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Just about every dog on the planet loves a good belly rub, but do cats like belly rubs? The short answer is it depends on the cat, but for the most part, cats don’t like belly rubs because their abdomen is one of the more vulnerable parts of their bodies. If the cat trusts you, they might allow or even encourage a belly rub. But for most cats, the response to a cat belly rub will vary from avoidance to tooth and fang violence!
Why Don’t Cats Like Belly Rubs?
Vulnerability and Sensitivity
Your cat’s belly is very sensitive, and not an area that is usually available to others in the environment. This likely means the cat is more likely to react to your touch on its belly than its back.
Delicate Organs
The cat’s vital organs are exposed when it shows its belly. When the cat is on his feet, the backbone and ribs protect the vital organs. When the cat is belly up, he’s extremely vulnerable, and the position can be life-threatening in the wild.
Do Some Cats Like Belly Rubs?
Yes. We’ve had several cats that seemed to enjoy belly rubs. They will stretch out, lay on their backs, and let us pet them a couple of times without attacking. They will also quickly roll over when they are finished.
Why Do Cats Expose Their Belly Then Attack?
1. Stretching
One likely explanation for why cats expose their bellies but attack you when you pet them is that they are simply stretching. Cats seem to like to stretch out when their favorite humans are near and will not only expose their belly but will scratch the carpet, raising their butt in the air in another stretching routine. While these actions seem to express the cat is happy to see us, they do not seem to be an invitation to touch them and doing so can and will result in scratches and bites.
2. Allows Them To Use All Of Their Claws
Another reason the cat might be exposing its belly only to scratch and bite you is that it’s practicing its ultimate attack position. You may have noticed that cats enjoy playing games to practice their hunting abilities. It will chase balls, laser lights, and practically anything that moves. Though many people may not recognize it, the belly-up position might be another one of these hunting games.
The belly-up position is commonly observed in a catfight, and you’ll recognize it if you have more than one cat in your home, as they always tend to clash from time to time. While no cat wants to be in this position, it does provide one significant advantage. It’s the only time the cat can use claws in all four paws and bite its foe.
3. They Want Attention
If you come running to pet its belly every time the cat rolls over, it sends a powerful message to your pet they can get your attention at any time by performing the maneuver. We’ve had many cats use this trick extensively, especially when they want treats or to take attention away from another task.
4. A Learned Behavior
We are sure you won’t be surprised to hear that your cat may find it enriching to see how you can’t resist it. Either you don’t learn or their belly is so irresistible that it simply spells you. Either way, all it takes for them is to roll over and you or other humans will inevitably try to rub it, making you the perfect “prey” to get their claws on. For your cat, this is a learned behavior and it is very likely they enjoy it a lot.
5. It’s Showing Complete Trust
Whether the cat exposes its belly to you to tempt you and then puts all its claws on you or simply to get your attention, one thing is true: it makes the cat extremely vulnerable, and it would not do it if it didn’t have complete trust in its safety, which means the cat is happy and comfortable in your home and is likely forming a strong bond with you and other family members.
Summary
While some cats might enjoy belly rubs, most do not, and they are most likely exposing it to stretch, get attention, or play, or simply because they feel comfortable and secure. We found that in almost all cases, attempting to pet the belly will result in scratches and bites that can quickly leave your arm and hand bleeding, so we recommend avoiding the temptation to play this game with your cat. If your cat seems to like belly rubs, enjoy it while it lasts because you are quite lucky.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this short guide and found the answers you need. If we have helped you understand your cat better, please share your thoughts on if cats like belly rubs in our comment section below.
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Featured Image Credit: Anna Hoychuk, Shutterstock
