A cat petting itself?

white cat lover

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Molly, my new girl, rubs her head, body, whatever on everything! It's like she's petting herself.
I think it's funny, but why does she do it?
I've never seen a cat "pet themself" before!
 

gingersmom

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Well, you say she's new, so it sounds like she is scent-marking everything so that all YOUR stuff will belong to HER.
 

persi & alley

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I like to scratch my own head. So I think it is OK if your cat wants to pet himself. Mabey he just has an itch. Or perhaps he is hinting that you should pet him more. Persi like to lay on his back on those cardboard corrugated scratchers and scratch his own back. All this sounds very reasonable to me!
 

sylorna

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definately scenting! Dynah does it all the time...unfortunately mostly to my nostrils (I don't know either).
The good news is she likes your stuff and approves of your decorating skills
 
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white cat lover

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So, even if she's petting her whole body she's still scenting? I knew the rubbing of the face was scenting....
 

gingersmom

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Cats have scent glands in other places on their bodies, not just on their cheeks.
Read the Language of Smell section here and you'll get more interesting info.
 
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white cat lover

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

Cats have scent glands in other places on their bodies, not just on their cheeks.
Read the Language of Smell section here and you'll get more interesting info.
Thanks for that link!
 

jessy

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Villy does that too - I'd say it's scent marking, and maybe it just feels good too!
 

amy-dhh

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Cosmo too... and he's got a particular fetish with feet and shoes. If I'm sitting in a chair with my legs crossed he'll rub and "pet himself" all over the foot that is slightly suspended... and he'll go nuts doing it when I'm wearing converse sneakers. It's the funniest thing. He's even gone as far as to grab my foot with his two front paws to rub his face harder on the sneaker!
 
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