Here’s why your cat sits like a “cat loaf”

Your fur babysitting with her paws tucked under her is an overload of cuteness. Although we have given myriad names to this adorable position, for the sake of conversation we call it “loafing”, as it looks like a loaf of bread. This adorable behaviour of cats has kept us baffled for many years but now a scientist who studies cats has decoded the reason behind it. So, here are three reasons why do cats loaf?

Relaxed — According to Mikel Delgado, cat researcher and postdoctoral fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis said that cats generally like to sit with her paws tucked under them on their favourite spots, be it on your lap, a pile of laundry, inside box etc. This clearly delineates that she relaxes and neither in defend nor in attack mood.

Preserve heat — Furthermore, Delgado has added that while sitting in a loaf position cats also get heat preserving benefits. The temperature range in which they don’t need to use any energy heating or cooling themselves is 85–100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cat’s feet — Sometimes cats like to linger in a loaf position because they are in pain. Therefore, it is important to regularly pay attention to your cats' feet to make sure that they are not masking any pain.