Most cats love petting as long as you don’t touch certain areas of their bodies.
Most cat owners don’t know that cats prefer being pet on their back, around the cheeks, chin, ears, and forehead. However, it’s game over if you touch their belly, feet, or tail.
There’s a reason why most cats don’t allow their humans to pet their tummies, feet, and tail. Below, I will share the best and worst places to pet a kitty and explain the reasoning behind petting a cat in different areas.
Moreover, I will provide petting tips, so you and your kitten can bond through petting, so let’s dive right in.
Why Do Cats Like Petting?
Cats can’t talk and share their feelings with their owners.
That’s where grooming, nuzzling, and rubbing kick in and help our kittens communicate with us. While snuggling with their owners, cats release pheromones and scents (scent marking), which also count as ways of communication.
When you pet your kitten, you also cause a rise in oxytocin, the love hormone. Oxytocin also increases in people during affectionate interactions.
In summary, most cats feel good when being petted. However, some cats resist petting because they’ve never been tickled before by humans.
Whether or not a cat likes petting depends on the cat’s character, preferences, and past experiences with people. Additionally, some cats don’t like petting because of pain, fear, or lack of socialization.
In general, most kittens like being petted by their favorite humans.
Where Do Cats Like Being Pet the Most?
Petting is the best way to communicate and build a strong bond with your cat. However, there’s a whole science behind petting a cat.
Most kittens welcome petting in certain places and can hiss or bite your hands if you try to touch the off-limits areas of their bodies.
Keeping in mind that cats have different characters and tolerance levels, here’s a list of places to pet your kitten and spend quality time together.
So, where to pet a cat?
#1. Under the Chin
Cats have scent glands on their face, along the jaw and cheeks. That’s why most felines enjoy gentle rubs under the chin, especially where the jawbone and skull connect.
#2. Around the Cheeks
As I already mentioned, cats have scents on their face, including cheeks. When you rub a cat’s cheeks behind the whiskers, the scent glands release a scent onto you.
In other words, your cat’s scent marks you.
#3. The Base of the Ears
Cats mark their territory, objects, and even humans with their scent when they feel good and comfortable. That’s why many cats bump their heads against their owners and enjoy strokes at the base of the ears.
#4. The Base of the Tail
Usually, cats love being petted at the base of the tail because they have nerves along their tails. These nerves control the cat’s tail, hind legs, and bladder, among other things.
They’re sensitive to the touch, so cats like when their owners run their hand down their back and gently pet the base of their tails.
However, you can easily overstimulate your cat’s nerves, so stay cautious. Most kittens express overstimulation by biting, swinging their paw at their owner, hissing, etc.
Learn your cat’s body language to prevent overstimulation and attacks.
#5. Along the Back
Lastly, cats enjoy when their favorite people glide their hands along their backs, starting at the head and ending at the base of their tails.
A happy cat will soften their body muscles and maybe even elevate their rear end when you get to the base of their tail.
Most owners follow up the stroking with a grooming session because the comb or brush delivers the same motion as their hand gliding.
While you’re at it, give your cat a few butt scratches. They’ll love it.
3 Worst Places to Pet a Cat
When petting your feline, avoid touching their private areas, such as their genitals and anus. Otherwise, your cat might bite you in self-defense.
In short, don’t touch these vulnerable areas of your kitten’s body because they will feel uncomfortable. Sometimes, cats present their rear ends to their owners, but you should still avoid these off-limits spots when petting your furry friend.
Now, let’s discuss other body parts cats consider sensitive.
Tail
Cats love when their owners stroke the base of their tails. However, they can get violent pretty quickly if you touch their tails, as they consider their tail a sensitive area.
Moreover, you can easily determine when your kitty has had enough petting by their tail. The more your cat’s tail moves, the sooner you should stop petting your feline.
Stomach
Most dogs expose their bellies for strokes and tickles. However, cats don’t act the same because they see their stomachs as vulnerable.
The vital organs stay in the stomach, which is why cats don’t like this part of their bodies exposed to predators. They don’t think of their owners as predators but have the instinct to protect themselves when someone tries to reach their bellies.
You will probably get scratches if you try to tickle or pet your cat’s belly.
However, some cats expose their bellies to their owners and ask for belly rubs when they feel safe enough, so don’t lose hope.
Legs and Feet
Typically, cats dislike anyone touching their feet and legs because they see these parts of their bodies as sensitive.
Moreover, touching their legs and feet makes most kitties feel trapped, so avoid playing with these soft areas of your cat’s body.
Extra tip: It’s never a good idea to hug or pick up a cat unless you’re close to the kitten and you know they enjoy it. Maybe your cat likes hugging or being picked up, but every cat is different, and some don’t like these things, especially if they don’t know you.
How to Pet a Cat Properly: Helpful Tips
When petting a feline, remember that less is always more because they’re not like dogs. Cats don’t enjoy long petting sessions and belly rubs.
On the contrary, cats get easily overstimulated and agitated by petting. That’s why they bike and scratch their owners. My advice is to give your cat as much choice as possible, and they might reward you with unexpected snuggles in the future.
