Pictures of Cats Splooting: Splooting Cat- Feline Cat Lying Flat on Stomach With Legs Out

Have you heard about cats splooting? When cats lay flat on their stomach with their hind legs out, they look adorable. But what is splooting? Can all cats do it? And is it bad for them?

Let’s look into this feline relaxation position. Get ready to see our collection of pictures of cats laying down and splooting! Enjoy! Thank you to all our awesome readers who took the time to send photos of their kitties splooting for this post.

Why is it Called a Sploot?

There is also a name for cats keeping their fore and hind legs tucked in under them. This is called “cat loaf” or “cat loafing” because they look like loaves of bread.

Sometimes, you can’t see their legs anymore, especially in cats with longer hair. They almost look like they’re floating.

Cats Laying Down and Splooting for Relaxation

As all cat owners know, cats are incredibly flexible, so the splooting position is nothing more than stretching. It is also a very comfortable position for their backs, which is why cats love sploot.

So, the next time you see your kitty with its hind legs stretched out on the floor, take it as a reminder to relax. Your cat, indeed, is.

Splooting to cool down

When cats lay on their bellies with their fore and hind legs spread out on the floor, they could also be trying to cool down. They use this position to expand the contact area with the floor, which is cooler.

By doing this, they can lower their body temperature relatively quickly. In fact, cats prefer to sploot on floor tiles rather than carpeted areas precisely because these are cooler. Cats love to sploot all over the bathroom floor on hot sunny days.

This position actually helps them relax their leg muscles and their spine. It is also called cat yoga; that’s how relaxing it can be for your cat to sit in this position. You might notice that it is also purring while splooting. That’s another indication that it’s relaxation time. 

People often get scared when they see their cats splooting because most cats don’t do it very often. Not only does the position seem extreme, but it also resembles the position cats paralyzed from their waist down lay in.

If you get scared, rest assured that you can pick up your cat and put it down to check if it still has control over its legs.

Should you be concerned if your cat is splooting?

Under normal conditions, you shouldn’t be worried about cats splooting. This is because splooting allows a cat to increase the flexibility between joints and hips. But suppose you notice other symptoms along with cats’ splooting, such as limping, rash, and loss of appetite. In that case, that is definitely a cause for concern for your animal.

Pay attention to your kitten’s behavior and know when to call the vet. Suppose your cat exhibits any of these accompanying symptoms along with cat splooting. In that case, you should contact your veterinarian right away:

• Itchiness or Rash
• Loss of appetite
• Limping
• Decreased activity

Although cats splooting is a common phenomenon for cats, it can also be due to an underlying medical condition such as:

• Arthritis
• Injury
• Hip Dysplasia

Again, you shouldn’t be worried about your cat’s splooting if it is not showing any odd symptoms or already present medical conditions.

As mentioned earlier, you can think of cats splooting as just a stretching position in which cats feel comfortable. But any symptoms or underlying medical conditions along with splooting should be a cause of concern and discussed with the vet.

Benefits of splooting for cats

Just like humans usually sit with their legs crossed, pets (both cats and dogs) also adopt the cats’ splooting posture due to personal preference or comfort.

Another reason for cats’ splooting can be boiled down to the size and breed of your cat. Some cats sploot, while others prefer not to.

Whatever the case, let’s look at some of the benefits of splooting in cats:

Stretching 

Humans do various exercises, including stretching, yoga, running, etc. All of these exercises help us to stretch our muscles.

Similarly, pets such as cats have also developed similar behaviors over the centuries, and cats’ splooting can be thought of as a way to stretch their muscles.

Without the occasion splooting, your cat can actually develop muscle cramps.

So yes, one of the most apparent benefits of splooting in cats is that they tend to stretch their legs and muscles.

Relaxation

According to experts, cats can also sploot when they feel safe. So the next time you see your cat sploot, it can signify that you have provided them with a secure environment. So yes, you can give yourself a pat on the back for taking care of your feline friend.

