3 ms·

How to stroke a cat, according to science

26 points by howard941 7y ago

snvzz 7y ago
The cat will teach you rather than else. If you do it wrong, you'll get scratched or bitten.
tepidandroid 7y ago
Just imagine a giant hand coming down from the sky and grabbing you, stroking you repeatedly against your will (smearing their foul scent all over you while they're at it) and preventing you from leaving. If that sounds unpleasant to you, then it's probably unpleasant for a cat.
- moate 7y ago
  Lesson learned: Don't keep cats.
  - stirfrykitty 7y ago
    Cats don't have owners, they have staff. Cats are far more independent than dogs, which is one reason why I like them. Certain cat breeds can be very dog-like, particularly Arabian Mau, Abyssinian, and Norwegian Forest. All are ridiculously intelligent and will happily accompany you like a dog, have dog-like mannerisms, etc.
- Twisol 7y ago
  Well, gee... my cat leans into my hand when I give him a scratch.
- theli0nheart 7y ago
  Just imagine a small being jumping up from the ground onto your hands, walking over them repeatedly against your will (hitting random keys on your keyboard and putting their butt in your face while they're at it) and following you wherever you go. If that sounds unpleasant to you, then it's probably unpleasant for a human.
- stordoff 7y ago
  Tell that to my cat, who will brush against your leg and climb on your knee until you give him a stroke (he'll start pawing at you if you _stop_ when he's in that sort of mood). Only time he complains is if you pick him up, and even he tolerates it if you're just moving him off something.
- jplayer01 7y ago
  Uhm, what? Have you never had a pet before? All the cats and dogs I've known eagerly seek out being stroked, and if they're tired of it (mainly cats), they'll just go away. No need to force the animals to do anything against their will. And hell, I do enjoy being touched and stroked and caressed, sure (getting my head scratched? fuck yeah). We're as much social animals as they are.
  - tepidandroid 7y ago
    I'm surprised I apparently need to explain myself for such an innocuous comment! I'm not in disagreement with you or the other people who have replied in a similar manner. I'm only talking about the people who smother their pets in what they deem to be affection, ignoring the obvious signs of dislike or tension mentioned in the article. You know, the people who like to drag their cats out from their hiding places or chase them down for pets and hugs when they try to run away. They're essentially helpless against our good intentions. If engagement between the pet and owner is mutual, or if the pet is actively seeking this affection, then my comment obviously does not apply. My comment only says to imagine the engagement from their point of view also.
crispyambulance 7y ago
I think my cat is truly f-ing with me. He'll go belly-up in front me, allow me to pet his belly while seemingly enjoying it, then, take a swipe with his paw, watch me retract, then go belly-up again.
- remedy 7y ago
  Mine too! We have been mislead all along...
- t34543 7y ago
  My cat does the same. My theory is that the cat gets overstimulated and then the claws come out. I’m not sure if cats are ticklish, but if they are, it would explain a lot.
- psychometry 7y ago
  It's probably a form of play. My cat often goes on her back when playing with a string held above her.
- howard941 7y ago
  All of our cats do this. My current 3 tolerate it to variable extents before becoming overstimulated and rolling away or smacking with claw retracted. If I kept doing it I know the next swipe would be unsheathed, and the cats know that I know this, so we never get to that point. Honestly none of my cats have ever liked having bellies rubbed at all whereas getting purrs and drools out of them is pretty easy massaging in the places they like (behind ears, base of tail, beneath chin, scent gland spots I think)
onion2k 7y ago
One of my cats loves having his tummy stroked. The other one hates it and will scratch anyone who tries. I don't tell visitors which is which.
moate 7y ago
According to every experiment I've ever run, the answer is: Don't. Just don't. If there is a cat, leave that place. If you're unable to, avoid that cat. If people are offended by your active disinterest in their cat, explain to them that you don't like cats and if that's such a big problem for them they should work that out themselves but you've reached a decision in your life about your interest in cats. Didn't need "Science" to tell me any of this.
- jplayer01 7y ago
  Or, you know, let them come to you. If they want any form of affection, they'll let you know. Otherwise it's possible to inhabit the same room as a cat without interacting with it. It's well within the realms of physics and social behaviour for this to be possible.
  - moate 7y ago
    ME: >>If there is a cat, leave that place. If you're unable to, avoid that cat. You: >>Otherwise it's possible to inhabit the same room as a cat without interacting with it So...avoid the cat? Like I said? Got it.
- psychometry 7y ago
  No, you certainly don't seem like the type of person for whom "Science" or any other display of evidence could disabuse of any notion.
lota-putty 7y ago
This article is right on 'signs'. We've had several generations of country cats at our country farm house(India). Only female cats stick around house after maturing and eventually bear kittens. Male after maturing leave home, start fighting for alpha status and even killing younger/weaker males. People often show-up to take away young kittens to raise them at their home. Primary purpose of having cats here(country-side) is still pest control, house & farm rats. Hence, they're infested with fleas; we don't allow them inside house.
- howard941 7y ago
  I'm from a huge city and it surprised me when I left there to find this class of utility cats living pretty much independent lives on farms as ratters without any care whatsoever other than what water they get from the tubs supplying the farm's livestock and maybe a humane .22 round to end it all if their injured. My EE buddy with a real office and a farming background finds all cats nasty despite being an otherwise great guy (despite this attitude) and a dog lover.
whycombagator 7y ago
> Signs of dislike or tension: > - Biting, swiping or batting your hand away with their paw. Until now I always assumed this meant my cat was telling me it enjoyed being stroked. /s

26 points by howard941 7y ago

The cat will teach you rather than else. If you do it wrong, you'll get scratched or bitten.