Here’s a list of other valuable tips that might come in handy when petting your kitten.
Cats Prefer Soft, Gentle Strokes
Cat experts suggest that many cats like when familiar people apply gentle pressure in the same direction of their coat instead of back-and-forth stroking.
Pay Attention to Your Cat’s Sensitive Areas
As I already stated, cats love petting in the areas where you can find their scent glands, such as their face.
If you reach for your cat’s cheek or head and they welcome your touch, they’re covering you with their scent and expressing their trust.
When cats release their scent, it’s called bunting, and it’s a way of marking territory and showing affection.
Other places cats enjoy being petted include behind the ears, under the chin, and along the back. On the other hand, they don’t like their tail, legs, feet, and bellies touched.
Extra tip: If you’re unsure whether your feline’s in the mood for petting, start the petting session slowly and watch their reaction.
Stay Cautious When Petting a New, Unfamiliar Cat
If you want to pet someone’s cat, ask the cat owner if it’s okay. Many cats aren’t fond of strangers and might respond with aggression, so keep that in mind.
Moreover, ask the owner if the kitty has painful or sensitive spots that you should avoid. Also, ask if the feline likes being petted in a specific manner.
Lastly, let the cat approach you first. Otherwise, you might lose the chance to gain their trust. Slowly reach out for the cat, but don’t initiate physical touch. Let the cat smell your hand and see you’re not a threat.
Once the kitty starts rubbing on your hands or legs, you can gently rub their head, face, back, etc. Let the feline guide you because cats typically rub against their owner’s hand with more pressure and direct their hand to other parts of their bodies.
Stop the petting session if you notice signs of agitation or overstimulation, such as hissing, growling, meowing, tail wiggling, tense body, or other negative animal behavior.
Signs That Your Cat Has Had Enough Petting
Have you heard of overstimulation aggression? It’s what happens when cats experience overstimulation by petting.
Moreover, it’s a negative behavior that many cats display when they have had excessive attention or disagreeable petting.
You can easily prevent overstimulation aggression by observing your cat’s behavior and body language during playtime or petting sessions.
Signs of overstimulation aggression include:
- Tail twitching
- Lashing
- Your cat’s back will begin to twitch and ripple
- Your cat responds to the petting by turning their head toward you to see what you’re doing
- The ears will turn back
- The pupils will dilate
- Your cat’s muscles might become stiff
- Cat stops purring
- Meowing, hissing, etc.
Knowing your cat’s limits can help you prevent overstimulation aggression and attacks in the future.
For instance, if you stroke your kitty five times and then a scratch or bite happens, you know you shouldn’t pet your feline five times, so stop at four.
Signs Your Cat Isn’t a Big Fan of Petting
I have a cat that doesn’t like petting too much, so I can confirm that not every kitty loves petting. If your new cat doesn’t enjoy petting, you can easily tell by their signals during the petting session.
Cats communicate with us through signals, so don’t try to pet your kitten if they react in one or more of the following manners:
- Narrowed eyes
- Flattened ears
- Moving away from your hand
- Arching the back
- Swishing tail
- The tail’s held high
- Crying
- Growling
- Hissing
- High-pitched meowing
- Hiding
- Avoiding your presence
If you see these signs, leave your kitty alone and don’t feel angry or sad. Your cat might return for petting once they calm down.
Does Breed Matter? What About Age?
The breed and age play a part in your cat’s playfulness. Some cat breeds like cuddling and petting, while others don’t.
If you have Siamese, you’re lucky because these cats enjoy petting. They’re playful and loving pets that demand cuddles. The same goes for Ragdolls. They’re also affectionate and won’t mind your cuddles.
However, if you own a Cymric, Singapura, Korat, or American Wirehair cat, don’t expect too much affection because these breeds aren’t affectionate. They’re quiet and passive.
As for age, if a cat isn’t socialized with people at a young age, they might reject affection and petting once they’re older.
Therefore, don’t worry if your feline resists cuddling. This behavior can be a part of your cat’s upbringing or personality.
As your kitty spends more time with you, they will likely become more affectionate.
I believe gaining trust doesn’t happen overnight in any relationship. If you’re patient and invest your time into your relationship, you will eventually gain your cat’s trust and even a belly rub, which is rare but not impossible.
So, Where Do Cats Like to be Stroked the Most?
In a nutshell, some cats tend to love petting, while others don’t. Whether or not your feline likes petting might depend on their breed, age, or personality.
However, many cats that enjoy petting prefer being touched in specific places.
Those places include their heads, cheeks, under their chin, along their backs, and at the base of their tails.
Also, cats have vulnerable places you shouldn’t touch unless they allow you to, like their legs, feet, tails, and bellies. And you might get bites and scratches if you reach for these areas of your kitty’s body.
Overall, petting improves human-cat interactions. It also allows you to inspect your cat’s body for cat bumps, lumps, or cuts.
Lastly, petting benefits you and your cat because when you cuddle with your feline, your love hormone, oxytocin, is released in both your bodies.
Simultaneously, the levels of a stress-related hormone, cortisol, decrease, so it’s a win-win situation for both parties.
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*image by Valerii_Honcharuk/depositphotos