Kneading is the action that takes place in which a cat will sit in a crouched position and will push out and retract his claws, alternating between his left and right front paws, while appearing to suck (or nurse) and purr.
Oftentimes, it's done before sleeping and females tend to do this more often whilst in heat.
I hardly see Lily taking part in kneading, but when I do it's normally late at night when she's about to fall asleep.
Although not all cats will knead the same, it's the same idea. His paws will look like he is kneading dough. However, some of them will leave their claws retracted the whole time, while some may not dig their face into whatever they're kneading in.
There's many variations to kneading, as well as many theories for this behavior.
One theory says that although it's instinctive for cats while they are babies, as they get older it becomes an act of pleasure or relaxation.
To help you understand, experts say kneading for a cat is like stretching for a human — and if they happen to take part in this act while sitting in your lap, it's a huge sign of affection.
It has even been said that when a cat kneads on his owner, he is checking to be sure all his owners vital organs are working properly. Although I'm sure cats are unable to actually tell, it just goes to show how much he is saying "I love you" in this action.
It's also been said that this behavior has been passed down from generation to generation, as their ancestors would knead the tall grass to make a bed for them to sleep in. (Kind of like the way a dog walks around in circles before they lay down to go to sleep.)
Another theory says he is releasing his scent onto whatever he's kneading onto just to say — this is mine!
It's also been said it's his way of saying, "I want attention!" It's hard to ignore a kitty pushing her claws in and out of your lap and purring loudly.
I first noticed Charlie kneading when he was just a kitten.
It was often misunderstood and I thought he was trying to nurse! I punished Charlie by moving him off my lap and pulling his head up.
Little did I know, he was actually saying he loved me!
Charlie kneading on a blanket.
You can see how he pushes his face into the blanket and in the beginning,
you can see how he moves his paws.
Hi Whitney, though I can't speak definitively on kneading, I believe kneading helps the queen to "let down" her milk. The kneading stimulates milk flow. A variant of this behavior can be seen in suckling livestock, though they usually "root" with their muzzles. It has nothing but pleasant associations for the nursing infant animal, and those associations continue into maturity. I suppose that could be love.
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