Posted on 06/14/2014 4:11:18 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
Feline Love: Breaking the Code
I've spent my life caring for and about animals, and I've always been a careful observer of what makes them happy. I know the "sweet spots" on every pet I've ever met, and since Almost Heaven is a horse ranch (with Quarter Horses whose personalities rival Golden Retrievers for sweetness), I know what makes equine hearts sing too.
But I also know if you hit the wrong note on many a cat, you won't be singing a happy song for long. And while most cat owners eventually figure that out on their own, you could be one of those people whose current cat tolerates pretty much anything. Your next one, though, could be scratch-happy if you don't know where to go.
Which is why I love sharing about caring, and in cats that means sticking to four top spots for heavy petting, and ignoring one spot that dogs love but that most cats never will.
(Excerpt) Read more at shine.yahoo.com ...
I wish that was a joke.
My cat rolls over and sticks his leg out like a dog just so you will rub his belly.
That is disgusting. Really, do we need that?
Awww!
My last kitty loved a foot massage.
Cat spanking (it’s gentle taps, honestly). Works on our goofball almost as good as this youtube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SF7G9UjVi0
I think so, too.
LOL! Calico bongo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3MdnyQ381E
That last is unusual. Most cats hate having their paws touched.
Our black & white Boots, mother of Coots, and Scoots would probably lay on her back for belly rubs the rest of her natural life if one would stay that long to accomodate her passion.
She and Cali-gal are the only ones though. Most don’t seem to favor the belly rubs as those two.
We are down to twelve cats now.
Cats love to have their tails pulled. No hard - a gentle constant pull. They’ll come back over and over.
We have one that loves the full belly rub. Rolls over to get maximum exposure.
The big Siamese loves them too, while blocking the passage where he be laying, will roll over to offer his large belly for rubs.
Our adopted outside kitteh is slowly getting to like them, working down from the chest. A ways to go for good belly rubs to be enjoyed.
All the other places are well known scritch zones.
I believe if you rub a cat’s hipocampus they don’t like that.
That’s a good one! Cats are such goofballs.
Here is a web cam at a cat rescue center. I often watch as kittens are flying around the room, bouncing off the walls in play.
The wounded warrior puppy cams are fun too
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/kitten-rescue-cam
Yeah, I knew where this was going by the title alone. My wife has five houserats, all fixed. None of the four females will let you even think about touching their chassis, unless you want your hand turned into rawhide strips. The fifth - a male - does what we call a ‘flomp’. He’ll start to turn his head around on his neck in this Linda Blair-esque fashion, put his shoulder down, and *FLOMP* land on his back. You’d think his daddy was Buster Keaton. Pratfall quality. He’ll let me rub and scratch his belly so vigorously, and drag him around like that, I could polish the furniture with him. I think it’s his way a acceding male dominance to me. He’s sort of become my buddy. The only time he even meows is when he comes into my den here to visit me. He’s actually kinda cool, he keeps me company, and I’m not even a cat person.
Because she was very docile she would allow her tummy to be rubbed, but clearly she didn't like it. Her predecessor loved to be petted but he was not docile in the slightest. If you rubbed his belly he would grab your hand with his front claws and hold on, then rake your flesh with his rear ones. The sessions would end with my getting some band aids.
Good call.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.