where should i pet my cat?

my cat is about 10 weeks old, and i have had him since he was 8 weeks. i was just wondering where is the place he would most like to be petted and in what way (softly, slowly, etc.)? thanks to any posters. i might add some pics later. his name is XI ("eleven") b/c he has a spot that looks like 11 on his forehead.

Cats vary as to where they like to stroked. Some like it under their chin, others their head, some their backs, most don't care for rough stuff when you touch them, and rubbing their bellies may get you bit. It really just depends on your cat, there is no one universal spot that all cats enjoy being touched at.

Well now is the time to get your kitten used to being pet. When they are young I like to give my kitties gentle rubs between their "fingers" on their paws so that when they are older they will be used to me handling them. This makes it easier to clip their nails. I think that in the horse world they call this "handling" and the more you do it, the more the horse is used to human touch. It increases the bond as well. However it all depends on the cat. In recent times I've raised to kittens who both turned out completely different. Sifto is a DSH and I would hold him often, pet him all over and generally condition him for lovinz. He grew up to be the *biggest* suck on the planet. You can hold him in any position, even upside down and he's very trusting. He enjoys kitty massages (like a person massage, along the spine, forearms, back of the neck), belly rubs (gently...even cats who like this get defensive watch for a reaction), and especially chin scratching. If I put my face to his he will rub up against me and sometimes bite my chin.
Now to show that no two cats are the same, I tried all the same things with my bengal Toby. Everything is on his terms! Even having him allow me to hold him was a challenge from day one. I never thought something so simple could be such a feat. He may be small, but his quick and wiley. Petting he wasn't so much interested in. I'm now able to hold him for a limited time, but only in one position really. Petting is when he feels like it, and he's definitly not one for belly rubs. The older he gets the more he craves the pettings.
I find that young kittens don't really feel a need to be pet as much as held. Just a gentle stroke down the head and back works. But when they get older they seem to like it more and more. I have a stiff wire brush that I can simple hold in my hand and both cats will do the work for me rubbing their chins against it. Overall I think the favourite pet spot of most cats is the chin/cheeks.

Cats and kittens are very odd about how they want to be scratched. Most don't like to be handled rough, but I had a cat named Strawberry once who would only purr when you basically grabbed his skin and tugged. He liked to be scratched HARD. It was weird, like he had less nerve endings or something.

The rest of my cats hate fingernails (probably because I don't have any and I pet them the most.) Some of them like to petted very softly with a hand running from their head to their back. Some like to lay on their back and have you scratch their chest and stomach. Some won't let you touch anything below their neck.

Basically, your cat will let you know! I'd say the best practice is to try everything once. In my personal experience, I've noticed that short haired kitties deal better with rougher scratching. Perhaps because their fur is denser? Who knows..

thank you all for your contributions. i have been doing what you all recommended: i pet him often, and i give him little cat massages, pet his head (when he wants to be petted there), his chin, and his feet--he really likes that place.

here's a picture of him: here

What a cute kitten!

aren't they all?

OH my, my, my he is sooooo precious.