Smurgle Time: A Lesson On Feline Behavior

What the hell is smurgle?

What a great question!

Smurgling is when a cat snuggles up to something, purrs and kneads. This kneading isn't the typical kneading that people think of, this kneading involves punching and pulling the same way kittens do while nursing. The smurgling cat usually nuzzles what he's smurgling as well, sometimes even suckling and/or drooling on it. (I'm grateful that Nova isn't into suckling, though he does pant lightly.)

Contrary to very popular belief, this behavior is not caused by cats being removed from their mothers too early in life or being improperly weaned.

What this is is a cat's way of expressing that they're elated and safe. For a cat, nursing from their mother makes them feel safe, it makes them happy, and it's a deep connection with another living being. Think of a cat imitating nursing as their way of telling you that you make them the happiest cat in the world, that they love you more than anything else, and you make them feel like they're safe from the world and nothing can hurt them. It's one of the greatest symbols of a cat's happiness and affection.

Now, not all cats smurgle. Most do on some level, and most knead, but not all of them do.

Smurgling can be done up against a human they love, or inanimate objects (usually soft blankets and pillows). Regardless of their location of choice, it means the cat is happy and relaxed and feels safe. It is not a bad thing. Not at all. (Though some cats slobber all over the object of their affection and their humans often get upset by this, it's not really a bad thing.)

This photo is of Nova in the act of smurgling my leg while I was under the blankets. Nova believes his humans must be smurgled at least once a day, though he'll be happy to smurgle much more than that. Nova is usually a nocturnal smurgler, preferring to smurgle when there's no sunlight.

He can smurgle for small amounts of time, or go to town for sometimes an hour or more.