content, and there’s even a theory that cats drool when they knead and get pet because it takes them back to nursing as kittens.

A post shared by @fluffy_athena on Instagram

Just be aware that cats sometimes purr when they’re hurting or feeling ill, so pay attention to other cues to make sure your purring, drooling, sweet-as-can-be cat is feeling their best. Heavy or frequent drooling in cats is not normal and may mean nausea, dental disease, pain, or exposure to a toxin (PetMD lists common medications and houseplants that can cause it). Call your vet if your cat’s drooling is new or seems excessive.

i took my first cat to the vet because of how much she drools when she’s happy and just turns out she is really dribble when happy and the vet laughed at me and her lol

— via Reddit.com

4. They give you the slow blink

When your cat narrows her eyes at you, closes them slowly and then opens them again, it’s a good sign, and PetMD puts it simply: “Slow blinking means your cat trusts you.”

It’s similar to a smile, researchers from the University of Sussex wrote in a 2020 study published in Scientific Reports. In the first part of the study, owners slow blinked at their cats (18 cat and owner pairs), and the cats narrowed their eyes back more often than when there was no gesture at all. In the second part, a stranger slow blinked at the cats, and the cats were more likely to walk up to the stranger’s outstretched hand after the gesture than after a neutral expression.

A post shared by @junoandlunacats on Instagram

So it’s not exactly “I love you,” but it’s a positive signal, according to the researchers. Try it yourself. Soften your eyes, then slowly narrow and close them while looking at your cat, and see if she blinks back.

My dad doesn’t know how to speak cat, and would always stare at my cat intensely and talk like you do with a little kid, which freaked her out. The first time I got him to slow blink instead, she went instantly from ‘ready to flee’ to sitting down and grooming. It was like a switch went off. Pretty funny to see.

— via Reddit.com

5. Their tail goes straight up (and sometimes quivers)

When your cat walks up to you with their tail held high, that’s a friendly hello. Kittens greet their mothers this way, and adult cats use it as a friendly gesture too, according to a 2009 study of a group of cats. If the tail is held high and the tip curls over a bit (sort of like a question mark), PetMD says your cat is feeling confident and happy and would like to interact with you. And if your cat sees you and their tail is held high and trembling, it usually means they’re excited to see you.

However, if they’re trembling their tail while backing up against furniture or a wall, it could be urine marking (more common in cats that aren’t spayed or neutered). For more on what your cat’s tail is telling you, see my guide to cat tail positions.

My neutered-as-a-kitten boy cat does this. I think it’s phantom spraying, but I call it the Tail Prance Dance because of the way he tippy-taps on his back feet. It’s so cute.

— via Reddit.com

6. They headbutt you

Bunting is when a cat bumps or rubs his or her head against you. Cats have scent glands on the cheeks, around the mouth, under the chin and by the ears, and according to VCA they’re marking you as part of their group by making you smell like everyone else. Cats also rub on each other as a friendly gesture. So if your cat is butting heads with you, consider yourself lucky, because your cat thinks you’re part of the family!

Be careful though, one of my maine coons, circa 25 lbs, does very sturdy head butts… To the back of my knee. I’ve almost buckled dozens of times because of that lol.

— via Reddit.com

Louis is our headbutter. Since Cory and I both work from home, Louis will climb up on my desk and headbutt my hand until I pay attention to him and give him some pets, and he does it in the mornings, too.

A post shared by @captainmagnusthecat on Instagram

7. They flop over and show you their belly

The flop: your cat saunters over and flops down or rolls over in front of you. According to iCatCare, this social roll is a friendly greeting and means your cat is feeling relaxed, comfortable or playful. However, according to PetMD, just because your cat rolls over to show you their belly doesn’t mean they’re asking for a belly rub. In fact, according to iCatCare, reaching down to pet your flopped-over cat’s belly can come off as threatening, so resist!

A post shared by @theflamingzuzu on Instagram

That being said, all cats are different. Louis has a regular belly-in-the-air move, and he asks for belly rubs, so in our house, at least, the belly isn’t off limits. Watch your own cat’s reactions to learn what they like and don’t like. Signs your cat doesn’t appreciate belly petting include ears laid back and a swishing tail.