Just imagine a giant hand coming down from the sky and grabbing you, stroking you repeatedly against your will (smearing their foul scent all over you while they're at it) and preventing you from leaving. If that sounds unpleasant to you, then it's probably unpleasant for a cat.

moate 7y ago
Lesson learned: Don't keep cats.
- stirfrykitty 7y ago
  Cats don't have owners, they have staff. Cats are far more independent than dogs, which is one reason why I like them. Certain cat breeds can be very dog-like, particularly Arabian Mau, Abyssinian, and Norwegian Forest. All are ridiculously intelligent and will happily accompany you like a dog, have dog-like mannerisms, etc.
Twisol 7y ago
Well, gee... my cat leans into my hand when I give him a scratch.
theli0nheart 7y ago
Just imagine a small being jumping up from the ground onto your hands, walking over them repeatedly against your will (hitting random keys on your keyboard and putting their butt in your face while they're at it) and following you wherever you go. If that sounds unpleasant to you, then it's probably unpleasant for a human.
stordoff 7y ago
Tell that to my cat, who will brush against your leg and climb on your knee until you give him a stroke (he'll start pawing at you if you _stop_ when he's in that sort of mood). Only time he complains is if you pick him up, and even he tolerates it if you're just moving him off something.
jplayer01 7y ago
Uhm, what? Have you never had a pet before? All the cats and dogs I've known eagerly seek out being stroked, and if they're tired of it (mainly cats), they'll just go away. No need to force the animals to do anything against their will. And hell, I do enjoy being touched and stroked and caressed, sure (getting my head scratched? fuck yeah). We're as much social animals as they are.
- tepidandroid 7y ago
  I'm surprised I apparently need to explain myself for such an innocuous comment! I'm not in disagreement with you or the other people who have replied in a similar manner. I'm only talking about the people who smother their pets in what they deem to be affection, ignoring the obvious signs of dislike or tension mentioned in the article. You know, the people who like to drag their cats out from their hiding places or chase them down for pets and hugs when they try to run away. They're essentially helpless against our good intentions. If engagement between the pet and owner is mutual, or if the pet is actively seeking this affection, then my comment obviously does not apply. My comment only says to imagine the engagement from their point of view also.

crispyambulance 7y ago

I think my cat is truly f-ing with me. He'll go belly-up in front me, allow me to pet his belly while seemingly enjoying it, then, take a swipe with his paw, watch me retract, then go belly-up again.

remedy 7y ago
Mine too! We have been mislead all along...
t34543 7y ago
My cat does the same. My theory is that the cat gets overstimulated and then the claws come out. I’m not sure if cats are ticklish, but if they are, it would explain a lot.
psychometry 7y ago
It's probably a form of play. My cat often goes on her back when playing with a string held above her.
howard941 7y ago
All of our cats do this. My current 3 tolerate it to variable extents before becoming overstimulated and rolling away or smacking with claw retracted. If I kept doing it I know the next swipe would be unsheathed, and the cats know that I know this, so we never get to that point. Honestly none of my cats have ever liked having bellies rubbed at all whereas getting purrs and drools out of them is pretty easy massaging in the places they like (behind ears, base of tail, beneath chin, scent gland spots I think)

onion2k 7y ago

One of my cats loves having his tummy stroked. The other one hates it and will scratch anyone who tries. I don't tell visitors which is which.

moate 7y ago

According to every experiment I've ever run, the answer is: Don't. Just don't. If there is a cat, leave that place. If you're unable to, avoid that cat. If people are offended by your active disinterest in their cat, explain to them that you don't like cats and if that's such a big problem for them they should work that out themselves but you've reached a decision in your life about your interest in cats. Didn't need "Science" to tell me any of this.

jplayer01 7y ago
Or, you know, let them come to you. If they want any form of affection, they'll let you know. Otherwise it's possible to inhabit the same room as a cat without interacting with it. It's well within the realms of physics and social behaviour for this to be possible.
- moate 7y ago
  ME: >>If there is a cat, leave that place. If you're unable to, avoid that cat. You: >>Otherwise it's possible to inhabit the same room as a cat without interacting with it So...avoid the cat? Like I said? Got it.
psychometry 7y ago
No, you certainly don't seem like the type of person for whom "Science" or any other display of evidence could disabuse of any notion.

lota-putty 7y ago

This article is right on 'signs'. We've had several generations of country cats at our country farm house(India). Only female cats stick around house after maturing and eventually bear kittens. Male after maturing leave home, start fighting for alpha status and even killing younger/weaker males. People often show-up to take away young kittens to raise them at their home. Primary purpose of having cats here(country-side) is still pest control, house & farm rats. Hence, they're infested with fleas; we don't allow them inside house.

howard941 7y ago
I'm from a huge city and it surprised me when I left there to find this class of utility cats living pretty much independent lives on farms as ratters without any care whatsoever other than what water they get from the tubs supplying the farm's livestock and maybe a humane .22 round to end it all if their injured. My EE buddy with a real office and a farming background finds all cats nasty despite being an otherwise great guy (despite this attitude) and a dog lover.

whycombagator 7y ago

> Signs of dislike or tension: > - Biting, swiping or batting your hand away with their paw. Until now I always assumed this meant my cat was telling me it enjoyed being stroked. /s