 If there were an Olympic event for stretching, cats would win gold. They're constantly stretching their muscles, likely for many of the same reasons that people do, experts told LiveScience. The main reasons? It feels good and increases blood flow," said Andrew Cuff, a postdoctoral researcher of anatomy at the Royal Veterinary College in London. Cats stretch to get their muscles moving again after periods of inactivity, whether they've been sitting still or sleeping, Cuff told LiveScience. When a cat is sleeping or relaxed, its blood pressure drops, Cuff said. The same is true for people, he added. Stretching can help to reverse that.