Some cats engage in this ritual from an early age, imprinting it as a natural instinct. Whether kneading blankets, pillows, or even their human caregivers, this behaviour is believed to harken back to their kittenhood, where they instinctively kneaded their mother's mammary glands to stimulate milk production.
For cats that continue this behaviour into adulthood, it can serve as a way to express relaxation, happiness or simply a means to mark their territory.