Everyone wants to stroke their cat, but any cat lover knows that some cats will only tolerate a small amount of touching. Overstaying your welcome on your cat’s belly or ears or anywhere else can be hazardous to your health.
Some cats are actually ticklish on their belly and won’t tolerate touching their at all, and claws and teeth can come out very quickly. Learn to watch for signs of irritation, watch that tail and as soon as it starts to twitch remove your hand.
It is possible, with time and patience, to increase the length of time that you can stroke your cat, but always always always, as soon as you see the tail twitch or other sign of irritation, stop. Sometimes just resting your unmoving hand or finger is adequate for the cat. If you overdo it just once, aside from having a scratched hand, you will have to start the whole procedure over.
Most cats love a rub behind the ears, on top of the head, under the chin or on the back of the neck, but they are always in control of how much, how long and where, because if you overstay your welcome, you will be the one to suffer the consequences. Thankfully, most cats love to be stroked gently on a regular basis, and they will come to you when the time is right, especially those that are a bit ticklish, and you need to grab that moment when it comes.
I have always brushed my cats regularly, from head to tail and under the belly, however, I did have one cat who didn’t like belly brushing or touching at all, and after about ten years, I was able to use the comb for a minute or two, but as soon as that tail twitched, I was done. It doesn’t sound like much, but a minute or two of combing or brushing on the belly does actually make a difference, but yes, it took years.
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