Cat paws are very sensitive
Usually, cats object to their adorable paws being rubbed and fiddled with because their paw pads are extremely sensitive. They contain large concentrations of nerve receptors, making them finely tuned sensory organs that aid hunting and maintaining balance.
In what appears to be a cabinet in the kitchen, it’s a mix of cooking items and utensils. Are you yet to see the cat? Want a clue? When you see paws, you see the cat. I guess our main character is guilty of something as it is approached by the owner; without being told, it raises its’ paws in guilt.