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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.
This article has been viewed 36,504 times.
Petting a cat may sound simple, but for children or people who don’t spend a lot of time with cats, it’s important to know what to do or not to do while approaching and touching them. Improper handling, force or speed can provoke some cats, causing them to bite or scratch. Experts recommend following your cat’s whims: wait for the cat’s consent and let it control the interaction. There are a few suitable places on the cat’s body for you to cuddle: the area where the cat’s sweat glands are concentrated. Spreading the scent into a familiar smelling environment will make them feel happy and satisfied. [1] X Source of Research Knowing the right places to pet and when to stay away can help you and your cat enjoy interacting time.
Steps
Focus on the Scent Gland Area
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Start scratching lightly under your chin. Use your fingers or fingernails to gently rub the cat’s chin, especially where the jawbone connects to the skull. Maybe the cat will rub against your hand or extend its chin forward, both signs that they are feeling good. [2] X Research Sources[3] X Research Sources
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Focus on the area between or behind the ears. Use your fingers and apply gentle pressure. The ear part is the part that marks the cat’s scent. [4] X Research Sources
- If cats rub their heads on you (called “butting”), they are releasing a scent to mark you as their possession.
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Stroking the cheekbones behind the mustache. If the cat likes this, they will turn their cheeks forward to demand more cuddles from you. [5] X Research Sources
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Gently run the back of your hand along the side of your face. Once the cat is warmed up, you can use your middle finger to stroke the cat’s “mustache” (on the upper lip) while gently brushing around the entire face and stroking the top of the cat’s head with your thumb. The cat is now yours.
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Stroking the cat from forehead to tail. Stroke the cat’s forehead, then trace down the base of the tail in a head-to-tail direction continuously. Massage your cat’s neck muscles by gently pinching. Use gentle force and do continuous, slow motions. You should only stroke in one fixed direction (from forehead to tail), because cats do not like to stroke in the opposite direction.
- Do not touch the tail or move your hand along the side.
- If your cat likes the way you pet him, he’ll arch his back and press against your hand. When you pull your hand back, the cat may rub its forehead against your hand to encourage you to continue cuddling. If the cat folds its ears, shrinks, or walks away, you should stop petting it.
- You can scratch gently as you run your hand over the cat’s back, but don’t just scratch in one spot. You should move your hand from head to tail.
- Apply light pressure on the tail but be careful. This is an area where the scent glands are concentrated, and some cats like you to scratch it. [6] X Research Source However, some animals have a habit of suddenly biting your hand when they are satisfied.
Let the Cat Active Approach
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Let the cat smell before you cuddle to make them comfortable. Extend your hand or finger and allow the cat to touch your nose with your body.
- If your cat isn’t interested in your hand or just stares suspiciously, you should reconsider your intention to pet him. Choose a different time when the cat is in a happier mood.
- If your cat sniffs your hand, meows, then rubs her chin or head on your hand, or rubs her body against you, it’s a sign that she wants to be cuddled. Open your palms and gently touch their bodies.
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Wait until the cat rubs its head on you. This is a signal they want attention. [7] X Research Source If you’re busy at work, pet your cat once or twice, so it knows you’re not ignoring it.
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Cuddle the cat as it jumps into your lap and curls up. See if they move or not. If so, this action means the cat just wants to lie there and relax, since humans have a warm body temperature that makes them feel good. If the cat doesn’t budge, you can continue to gently stroke the spine or the spots described in section 2.
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Cuddle your cat when they’re standing next to you. Cats love to be pampered when they are with their owners. You can gently stroke the upper body. If they meow or purr, it means the cat is feeling good.
- However, you need to avoid touching the cat’s belly.
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Understand how cats communicate. Cats often make a low-pitched sound (purring). Purring is one of the ways cats signal that they feel close and want attention. When it’s accompanied by hip touching, bouncing around your ankles, or head rubbing, it means your cat wants your cuddle right now. Sometimes cats just need a gentle caress, such as a handshake or greeting, rather than a long hug and pull.
- The loudness of a cat’s purr indicates their level of pleasure. The louder the cat meows, the happier they feel. A soft purr indicates they are satisfied, while a loud purr means the cat is very happy. Excessive shouting represents extreme excitement that can sometimes turn into discomfort. Therefore you should be careful.
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Watch for signs that your cat doesn’t want to be petted anymore. Sometimes cuddling can become too stimulating or uncomfortable, especially if the action is repeated over and over. If you are not paying attention, the cat will signal by biting or scratching lightly. However, cats often give a small signal before they bite that they don’t want to be petted anymore. You need to heed these advance warnings to stop petting at the right time:
- Ears flattened to the head
- Tail twitch
- Stirring
- Growling or hissing [8] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source
Know What To Avoid
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Swipe the cat’s fur from head to tail and do not change direction. Some cats don’t like being stroked from tail to head.
