Cats love being scratched – as long as you do it the right way at the right spot. Most cats love to be scratched on the cheeks, behind the ears, and under the chin. Those three are the preferred petting parts for a cat, followed by the neck and back.
A lot of people think you can pet cats and dogs the same way, and that couldn’t be furthest from the truth. For example, dogs love a good belly rub. But when you pet a cat, you should avoid the belly area!
Some cats may enjoy a belly rub, but if you want to play it safe, the cheeks and chin area is where you want to be scratching. The back of the neck is a great spot as well!
What’s the best way to scratch and pet a cat?
There’s no one technique you have to follow, but you have to pay attention to what the cat wants. Approach carefully, extend your hand and see whether the cat comes to you or not. Then, pay attention to where the cat wants your hand to be and start petting!
You will probably find yourself with a cat trying to make you pet him behind the neck or over the head. That’s usually the case! Keep following the instructions, though. If a cat doesn’t like what it’s getting, it’ll leave!
Keep in mind it’s not uncommon for cats to be cuddly one minute and trying to leave the next. Don’t try to force your way into a petting session! If the cat leaves, let it be – it’ll come back soon.
Do cats enjoy being scratched?
Cats don’t enjoy being scratched, they love it! If you know how to do it right, cats will come back again and again for another scratching session. There’re few signs to watch out for to know if you’re doing it right, purring and meowing might be the easiest to spot.
Beware of signs of you not scratching the cat right. A cat turning around and leaving, biting, avoiding your hand, among other things are clear-cut ways of knowing you’re not scratching it the right way.
If that happens to you, don’t worry! You’re one scratching session or two away from doing it right. All you have to do is let the cat come back to you and try it again.
What do cats feel when you scratch and pet them?
It’s hard for humans to get in the head of an animal and know what’s going on there. It’s difficult to know what cats feel when we pet them, other than knowing they enjoy it a lot! It probably feels the same way we do when we get a massage.
Even though we don’t know what cats feel when we scratch or pet them, it probably isn’t that different from what other mammals (like us!) feel when someone caresses or massages them. If it feels great to us, it probably feels great for them!