Hello, this is Dr. Karin. Read my bio, learn more about me, and meet my five cheerful cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.
It’s not always easy to tell when your cat is happy. Other times it’s as obvious as a cat holding up a neon sign that says, “This is what joy looks like!”
Purring, cuddling, headbutting, and “making biscuits” all show that your cat trusts you and is happy. My little ginger ninja, Alex, has another way to make his joy known. It’s a somersault of happiness.
I’m not just talking about rolls. No, this is a somersault. The top movement of lowering the head and rolling the body forward might be expected from a player like Simone Biles. Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but it’s still a pretty unusual move and he always sticks to getting off.
Alex is a bit of a weirdo.
Like all cats, Alex is flexible, cooperative, and elegant. He also has some weird little quirks that set him apart from the other cats in our household and from most other cats I know. First, they like to stretch their front legs out in front of them when they perch high up. Instead of just letting your feet dangle over the edge, stick your entire limb out in front of you.
His second posture habit is that he prefers to sit cross-legged. The first few times I noticed it, I thought it was just a fluke. Perhaps he was in the process of turning or got distracted while sitting. But you’re far more likely to see Alex with his dainty little paws crossed than to be bored sitting side by side like some sort of civilian.
mystery of movement
Why would he do this? If I can answer that question, I think I might know some great cat secrets. What I do know is that he is a very adorable little cat and has an unusual way of expressing himself. So I went back to his happy little somersault.
You’ve probably seen a happy cat before. You’ve probably experienced the joy of watching a blissful cat rub itself against walls and furniture. When Alex enters into one of these expressions of happiness, his massage changes. I rolled the top of my head once. Not only does he enjoy the feeling of scrubbing the walls and floor, he seems obsessed with showing us how happy he is. Somewhere in the midst of this bliss he tucked his head between his paws and went over it. It’s totally adorable.
Initially, my husband and I were the only ones to witness this strange little ritual, but over the years, several close friends and relatives were granted access to this elite group. Alex is very wary of new people, so you can imagine how excited we and the privileged recipient are when he decides to willingly take the fall for someone new. .
Happiness is just a somersault away
Happiness doesn’t always come easily in this world. I can’t remember the last time I wanted to jump for joy, let alone somersault. But we have to admit that watching Alex express herself through gymnastics is one way to make anyone smile.
Stay weird, Alex.
This article is part of Dr. Karin’s 5 Hilarious Cats series.
