Pet a Cat

Petting a cat may sound simple, but for children or people who haven't spent much time around cats, it's important to know the do's and don'ts of approaching and touching a cat. Petting in the wrong spot or using too much force or speed can agitate some cats, causing them to bite or scratch. Experts recommend letting it happen on the cat's terms: seek permission to touch her, and let the cat have control over the interaction. There are a few places where it's hard to go wrong: areas where cats have scent glands are perfect for petting. Spreading their scent imbues their environment with a familiar smell, which in turn makes them feel happy and content. Knowing where to touch, and when to stay away, can help ensure that both of you enjoy a little cat-human contact.

Steps

Letting the Cat Come to You

1. Let the cat sniff you before you pet it so it can become comfortable with you. Extend a hand or finger and allow the cat a chance to touch her nose to you.
   • If she shows no interest in your hand or just stares at it suspiciously, reconsider your intention to pet her. Try some other time when the cat may be in a different mood.
   • However, if the cat sniffs your hand, meows, and then rubs her chin or the side of her head against it, or brushes the side of her body on you, chances are she is open to being touched. Open the palm of your hand and softly touch her body.
2. Wait for the cat to bump her head against you. When a cat bumps her head into your hand, it's a signal she wants attention. If you are busy at the moment, at least pet her once or twice, to let the cat know you aren't ignoring her.
3. Pet the cat once if she jumps into your lap and lies down. See if she fidgets. If she does, it may be that she just wants to lie there and relax, as humans are a great source of body heat. If she doesn't fidget, you can continue to lightly stroke her spine or in the spots described in Part 2.
4. Pet a cat when she's on her side. Cats love to be petted when they are on their sides. Lightly stroke the side that is facing up. If it meows or purrs, it may communicating enjoyment.
   • Avoid the belly, though (see Part 3, Step 3).
5. Let the cat give you some low audible sounds (called purring). Purring is one way a cat signals that it feels sociable and wants attention. When accompanied by hip bumps, ankle twining or head bumping, it means your cat wants you to pet it right now. Sometimes one stroke is all the cat wants, like a handshake or a greeting, rather than a long hug and snuggle session.
   • The loudness of a cat's purring denotes its happiness level. The louder the purring is, the happier the cat is at the time. A soft purr means that it is content, a loud purr means very happy. Excessively loud purring means over-excessive happiness, which can sometimes switch quickly to annoyance, so be careful.
6. Watch for signs that the cat does not want to be petted anymore. Sometimes even petting that feels good to the cat can become overstimulating or irritating, particularly if it is repetitive. If you're not paying attention, the sign to stop may come in the form of a soft, inhibited bite or scratch. Often, however, the cat gives several subtle signals before biting that she does not want to be petted anymore. Look for these advance warnings, and if you see them, stop petting:
   • Ears flattening against the head
   • Tail twitching
   • Fidgeting
   • Growling or hissing

Focusing on Areas with Scent Glands

1. Start with a soft chin-scratch. Use your fingertips or fingernails to gently rub the chin, particularly where the jawbone connects to the skull. It's possible the cat will push into your stroke or jut out her chin, both signs of enjoyment.
2. Focus on the area between or behind the ears. Use the pads of your fingers and apply gentle pressure. The base of the ears is another scent-marking spot for cats. If she bumps her head against you (called "bunting"), she's marking you as hers.
3. Pet the cat's cheeks just behind the whiskers. If the cat likes this, she may rotate her whiskers forward, effectively asking for more.
4. Gently run the back of your hand along the side of face. Once the cat is warmed up, use your middle finger to stroke the cat's "mustache" (just above the upper lips) while encircling her whole face and stroking the top of head with your thumb. The cat is yours.
5. Stroke the cat from forehead to tail. Pet the forehead, then run your hand from forehead to the base of tail, going from head to tail repeatedly. Massage her neck muscles by pinching gently. Apply gentle pressure and make it a continuous, slow motion. Work only in one direction (forehead to tail), as some cats do not like back-to-front strokes.
   • Don't touch the tail or move your hand along to the side.
   • If the cat likes what you're doing, she'll arch her back to add more pressure to your hand. When you bring your hand back to where you started, the cat may rub her forehead firmly against your hand to encourage you to do it again. If the cat puts her ears back, cowers away from your hand, or just walks away, stop petting.
   • You can scratch gently as you bring your hand down along the cat's back, but don't stop at one spot and scratch there. Keep your hand moving.
   • Apply a little pressure at the base of the tail, though with caution. This is another scent gland area, and there are cats that like getting scratched right here. Others, however, have a habit of suddenly snapping their teeth at your hand when they've had enough.

