My cat HATES tummy-pet. If I’m holding him snuggled in my arms, he’ll put up with about 2 seconds of it; if he’s lying on his back on the floor, don’t put your hand below his waist! He’ll tolerate chest-stroking for a few minutes, but really prefers head, neck, chin.
But I’ve had other cats who loved tummy-pet. Gee, you think maybe they’re individuals?
Article is way too generalized to be useful. We own several cats, and have owned many more before. The ‘no’ zone in the graphic is true of cats who don’t know you. Trying to pet that area on a cat who isn’t familiar with you is like inappropriate touching on a total stranger. But if you’re good friends with your cat, you can pet or even pat them on that area with no objection (up to a limit of over-stimulation). It’s only a matter of trust. Same goes for belly rubs.
My cat HATES tummy-pet. If I’m holding him snuggled in my arms, he’ll put up with about 2 seconds of it; if he’s lying on his back on the floor, don’t put your hand below his waist! He’ll tolerate chest-stroking for a few minutes, but really prefers head, neck, chin.
But I’ve had other cats who loved tummy-pet. Gee, you think maybe they’re individuals?
Article is way too generalized to be useful. We own several cats, and have owned many more before. The ‘no’ zone in the graphic is true of cats who don’t know you. Trying to pet that area on a cat who isn’t familiar with you is like inappropriate touching on a total stranger. But if you’re good friends with your cat, you can pet or even pat them on that area with no objection (up to a limit of over-stimulation). It’s only a matter of trust. Same goes for belly rubs.