Most cats love chin rubbing, belly rubs, and, you guessed it, butt pats or butt scratches.
One of the reasons felines like being patted on the bum is that the area around their hips has a lot of nerve endings that don’t get much stimulation regularly.
And the sensation of being gently scratched activates those nerve endings, making your furry friend feel happier, comfortable, and more relaxed. However, these nerve endings can quickly get overstimulated and make your feline aggressive.
In today’s article, I will discuss this topic in detail and reveal why cats like butt pats, so let’s dive right in.
Why Do Cats Like Their Butt Scratched?
I can’t discuss all the possible reasons why cats like butt scratches, but I will try to explain the most common ones, so take a look and learn more about your cat’s behavior.
1. Their Bottom Itches
Sometimes, cats ask for scratches, pats, or pets because it’s easier for their owners to reach certain parts of their body that itches.
Cats prefer their favorite humans to scratch body parts they can’t reach themselves. And that includes the area around their hips and butt.
Therefore, by patting or scratching this part, you’re probably helping your cat relieve itchiness and other discomforts they can’t handle on their own.
Also, when cat owners help their furry friends relieve discomfort, that improves their relationship.
2. Their Butts Have Many Nerve Endings
Cats also like butt pats because the area around their hips and butt has a bunch of nerve endings that usually don’t receive enough stimulation.
And scratching or gently patting that area makes most cats feel good, but the nerve endings can also get overstimulated from too many butt pats.
And when this happens, your cat can go from happy to angry and biting. It’s not that the pats don’t feel good anymore, but they’re getting overstimulated.
3. They’re Being Polite
If your cat asks for butt pats or allows you to scratch their butt gently, they treat you as they would another feline they liked.
Simply put, they’re being polite because they love you.
When two cats greet each other, they first rub or sniff faces together, then snuffle down each other until they get to the butt. It’s how they check each other’s smell.
Also, rubbing and sniffing allow cats to exchange their pheromones, which can help recognize friendly felines and family groups. This helps your cat remembers you as the owner.
4. Butt Pats Reminds Cats of Their Mother Cat
People don’t usually consider their cat’s experiences as a baby.
And those experiences when your cat was a baby determines what they like as adult cats. Typically, cat mothers groom their kittens from nose to tail, including their rear end.
Therefore, scratching or patting your cat’s tail or butt probably reminds them of the attention they received as a baby from their feline mother. And that reminder feels good. It’s comparable to watching a favorite TV show from your childhood.
5. They See You as Their Parent
Butt pats remind cats of their mothers, making them think that the person repeating that behavior is their surrogate mother.
Note that domestic younger animals don’t grow up as stray or wild ones do; they enjoy their childhood and carelessness for much longer.
Therefore, petting, patting, and grooming improve their connection with their owners as they remind them of their natural parents.
The best part? Strengthening that relationship also makes felines safer and relaxed in the presence of their human parents.
6. Your Cat Likes Your Petting
Seeing your cat’s rear up and tail straight means they enjoy the petting session.
Also known as elevator butt, this behavior, especially when petting your feline’s butt, indicates that they like what you’re doing and appreciate the attention.
Therefore, when your feline elevates these body parts, it’s a sign that you’re hitting the right spots. Your cat might meow when being petted.
7. You’re Their Favorite Human
One final reason cats might show their butt to humans is that they think they’re their family. (*)
Simply put, your cat isn’t only seeing you as a surrogate parent but also as a person they like and enjoy their attention.
Your cat’s butt has lots of unique pheromones. And by sharing those pheromones with you, they’re claiming you as their favorite human. They’re also letting other cats know you’re part of their family.
Lastly, it’s a sign of love and trust since exposing their rear end can be a vulnerable position for your feline. It’s their way of expressing confidence in their humans.
Why Do Felines Like Being Slapped?
Cats like being gently slapped by their human parents or someone they appreciate, as gentle slapping promotes affection between the two parties.
Cats have a sophisticated neurological system. In other words, they’re sensitive, so they get overstimulated pretty quickly.
For instance, if you’re petting parts of your cat’s body, they might not like it as much as you do, so consider indicators that they’re anxious.
Just like humans, most herd animals bond with other creatures through touching.
For instance, newborns need frequent contact with their parents. The same goes for animals. Just like people, they need tactile reinforcement from love to feel safe.
There’s a unique collection of neurons under the skin in cats, interpreting touches and sending information back to the brain. And these neurons can be easily triggered by the continuous, repeated action of stroking or petting.
In this case, the cat’s brain considers the action pleasurable or rewarding.
These petting neurons were first found in mice. However, all animals have them, regardless of size or scale.
