It may be one of the nicest feelings in the world when your cat, settling in for a nap, alternately presses their front paws into your lap.

当你的猫咪用前爪交替地推搡着你的膝盖，趴在那儿打盹儿的时候，这大概是世界上最美好的感觉之一了。

This is called kneading , and there's a heart-melting reason why it's such a special part of your relationship with your cat.

猫咪的这种行为被称为抚弄，这之所以被当作你和你的猫咪相处时的特别之处，其背后是有一个暖心的理由的。

The kneading action actually starts right from when kittens are born - one of its functions is to stimulate milk production in the mothers' mammary glands.

实际上从小猫出生之后，它们就开始有抚弄的行为了，其功能之一就是刺激母猫乳腺产生乳汁。

Other behaviours that accompany the action indicate that it's a juvenile behaviour carried over into adulthood, so it doesn't mean the cat is trying to make you produce milk.

伴随着这一举动的其他行为表明，这种幼稚的行为会延续到猫咪成年，所以当猫咪抚弄你的时候并不意味着它想让你提供乳汁。

It's usually accompanied by purring and followed by a nap - both behaviours that are also observed in kittens during and after feeding.

猫咪做出抚弄的动作之后，通常会打盹儿而且还会打呼噜，而在猫咪喂食期间和喂食之后，你也会观察到这两种行为。

According to a veterinarian-run website, adult cats in the wild use their paws and claws to tread down and soften a small area for sleeping.

一个由兽医运营的网站指出，野生成年猫咪会用它们的爪子拍平一小块区域，并使其变得柔软，然后用来睡觉。

And, since cats have scent glands in their paw pads, they're probably also indulging in a bit of territorialism, marking you or their bed as their property.

而且因为猫咪的爪垫上有气味腺，它们可能还会肆意地做出一些类似圈地的举动，把你或它的床标记为自己的所有物。

It is important to note that, despite popular belief, kneading is not the sign of a cat who was weaned too early - most cats seem to do it.

值得一提的是，虽然人们普遍认为，抚弄并非太早为猫咪断奶的征兆，但多数猫咪似乎却是这样的。

Even if they're trying to squish you down to make a bed or trying to mark you as their property, a cat kneading you means you are very loved, in that special kitty way.

一只猫咪用爪子抚弄你，即使它们是为了把你推倒当床，或者把你标记为它们的所有物，这也意味着你被猫咪以它们特有的方式所喜爱着。

"If you do have a cat who kneads their bedding, or better yet you, it's because they're feeling very loved and comfortable," Katie Armour said. "You should absolutely take this as a compliment!"

“如果你确实有一只猫咪揉捏着它们的寝具，或是用爪子抚弄你，这是因为它们觉得被爱护着，并感到舒适，”卡蒂·阿穆尔说道。“你绝对应该把这当成是一种赞美！”

（翻译：Dlacus）