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Do not pat the cat. Some cats like this, others don’t, and if you’re not used to being around them, don’t try this if you don’t want to be bitten or scratched by your cat.
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Avoid the abdomen. When cats are relaxed, they can lie on their backs and expose their bellies. [9] X Research Source You shouldn’t assume that this means cats like to be patted on the belly, as most cats don’t like this at all. This is because in the wild cats must always protect themselves from dangerous predators (as opposed to dogs, who are more confident in this regard – and love to be patted on the belly). The abdomen is a vulnerable area containing all the internal organs, so cats will bar their fangs and raise their claws if you touch this sensitive part. [10] X Research Source
- Some cats like to be patted on the belly, but they see the action as playing with force or wrestling and scratching with their claws. They will claw their claws around your hand or arm, bite your hand, and scratch hard with their front and back paws. This is not an attack but a way of playing “wrestling”.
- If your cat pounces on you with its paw, you should stay still and let it retract its claws on its own. If necessary, you can use your other hand and gently push the cat’s paw to bring the claws in. Cats often accidentally scratch deeper if their claws get caught. They use their claws to hold and grab, so if your cat signals you to stop moving your hands, they’ll stop if you do the same.
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Approach the cat’s paw very carefully. You shouldn’t touch their paws unless you’re close to your cat and know that they love to play with their feet. Start petting the cat to relax, then ask permission to stroke the cat’s paw by touching one paw with your finger.
- Many cats don’t like touching their paws, but can be trained to do some activities like clipping their toenails slowly, continuously, and with encouragement.
- If the cat does not object, use your fingers to gently stroke the paw in the direction of hair growth (from ankle to toe). When your cat pulls its paw out, hisses, folds its ears, or walks away, you should stop petting it.
Advice
- If your cat wags her tail up and down or to the sides, you should stop petting her, as she may be agitated.
- If your cat sees you as a stranger, you need to be patient. What their close owners do is acceptable, but they won’t get used to it when strangers do it.
- If the cat headbutts your hand, you should not panic. They just want to have fun!
- Some cats like to be held, while others don’t. If the cat tries to jump out of your hand, this is a sign that it doesn’t want to be touched.
- Cats love to be lightly scratched on the cheek. Others like you to gently touch their nose with your little finger.
- You need to know when the cat likes to be cuddled and when it doesn’t like the owner’s petting or scratching.
- You can stroke behind the cat’s ears or under the chin. Those are the right areas for cuddling
- If you see a cat swishing its tail vigorously, ears moving back and forth, pupils dilated, or paws stretched, you should stop petting the cat, as the cat is getting irritated and could bite or scratch its owner!
- Some cats like you rubbing their ears. If you gently massage the two folds of the ears, they will feel relaxed. However, you should be careful because some cats don’t like this.
- You should approach the cat very slowly and crouch low. Most cats don’t like owners standing too tall for them.
- Many cats don’t like to stroke their tails, so you need to avoid this part!
- Cuddling a cat releases relaxation hormones that reduce stress, [11] X Research Source lowers blood pressure, and reduces the risk of heart disease or stroke. [12] X Research Source
Warning
- Children should be closely supervised when petting cats. Children can easily provoke a cat to bite or scratch. An adult-friendly cat doesn’t always get along with children. Absolutely do not let small children put their faces close to the cat.
- If your injury is caused by a cat bite or scratch, you need to wash the wound with antibacterial soap and apply an antiseptic. Then seek medical help. Deep puncture wounds require medical attention because the risk of infection is very high.
- Do not cuddle your cat if you have allergies.
- If you see an aggressive cat, you need to stay away because it can hurt by biting and scratching.
- Don’t pet the cat if it feels uncomfortable.
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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.
This article has been viewed 36,504 times.
Petting a cat may sound simple, but for children or people who don’t spend a lot of time with cats, it’s important to know what to do or not to do while approaching and touching them. Improper handling, force or speed can provoke some cats, causing them to bite or scratch. Experts recommend following your cat’s whims: wait for the cat’s consent and let it control the interaction. There are a few suitable places on the cat’s body for you to cuddle: the area where the cat’s sweat glands are concentrated. Spreading the scent into a familiar smelling environment will make them feel happy and satisfied. [1] X Source of Research Knowing the right places to pet and when to stay away can help you and your cat enjoy interacting time.
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