As a result, most cats enjoy scratches, butt pats, and gentle slaps, but they can differentiate between well-intentioned and ill-intentioned slapping.
Why Do Cats Like Their Bottoms Smacked?
Some cats enjoy it when their owners slap sensitive body parts like bottoms. Other cats enjoy slaps or rubs on their back towards the base of their tail.
And since cats have a larger cavity in this part of their body, you can hear the hitting noise, which sounds like a dull blow.
Simply put, the slapping noise sounds very hard, making owners wonder if and why some cats enjoy it.
Read on if you also wonder why your feline likes their butt smacked.
Personal Petting Preference
Not all cats enjoy spanking or slapping.
In fact, no animal likes abuse, so although some people believe it’s okay to nag or even physically hit cats, it’s not.
Moreover, abuse can cause behavioral and physical health issues.
Gentle spanking isn’t the same as abuse. It’s usually a flat-hand hit that goes over the flat part of a cat’s body, around the hind legs and tail areas, and most cats like it. However, some don’t, so it’s a personal preference.
Some cats prefer chin tickling or rolling over and exposing their belly for petting over slapping or smacking. So, ensure you read your feline’s body language properly and avoid slapping their butt if they don’t enjoy it.
Do Female Cats Like Being Slapped Due to a Sexual Reason?
Many people wonder if cats enjoy slapping because of sexual reasons. Some cat owners claim that female cats enjoy slapping on the back because it’s the place near their private area.
In fact, a domesticated female cat that isn’t allowed to mate can get anxious and annoyed. In these cases, they will look for anything to help their issue.
And being smacked or slapped on the back can provide some pleasure for a cat in heat. So, your female cat can enjoy slapping on the back for this reason. When in heat, females also lick their private area for the same reason.
However, cats don’t need to be ready to mate to enjoy butt pats. Even neutered cats can enjoy this activity.
Also, if your domesticated cat has been neutered before reaching sexual maturity, they can still display sexual behaviors. They won’t act all crazy about it as non-neutered cats, but they can still enjoy slapping on the butt.
Male cats can also find pleasure in the slapping action, but if they’re non-spayed and sexually frustrated, they can get annoyed and aggressive.
Does Slapping Hurt Cats?
If you slap your cat too hard, you will cause them pain. If you forcefully pet your cat, especially in a sensitive area, they will express their pain quickly.
The same goes for slapping your cat on the side or back.
If you slap your cat hard enough, there won’t be any visible damage. However, you can cause bruising or, even worse, internal damage.
Symptoms of internal damage include abnormal walking or even blood in the urine. So, avoid slapping your feline too forcefully. While some cats enjoy a gentle slap on the bottom or side, no cat enjoys physical abuse.
Should I Slap My Feline if They Enjoy it?
If your feline enjoys being spanked or slapped, you can do it, but it would be best if you didn’t hit or spank your feline too hard.
Otherwise, you can cause internal damage. Also, your cat won’t trust you anymore. Simply put, you will likely damage your relationship with your cat.
If your feline has been neutered, slapping can be a suitable way to decrease sexual frustration afterward. If they’re not neutered, consider making a vet appointment, as spaying can extend the life of your feline.
If your cat doesn’t like slapping, respect their wishes, as they can become angry or aggressive. They will likely think you’re trying to cause them harm and attack back. Moreover, you will ruin or at least weaken your bond.
Overall, you can quickly tell if your cat enjoys the slapping or not by their reaction. If your cat likes and encourages it, you can do it gently.
Meeting your cat’s needs is a great way to establish or reinforce a relationship. And if they don’t like it, leave your feline away and try other petting manners.
Final Tips on Petting Cats for Responsible Cat Owners
Some cats enjoy being patted or slapped on the bum. Others don’t.
Generally, they love chin scratching, scratching behind the ears, and belly rubs if they trust their owners enough.
However, some cats prefer petting above the base of the tail because they have a lot of nerve endings and scent glands in this area. And stimulating those nerve endings makes them feel good, relaxed, etc.
Petting also has a therapeutic effect on people. Ensure you learn cat communication and body language to tell what they like or don’t like.
Make Sure You Don’t Overstimulate Your Cat While Petting
Scratching the same body part can overstimulate the neurons under their skin and make your feline aggressive. And instead of purring, you can receive a scratch or a bite as thanks for the petting session.
In Summary
Cats love and appreciate petting as much as their owners love petting them, but you should consider their petting preferences.
You now have more knowledge, so go ahead and cuddle with your cat the way they approve it.
*image by Vadymvdrobot/depositphotos