If you have ever seen a cat in a stressful situation arch their back and jump sideways, you may be wondering what causes this behavior. In today’s article, we are going to explain how this behavior is caused by the cats innate nature that they developed after evolving in the wild for thousands of years. 

Why do Cats Arch Their Backs and Jump Sideways?

The main reason cats arch their back and jump sideways is because it is a survival technique they developed by living in the wild for thousands of years. While in the wild, cats were often faced against bigger animals, such as foxes, wolves, jaguars, and even sometimes big birds. In order to size up against their bigger predator, they would arch their back and their hair would frizz up. This would give the impression that they are bigger than they actually are. Secondly, they jump sideways to avoid an attack and to also display their quickness. Once a predator sees their quick agility by jumping sideways, they may lose interest because they think the cat will be too fast to catch. In simplest terms, when a cat arches their back and jumps sideways, it is contemplating whether it should fight or flight. Arching the back and jumping sideways gives the cat extra time to size up their opponent and possibly scare them away.

Is your cat playing or serious when they arch their back and jump sideways?

Sometimes there is a very blurred line when trying to see if your cat is being playful or is defensive and going to attack. For example, some cats will arch their back when you are petting them. Obviously, they do this as a natural reflex and do not feel threatened. The key way to tell if your cat feels threatened is too look at its other body parts. If it’s hair is pushed out, and your cat is hissing, there is a good chance your cat feels threatened and may attack or run away very soon.