instinct
The Meerkat Stand (Standing Upright on Hind Legs)
Rearing up on the back legs to gain height for a better look or a closer sniff
Every so often a cat will rise up on its hind legs like a tiny meerkat, front paws tucked or reaching, to get a better view of something just out of reach or high overhead.
When a cat stands upright on its back legs it is doing something very deliberate: buying itself extra height. A few more centimetres of elevation can be enough to see over a worktop edge, track a bird at the top of the window, follow a dangling toy, or catch a scent drifting from a plate or a bag. Cats are built to hunt and assess in three dimensions, and standing tall is simply another way of changing their vantage point, alongside climbing and jumping.
The pose is most common when something interesting is close but not quite reachable — a treat held up, a wand toy lifted overhead, an insect on the wall, or a new smell coming from above. Some cats will hold the stand for several seconds, weaving slightly for balance, while others pop up and drop straight back down. It is usually a sign of confident curiosity rather than distress: the cat is engaged and wants a closer look or a better sniff.
You can encourage it as gentle exercise and enrichment by raising a wand toy so your cat stretches up to bat at it, which works the core and back muscles. There is nothing to worry about in an occasional meerkat stand. Only take note if a cat that used to stand and stretch readily stops doing so, or seems reluctant to rear up, as unwillingness to extend the spine or bear weight on the hind legs can occasionally point to joint or back discomfort worth mentioning to your vet.
🐾 Most common in
Curious, confident cats of all breeds, and especially kittens and lively young adults; taller, long-bodied breeds often hold the pose with ease.