# Why does my cat run underfoot?



## hal1 (Jul 16, 2011)

I was going to title this thread "My cat loves being kicked" 

They're not stupid, so why does he run underfoot when I'm walking? Could it be he likes to be kicked across the room? (accidentally)


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Amen to this. Shep. Book is *always* underfoot and I trip and step on him constantly.

Worse is in the kitchen. He lays RIGHT behind me so when I turn around to walk I step RIGHT on him. He never seems to learn though.....


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

You have to see the world from the cat point of reference, his world is way down there, he doesn't realize you don't have eye's in your feet.
Also he want to be as close to you as possible, to a cat your their care giver, your Moma.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

and this is why i do the "kitty shuffle" and still manage to trip over them.. Sherbert was tripped over by me for 18 years, no they never learn..


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## SomeRandomChick (Sep 11, 2011)

CeCe is the same exact way. She has taught me to shuffle through the house, rather than taking steps. I am afraid to launch her. Lol. She not only stays under foot, but darts around the side of your legs to the front, or even between your legs as you're taking a step.

In my case, she's using me like a giant scratching post, rubbing herself all over me and purring, but I think she likes to stay close and monitor what I am doing, and rubbing against me is just her way of showing affection when I'm up. To be fair, I do pet her a lot as she's walking around, since she's usually in motion when she's wanting affection, so to her, she probably thinks I like it as much as she does. I sometimes think she wonders why I won't just stand in one spot and love on her. But really - it serves a multi-purpose - she gets tactile pleasure while staying part of the action.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

In the kitchen it has nothing to do with being close to Mamma. It has EVERYTHING to do with him wanting to hoover any bits of food I might drop.


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## hal1 (Jul 16, 2011)

SomeRandomChick said:


> I am afraid to launch her. Lol. She not only stays under foot, but darts around the side of your legs to the front, or even between your legs as you're taking a step.


Good term. Toby has been "launched" several times. And yes, as you put it, he is running between my feet right in the middle of my stride.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

I learned many years ago to do the "kitty shuffle" when I was into breeding and showing Manx. It was a lot easier to do then than now as I had no tails to worry about stepping on. Now, Alkee especially like to plant herself behind me while I'm working in the kitchen, and can't tell you how many times I've stepped back on her tail. I apologize, she forgives me by looking at me meowing, raising her tail and gently waving the tip, and we carry on. Zuba tends to get under my hubby's feet as he's walking. Crazy cats, what can you do?


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## Milky's Mammy (Oct 17, 2011)

Milky is like that too but only when he sees me coming out from the kitchen as he think it's time to eat!! Half the time end up tripping over him cos I can't see that he just darted in front of me of between my legs!


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

I really don't have this problem at home... thank goodness! Utah dry air + socked feet sliding along carpet = ZAP!

However, there is a cat at the shelter that INSISTS on being underfoot. Luckily those floors are cement, so I can slide-step all I want. Though when I'm in a hurry, I do tend to forget and walk regular instead, and Ming has gotten a toe to the shoulder or head a couple times. He still comes back for more, though!
I'm just glad it's only Ming, and not the other 20+ cats in that room! LOL (Rickie will 'stand' and stretch his paws up to my hip, but if I nudge him away, he stays away until I'm free for snuggles after I finish chores)


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## ptomas (Aug 22, 2011)

My last cat used to run between my feet in the middle of my stride. I would end up catching him between my feet in a scissors motion. Of course it was by accident as I would be walking fast and he would dart at the last moment. He also did the run in front thing when I was walking quickly and accidently got kicked many times. Not sure reason for behavior, he never learned not to do it. I would even step on him sometimes if I was carrying a large box or laundry basket and couldnt see me feet below me and he would lay right in front of me as I was walking. I was worried I would hurt him.

My current cats do not do this, but def like to know what causes this behavior.


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## squeekers (Jun 17, 2009)

Riot does this to me the second I get up in the morning until I feed him. The other habit he has which almost killed him one day is he will lay at the bottom of the stairs and when I go I usually step to the side or over him. Well the one day he ran under my foot as I placed it down and all my weight ended up on his neck/head. Hes very luck y to be alive. I felt so bad. He hasnt run under my foot like that since, so maybe hes learned


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

I've learned how to walk very slowly since bringing Apollo home. He typically likes to walk directly between my feet, rubbing his body against each leg as I take a step forward. On occasion, when he's in a funk, he will be laying down and if I walk past him or step over him (he's so big now I can't just walk around him in the hallway haha) he will latch onto my leg and hold his ground until I shake him off me.

The worst is when I am in the shower, my door doesn't close or lock so he sits in the bathroom with me. Most of the time he will pace back and forth on the edge of the tub, but when I'm stepping out of the shower, he is ALWAYS laying on the bath mat and I've almost stepped on him several times. He has to lick water off my legs and rub against them as I'm trying to dry off, so I wind up tripping over a cat and my towel and my own feet, lol. My bathroom is TINY so I've managed to get a few bruises trying to do everything I can to NOT step on him.. He's lucky I love him so much lol.

They just have to be in the middle of eeevverryything!


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