Learning What to Avoid

1. Keep your petting from the head to the tail and don't switch directions. Some cats do not like getting stroked from tail to head.
2. Don't pat the cat. Some cats enjoy it, but some don't, and if you're not used to being around cats, you're better off not experimenting unless you want to risk a bite or scratch.
3. Stay away from the tummy. When cats are relaxed, they might roll onto their back and expose their belly. Don't always take this as an invitation to rub their tummy, as many cats don't like that at all. This is because in nature cats must be careful to protect themselves from potential predators (as opposed to dogs, who are more confident in this regard – and love having their bellies scratched). The stomach is a vulnerable area where all the vital organs are located, so lots of cats will instinctively bare teeth and claws if touched here.
   • Some cats do like it, but they interpret it as an invitation to play rough or wrestle with claw-grabbing and scratching. They'll wrap their claws around your hand or arm, bite it, and scratch at it vigorously with their front and back paws. This is not always an attack; it's how some cats "wrestle."
   • If a cat grabs you with its paws, hold still and let the cat disengage her claws. If necessary, reach over with your other hand and gently pull the paw back to unhook the claws. Cats often scratch deep when they don't intend to if their claws get stuck. They use claws to hold and grab, so when the message is for you to stop moving your hand, they'll stop if you stop.
4. Approach the feet with caution. Don't play with a cat's feet unless you know the cat well and know she likes having her feet played with. Start just by petting the cat to get her relaxed, then ask permission to stroke her feet by touching one foot once with your finger.
   • If the cat doesn't object, lightly pet that foot with one finger in the direction the fur flows (from wrist toward toes). At any point the cat pulls her foot away, hisses, flattens her ears or walks away, stop.
   • Many cats don't like their feet handled at all, but can be trained into it for activities like claw clipping through a slow, successive reward system.

Tips

• You should always approach the cat slowly and low to the ground. Most cats dislike it when you appear larger than them.
• If you are massaging or scratching your cat when its lying down it may stretch out (if it isn't already) to show that it is comfortable with what you are doing. This is often accompanied with purring. The cat also may "smile" by squinting its eyes at you. This is also a sign that your cat is enjoying the current attention from you.
• If you're a stranger to the cat, have some patience. Some things cats tolerate from their owners, who are familiar to them, they may not accept so readily from new people.
• If you see a cats tail thumping around, its ears flashing back and forth, enlarged pupils, or tensed paws, stop petting it as the cat is becoming irritated and may bite or scratch you!
• Cats like it when you scratch her cheeks gently. Some also like it when you gently stroke her nose with your little finger.
• Some cats like it when you rub her/his ear. If you gently massage the two folds of the ear together they will likely enjoy it. Be careful though, some cats do not like this.
• Purring is not always an indication that a cat is happy, so don't make the mistake of thinking that a purring cat will not snap or bite. Many believe purring to be an indication that a cat is communicating "pay attention to this," which might be because the cat is happy, but it may also indicate annoyance.
• Acknowledge whether your cat loves to be petted, stroked or scratched and know whether your cat doesn't feel comfortable with you petting or scratching.
• If the cat headbutts your hand, don't be scared. It wants to play!
• Pet a cat behind her ears or under the chin. It's the best place to pet a cat.
• Some cats meow when they want you to stop, and some meow when they want you to pet harder. A low-pitched meow may be indicative of anger. Generally, it's a good idea to stop, just in case.
• Many cats don't like their tails to be pet so try to avoid the area around the tail!
• If the cat's tail starts to thump up and down or side to side, it's best to stop petting the cat as she has probably become irritated.
• Some cats love to be picked up, while others don't. If a cat attempts to jump away from your hands, this is a signal that she doesn't want to be held at that moment.
• Many cats don't like being petted near the tail. To see if yours does or not, pet her there and if she flinches, hisses or meows uncomfortably or angrily, it is a warning to stop. Avoid touching her near that area, and warn guests to do the same.
• If it's your cat you're petting, it's a good idea to be sensitive to changes in her reaction to your established petting routine. An area that's normally okay to pet might become painful to the cat due to some new wound or other health condition. Your cat can meow or withdraw – or even scratch or bite – if you are petting a newly sensitive region. Outdoor cats are especially prone to abscesses due to encounters with other cats. If you discover a painful area or an abscess, take your cat to the vet.
• Petting a cat can release stress-reducing relaxation hormones, lower your blood pressure, and reduce your chances of heart attack or stroke.

Warnings

• If you are wounded due to a serious bite or scratch, wash the affected area thoroughly with an antibacterial soap and apply an antiseptic. Then, seek medical assistance. Deep puncture wounds need medical attention because of the risk of serious infection.
• Don't pet the cat if you have allergies.
• Children should be closely supervised when petting a cat. They can easily agitate her, causing the cat to bite or scratch. Cats that are friendly to adults are not always friendly to children. Be especially careful that children do not get their face too close to a cat.
• If the cat looks aggressive, stay away as it can cause injury through bites and scratches.

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• Approach a Stray Dog
• Pet a High Strung Cat
• Handle a Very Annoying Cat

Sources and Citations

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