Cats’ splooting can also be a sign of relaxation and feeling comfortable. If your cat feels comfortable, it can sploot to relax the body and muscles. One thing to remember is that kittens tend to do a lot more stretching (cats splooting) compared to old cats, and that has to do with flexibility.

Sign of Good Health

When the cats are young, their muscles in the hips and other body parts are much more flexible, allowing them to sploot easily. On the other hand, aged cats tend not to sploot very often as their muscles are less relaxed, which can even cause them pain to sploot.

But if your cat is aged and still sploot, it can also signify good health. A cat that is well-fed and gets routine checks from vets can stay healthy and away from most medical conditions.

Unless the cat shows other troubling signs along with cats splooting, you can take it as a sign of good health. You can also check out our guide on what cats can eat.

Cooling Off

When the temperature is high in the summer, you often see cats panting. To make things hard, feline creatures such as cats also do not like to drink water as often as humans. That’s why these feline creatures find some other ways to fight off the hot temperature to lower their body heat.

It’s also why you will often notice that cats tend to sploot and lie on cold surfaces such as tiles, cement floors, etc. This allows them to maintain their body temperature within normal range and to stay healthy.

Body Science Behind Feline Cats Splooting

So far, we know that cats’ splooting is a sign of relaxation as if it no longer cares about anything. But let’s look at the science behind this behavior.

In cats’ splooting, the cat’s back legs go out, and the feline creature lays down on the floor or any other surface. The cat’s ability to sploot dramatically affects how its muscles, bones, and whole body are shaped.

The femur and tibia bones in a cat’s legs are very strong and flexible. This allows them to jump to or from incredible heights with relative ease.

Another factor that helps a cat sploot is its highly flexible hip joint and spine. Both these things and relaxed muscles make the cat’s anatomy a perfect candidate for exhibiting this behavior.

If a human tries to replicate the same position, then it will be painful and not uncomfortable at all. On top of that, there’s a good chance that many people wouldn’t even be able to perform such a feat. This shows that cats are incredibly agile and flexible creatures with the perfect anatomy to achieve feats like this.

Sometimes, there can be other reasons for showing this behavior, though. For example, there is a slim chance that your cat might have a sore tum under their body and want to sit on a cool surface to ease the pain and itching.

Should you disturb a splooting kitty?

As you might have found out by now, your cat sploot to relax and cool off during heat weather. If you notice your cat is doing that and doesn’t show any other signs of illness, you should not disturb the cat and just let it sploot.

Because if you continue to irritate your cat while it is resting, then the cat can even scratch you as they tend to be very clear about what they like and don’t like.

But if the temperature of your house is getting too high, then you should do something to lower the temperature and help your feline friend.

Common terms regarding cat behavior

Let’s look at some other common terms related to cat behavior other than cats splooting:

Airplane Ears

This one is self-explanatory and means that your cat’s ears resemble an airplane’s wing. If you see your cat’s ears spread as if they are airplane wings, it means your cat is angry.

A cat that is showing airplane ears should be taken seriously. Avoid touching or teasing the cat at that time. If you still try to touch a cat with airplane ears, there’s a good chance it will claw at you.

Kneading Dough

Another name for this behavior is “making biscuits,” which is often shown in domestic cats. As the name implies, it resembles a cat kneading the dough with its front paws. Usually, cats show this behavior when they see something soft such as a pillow, furniture, and bike seat. Once again, this is typical cat behavior and means your cat feels happy, relaxed, and safe.

Loafing

When cats sit with their paws tucked adequately under their bodies, it refers to loafing as the cat starts to resemble a loaf of bread. During the winter season, cats tend to loaf as it allows them to retain their body heat.

On top of that, it also shows that cats feel safe, and there is no need to keep their claws in front for protection and defense.

Baffing

When a cat uses their tongue to groom itself, it is baffling as it is the cat’s way of bathing. You can also check other cool cat grooming products for your feline friend.