Why do cats and dogs shake their heads?

Most cat owners are familiar with the funny head movements their pets often make after eating, drinking, or getting a light scratch on the cheek. They move their heads back and forth about a mile a minute. Dogs and other mammals are known to exhibit similar behavior.

So why do our furry friends shiver like this and does it mean there’s something wrong?

This head shaking is usually completely normal, experts told Live Science. However, the reasons may be slightly different for cats and dogs.

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Why cats shake their heads

Sarah Crowley, an anthropozoologist at the University of Exeter in the UK, told Live Science that cats shake their heads when nerve endings in their heads are stimulated.

“The physiological factor is stimulation of the very sensitive hair and nerve endings on the top of the head, especially around the ears,” she said.

These nerve endings are stimulated by a satisfying scratch, prompting the kitten to shake it off. Amy Miele, a lecturer in clinical animal behavior at the Royal College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, said: “If a carer touches a sensitive area, such as around the ears or whiskers, it can cause head tremors.”

This quick shaking motion is very effective at removing food, drink, and other obstructions from your cat’s ears and whiskers. It also helps establish the fur, Crowley added.

“Facial grooming often occurs after shaking the head. [or] ears,” Miele told Live Science via email.

A quick toss of the head can also indicate frustration. This is often a reaction to having someone blow into their ear, but it’s not something you should do on purpose as they don’t like it.

Thankfully, this irregular side-to-side movement doesn’t usually cause dizziness. “Animals (including humans) are more likely to feel dizzy when spinning around,” Miele says.

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whole body tremor

Cats aren’t the only animals that make silly shivers like this. “Many mammals have a head-shaking reflex in response to something in or around their ears,” Crowley says. “You see mice and rats do things like this when they eat or drink.”

In dogs, breeds with erect ears, such as German Shepherds, are more likely to shake their heads than floppy-eared pups, such as King Charles Spaniels. This is because it is easy for things (such as grass seeds or insects) to get stuck in their open ears.

Dog owners may be aware of other types of shakes. Predatory shakes (when your dog playfully tries to “kill” the toy by whipping its head from side to side while the “prey” is in its mouth) and full-body shakes, also known as “wet dog shakes.” “It starts at the head, rolls all over the body and ends at the tail,” Crowley said. This is the kind of post-bath shake that soaks everything in the bathroom before drying Fido with a fluffy towel.

Whole-body tremors can also indicate transitions between locations or behavioral states. For example, if your pup has just experienced something stressful or exciting. “This ‘shaking off’ is a way to help the animal decompress and reset emotionally and physically,” Miele said.

“It may have been after a really fun playtime with another dog,” Crowley added. “I often see two dogs shaking after playing and then moving on to something else.”

When you are concerned about your pet shaking its head

Head shaking may be normal, but if your pet starts shaking its head frequently under unusual circumstances, or while scratching or tilting its head, it could indicate a medical problem, such as an infection, parasites, irritation, neurological problem, or something stuck in the ear.

“It hurts and it’s uncomfortable. It’s the only thing you can do other than stick your foot in,” Crowley said.

If you are concerned about your pet’s head shaking, consult your veterinarian. “If ear infections are left untreated, they can cause hearing loss, there is a risk that the infection can spread beyond the tympanic membrane (tympanic membrane) into the middle ear, it can cause problems with balance, and the animal can become very unwell as a result,” Miele said.

But in most cases, shaking your head is an adorable and normal behavior that helps keep your pet clean and comfortable.

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