[Slings and Arrows]

Full title: Want to show your cat affection? Think twice before stroking it: Our feline friends can become stressed when touched

Mrs Slocombe, you lived in vain.

[Thanks to Gefn for the link!]

[diamond6]

I own a very sweet cat. Unfortunately sometimes he swats at me when I pet him when he’s laying down. I don’t understand it.

[Alex Murphy]

In fact, the tests appeared to show that no cats enjoyed being stroked. Some were prepared to tolerate it – but they were the individuals that showed the highest levels of distress. The researchers concluded that genuine cat lovers should avoid constantly petting their feline friends to spare their feelings.

Why not just avoid having them in your family entirely?

[SkyDancer]

Cats love it when you scratch right where the tail attaches to the body. They can’t reach that area, also inside the ears.

[LambSlave]

I think the article might make sense. Not much for cats, but we always had several growing up. Cats want you to “rub them”, in face, near ears, neck. Since they mark their territory and property (e.g. you) by rubbing in this way, it follows that it’s why they encourage you to rub them there. What the article is talking about seems to be handling, e.g. picking the cat up, or holding them while stroking their fur (e.g. back, belly). As the article points out, many cats will tolerate this, some are not happy. Very few that I’ve seen actively seek this out... and some respond by either trying to escape, or clawing/biting.

[Arrowhead1952]

Where do I need to apply for a grant so I can do a study why dogs like to go walking and chase sticks, balls or Frisbees?

Our cats love to be petted. If we sit down in one of our lawn chairs, you can bet one or both will be there wanting attention.

[3catsanadog]

Guess this guy never tried to read a book with a cat around. My cat will purposely put himself between my book and my face.

[thackney]

I found the lead researcher along with his chart of the confirming results.

.

.

.

.

[workerbee]

[bgill]

It must be my imagination that they lay on my hands while I’m on the computer, rub against me, are glad when I get home, can’t stand to have a door shut against them and leap into bed to snuggle at night.

[DManA]

My dog has never liked to be pet. He always sits an arm’s length away.

[gundog]

Best way to chill out a stressed kitten: full body stroking. I call BS.

[PeteB570]

Hm, I got two cats - and four dogs.

One cat gets pissed if you touch it. The other one loves to have it’s head and ears rubbed.

[chris37]

What a pile of horse sh!t.

[RckyRaCoCo]

[Slings and Arrows]

In case it wasn’t clear, I side with the “bullsh*t” faction.

[central_va]

Bottom line: Don’t stoke your pussy.

[I still care]

So when they crawl in your lap purring when you pet them, and shut their eyes and throw their heads back, it’s some sort of strange deceptive reaction?

Mine used to wait by the door, throw her paws around my neck and hold me when I came home from work.

Now a lot of cats don’t like having their bellies rubbed, would rather have their cheeks or necks stroked. But the rest - garbage.

[windcliff]

ping

[Hulka]

All the cats I served, they were all quite comfortable in letting me know when they felt like being petted. . .or not (and I have the scars to prove it).

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Cats are like women: They like to be stroked the way they *like* to be stroked ... not just any old way. (If you get my drift!) If the researchers were not “friends” in the cats’ mind, or if they were just not stroking them the way the cats like it (and every cat is different!) then I can believe the cats would be stressed. But all of us have seen cats going out of their way to be stroked and petted by the people they’ve chosen for that job! I can’t believe the cats would purposely seek to be stressed. Pretty silly. Bad research, methinks.