Some cats make it very obvious when the belly is open for business:

My cat will jump up on the bed and throw himself on his back with a grunt, as if to say “this belly’s not rubbing itself, now is it?”

— via Reddit.com

8. They trill and chirp at you

Trilling is a chirpy, rolling sound that’s sort of in between a purr and a meow. It’s softer and higher pitched than a purr, according to PetMD, and cats commonly use it to greet the humans they live with (hello!). iCatCare calls it a friendly greeting call (also known as a chirrup) and notes that mother cats use it to communicate with their kittens, too.

A post shared by @parkerandlily on Instagram

Chattering at the window is different. Have you ever noticed your cat’s tail twitching as they stare out the window at birds or bugs? That’s Thelma’s specialty, and her tail twitches at everything from birds to bugs to the dog downstairs. UC Davis says chattering is thought to be related to excitement about prey that can’t be caught. Wondering what other cat noises mean? I wrote an in-depth guide to decoding them.

9. They put their butt in your face

Cats that are friendly to each other will greet one another by sniffing one another’s butts. Since we don’t greet cats by rubbing up against them (we pet them instead, with our hands), when a cat comes up to greet us, oftentimes their butts end up right in our faces. Apparently this butt-in-your-face scenario is a cat compliment! According to one cat behavior expert quoted by PetMD, it’s their way of saying, “I’m friendly. I accept you. I’m not a threat.”

I tried turning him around but he meowed in protest and went back to making me smell his butt. I don’t know if he’s trying to tell me something, but I’m not sure I want to understand the message anyways 😂

— via Reddit.com

In our house we call butt taps squeamies, and I have squeamie songs for morning, afternoon, evening and late at night.

10. They bring you toys (or worse)

Some cats bring their owners dead animals or drop toys at their feet for no apparent reason. According to a vet on PetMD, there are a few likely explanations. Your cat may consider you a member of their family and want to share something with you. They could also be trusting you to keep an eye on their toy until they come back for it, or bringing you their prey may be their way of asking for your attention.

A post shared by @ponyoandluna on Instagram

Next time your cat presents you with a mouse, try not to freak out, because PetMD says to react as little as you can. Rodents can also carry parasites like tapeworms, so get it away from your cat as soon as you can.

My youngest does this with her favorite toy, RatRat. When she’s not looking, I’ll toss it somewhere downstairs and wait for her to bring it back to my room. […] The oldest leaves me crickets with exactly one leg pulled off (and leaves the leg somewhere else for me to find). 😬

— via Reddit.com

11. They follow you from room to room

A cat that sticks close to her person, like following you from room to room, may be showing signs of a secure attachment to you, according to a 2019 study out of Oregon State University published in Current Biology. The study used a separation test adapted from research on human infants, where the caregiver left the room and came back, and found that 64.3 percent of the 70 kittens whose attachment style could be classified were securely attached to their person, as were 65.8 percent of 38 adult cats. For comparison, around 65 percent of human infants are securely attached to their caregiver. Cats with secure attachments balanced their attention between their person and the room and kept exploring.

Though the study didn’t examine why cats follow people around, according to a veterinarian who writes for PetMD, cats may follow you because they like your company and feel safest when they’re with you, or because they associate you with food time. If your cat is suddenly extra clingy or hungry all the time, it could be a sign of stress or a medical condition, such as hyperthyroidism, according to PetMD.

12. They meet you at the door

When we get home, Thelma and Louis usually come up to the door wanting pets and hellos, and after we’ve been out of town it’s obvious they missed us (here’s how to tell if yours does). Rubbing up against you when you get home is your cat’s way of greeting you, according to iCatCare. When cats see each other, they rub up against one another as a hello, and since they can’t reach your face (unless you’re on the floor with them!), your legs are their next best option.

A post shared by @martyandmaxburmese on Instagram

A female cat who isn’t spayed could also roll around on the floor and rub on things if she’s in heat. If your unspayed cat has started to roll and rub on everything all of a sudden, VCA says that could be what’s going on.

Every single day he greets me at the door with a happy little meow. But only when I come home at the end of the day… if I come home at lunch time he looks at me like I’ve rudely interrupted his nap, and he’s only greeting me out of obligation.

— via Reddit.com

Does your cat do something funny when they’re happy that isn’t on this list? Tell us in the comments!