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How to pet a cat
- Thread starter zuben el genub
- Start date
I don't know who came up with that chart, but--in my experience--it couldn't be more wrong! 
Seriously, the area they marked "[BLANK] YOU!!" (tummy area) has historically been my cats' favorite place to be petted.
Seriously, the area they marked "[BLANK] YOU!!" (tummy area) has historically been my cats' favorite place to be petted.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
I don't know who came up with that chart, but--in my experience--it couldn't be more wrong!
Seriously, the area they marked "[BLANK] YOU!!" (tummy area) has historically been my cats' favorite place to be petted.
I agree. Clearly, the designer of that chart has never petted a cat. Cats like almost every part petted and scratched.
I'm glad I'm not alone! My little girl, Joy Noelle, has this whole routine of rolling around on the floor or on top of the microwave, WAITING for her tummy to be rubbed. Even my newest rescue, an adult male, LOVES having his tummy rubbed and did right from the start.
davoid
Android Expert
Well I've known some cats to lie on their backs, inviting you to rub their stomach and then they clasp onto your arm and claw the sh!t out of it with their back paws... but I think that is just the psychotic ones
I think that this cat petting guide is funnier juxtaposed in context with the dog petting guide as in this following image (hidden for same reasons as in OP):
I think that this cat petting guide is funnier juxtaposed in context with the dog petting guide as in this following image (hidden for same reasons as in OP):
Stuntman
Android Expert
You're misinterpreting them. Some cats want to play, so they lie on their backs and when you pet them, they "play" with your hand. Yes, raking your hand with its hind claws is considered to be "playing" to them.
Also, all cats are different. I had two cats and one likes being pet a lot more than the other. It's also a good idea to learn how to communicate with them, so you know whether or not they want to be pet before you try.
davoid
Android Expert
I do get that they are playing, but for that reason I think it's incorrect to suggest that the creator of that "petting map" has never petted a cat before merely because others have had a more pleasant experience of petting their cats in the "**** YOU!" zone. It's more than likely that the creator has petted cats there before, and had the cat "play" with them rather than lie there purring.
Or do the earlier posters who say their cats love being rubbed and scratched on their stomachs deduce this love by how much blood the cats draw with their claws?
So do you see the lying on their back inviting a petting as a likely sign that they want to "play", i.e. fight, or do you use some other means to discriminate this from their wanting to be affectionately stroked?
I ask this as you suggest you can communicate with them. What are the different signs, because I haven't managed to discern them yet.
But when someone posts an apparently generic chart about ALL cats' petting preferences, they shouldn't base it on THEIR specific experience.
No blood here! And I rub my baby's tummy every day. However, I will admit that she's picky about who's allowed to pet her tummy.Or do the earlier posters who say their cats love being rubbed and scratched on their stomachs deduce this love by how much blood the cats draw with their claws?
My friend and I have a funny routine we call Joy's "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" act. Joy will get up on the microwave, and my friend and I take turns petting her. When *I* am petting her, she's all "oh, Mommy, look how sweet and demure I am!" and she's just as gentle as can be. Then the split second that my friend takes over, Joy swats at her and tries to bite her hand. It's all in good fun and Joy doesn't draw blood or anything, and it's actually quite hilarious to watch because the difference is like night and day. And no matter how many times we trade off, she changes personalities, BOOM!, just like that. 
It depends on the cat. I [currently] have six cats. They're all rescues and all indoor only. Each one has a distinct personality, along with distinct likes and dislikes--just as any sentient being, including the human variety.
My newest rescue definitely likes playing in the "kick your arm with his hind legs" manner, but there's a very distinct behavior he does that leads up to that. It took me like a day to figure it out. It involves rolling around on his back and meowing a very specific meow. When I choose to go along--under those circumstances--I know what's coming, so I expect it. But at other times he really just wants his tummy rubbed, and does not do any of the telltale signs that he's baiting me and wants to play. How long have you had cats? I've had them for 40+ years, so maybe reading them is just natural to me now. I don't know. But if you pay attention to what they're doing and how they're doing it, you should be able to discern their specific quirks pretty easily.
Stuntman
Android Expert
You need to look at more signs than the cat just lying on its back. Sometimes lying on its back is a defensive position that allows it to counter strike with all 4 paws and bite. You have to be able to tell the difference if the cat is inviting you to rub its belly or if it is taking a defensive position. If its claws are extended, then it is likely not a good idea to rub its belly.
If I encounter a cat that doesn't know me, I usually crouch down and stretch out my arm and make a fist. I hold the fist a little lower than the cat's head level. If the cat is interested, it will come up to your fist and sniff it. If it is comfortable with me, it will likely rub my fist with its head. Then I can start petting its head. I usually like to stroke it under the chin. This may result in the cat actually lying down. If it likes your petting, it will likely purr.
Whether or not a cat likes a belly rub depends on the cat. You can choose to make your way down the cats belly by stroking its chin and work your way slowly down. I will show some resistance if it is not into that.
I find that cats differ in where and how much it likes or does not like to be pet. A friend's cat would bite me if I touch a certain spot on either hip. Not hard enough to draw blood, but just enough to send a message to not go there. My cats did not have this issue. It helps to know the cat.
