Question
I occasionally stretch by putting my arms straight over my head, and then lowering them to horizontal. I end up in a position like this:
src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/tO9Cb.jpg" alt="arms held straight out to sides">
Every time I do this around my cat, she runs over and stares intently at my arms, waits for me to lower them, and then jumps up and tries to bite them. It doesn't matter if I move quickly or slowly (she'll wait).
I have figured out she won't pounce if I keep my arms tucked at the elbows and closer to my body, instead of straight out from my sides.
I don't get it! Do I look like something to hunt when I do that? Any ideas why that particular movement triggers a response?
Answer
I believe this is a learned behaviour. Somebody might have waved their hand and hit the cat by accident. This might trigger the cat to defend itself. Cats do have an impressive memory, so this might have been when it was a kitten.
It is very hard to unlearn this behaviour in cats.
I had a cat that went into kill mode if anybody pointed at him, no matter how far away they were.
Answered By - trond hansen