Cat Likes Being Patted, REALLY HARD

We have an eight year old Burmese cat who adopted us when her original owner made the mistake of getting not just one, but two dogs. Well, Pinky wasn't going to stand for that, so she went looking for alternate accommodations, and landed on our doorstep, where she has been comfortably ensconced for nearly two years (with her original owner's knowledge and permission---if not happiness about Pinky's alienation).

Pinky's quirky, to say the least. I've posted before about how much she likes to be outside in the heat---the hotter, the better--and, fortunately for her, we were more than able to accommodate that quirk of hers this year with a summer that was the third hottest in history in our town (Memphis).

One of her quirkier behaviors is the way she reacts when I pat her, almost violently, on her back at the base of her tail. She absolutely LOVES it when I pat her there, the harder (and faster) the better. She crouches down on her hind legs and sticks her head straight up in the air when I do that, and if I stop, she'll lick the hand I was doing it, so much as to say, "aw, c'mon dad, you can do that a little more."

Has anyone ever encountered behavior like that or have an explanation for why this cat enjoys that so much?

Sounds like there's never a boring moment with quirky Pinky.

I've got a Maine Coon who likes the same sort of rough, heavy-handed pats -- repetitively, right above the tailbone. Sort of like the way some dogs like being patted, in my experience. He'll purr like a kitten, tilt his ears back, and eventually playfully flip over to wrestle/gnaw on my hand.

You sound like an attentive cat-owner, so I doubt your pats are doing anything but feeling good to her. Cats can get pretty rough sometimes when grooming/roughhousing. Does she like softer pets, as well? If she prefers rough pets and shies away from stroking, it could be that she's ticklish, but still wants your attention.

My Jade enjoys her 'spankins' too, she'll pester us no end until one of us accommodates her.
After about three rounds of spankins every evening, she's ready to cuddle.
She's a weirdo.

Here's a couple of videos of a cat spank sessions (not my cats)
The cats in both videos appears to be thoroughly enjoying it, so I don't think our cats so strange.
Cat Spanking 1

Cat Spanking 2

Moar kitteh spanking!

Kitty needs a black leather chrome studded collar.

Thanks for your responses. I started thinking this had something to do with, maybe, some "tough love" Pinky got from her mom in the litter, and has found pleasurable ever since.

It's comforting to know she's not any weirder than I already know she is. I'd still like to know why cats (or at least some of them) like this. Any cat psychologists, or experts on cat behavior out there?

Could it have anything to do with the type of fur your cats have? If particularly LONG haired, maybe your cats can't feel your petting through all the hair.
Ritz is a DSH, and because I'm a wimp, I generally pet her softly, though she doesn't object if I do it harder, especially around her neck and ears.

The OP has a Burmese, these cats have very short, close lying hair.

As you can see from my sig, Jade, the spanking lover, also has short, close lying hair.
Out of the three videos, two of them feature cats with short hair.

Purely a guess here, but I think, to some cats, its much like a massage.
Though everything I've ever found on it, suggests that female cats are more inclined to enjoy it.
This has led me to believe that it is perhaps primarily a non-hormone related, secondary sexual characteristic.

I bet it does feel like a massage. It'd have to be harder than that to actually hurt. I think it's probably like a deep-pressure massage...

My 3 legged cat fudge loves being spanked on the side of her butt.x

Originally Posted by Ruthyb

My 3 legged cat fudge loves being spanked on the side of her butt.x

Click to expand...

Heh! Out of curiosity, I gave Buttercup little soft spanks on her butt and she was like, "uhh excuse me, no". So back massages and head massages only for her.

My experience was very similar with my other two, Ducman.

Baby yelled at me (she yells a lot) for even gentle pats.
Spaz latched on with 5 lightning fast (amazing for her age) swats ending with a grab and curl of claws.

Definitely not all cats enjoy it, regardless of gender or lack thereof.

LOL, and I thought Monet was the only cat that liked to be spanked. Those videos made me LOL.

Funny, I just got a video of Buddy getting his patting.

Here's the video - I hope. (click on the picture to go to the video)

http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m181/GloriaJHook/Buddy/?action=view&current=MOV04990.mp4

He usually begins to hang his head low, between my legs - the camera was a distraction.

This is part of our daily routine as I spend time with him inside his room where he is isolated from all the other cats 24/7.

I tried that with my cats after reading this thread. Blue stood there and meowed the whole time, Chloe flattened her ears and ran!, Rex looked at me like I was an idiot and took off, and Juno actually fell over (guess she was playing dead??!!).

So...it's a NO here. LOL

Originally Posted by Arlyn

My Jade enjoys her 'spankins' too, she'll pester us no end until one of us accommodates her.
After about three rounds of spankins every evening, she's ready to cuddle.
She's a weirdo.

Here's a couple of videos of a cat spank sessions (not my cats)
The cats in both videos appears to be thoroughly enjoying it, so I don't think our cats so strange.
Cat Spanking 1

Cat Spanking 2

Click to expand...

I loved those videos, these cats sure know how to communicate and they get the Cuteness Award!! Thanks for posting the links!

I once met a cat who liked to have his tail pulled. He 'taught' his humans to do this by flopping onto the floor whenever they petted him and their hand went all the way to his tail. I watched the owner pet the cat and take hold of the tail; the cat flopped onto the ground while the owner held on; as soon as the human let go the cat was back up asking for more.

With all the cats I've known over the years, their preferences of hardness of pats in front of the tail have varied from gentle-human-back-pat strength to rather hard. Ya just gotta find what your cat likes and do that.

Yeah my cat Mikey is a Burmese and he really loves his "firm" pets.. When i pet Mikey, he lays on his stomach as flat as he can go.. Its quite cute actually he has his little legs out too his side, and lays his chin right on the floor and makes himself as low as possible, then ill start petting him, and he likes it when i push right down on him, especially on the head, ill pet his head so hard sometimes it looks like his eyes are gonna bug out, lol.. But he loves it.. And naturally he loves the spanking on his butt, lol.. But firm pets too the head is his favorite, if you stop, he will hop up, meow, then lay back down wanting more.

Maby its the burmese breed, i dunno, they are tough, and rough little cats to begin with, fighters by nature, so maby they just tend to like things a little rough, lol.

Cats are weird like that. The three cats at my parents house love to be "beaten." They love their spankings and the love their tails being yanked. In my experience most cat's like their butts being spanked and there tails being yanked a little. The intensity purferred varies from cat to cat though. Some like it rougher than others.

My Kuura loves to be spanked too. He will demand for more if I stop too early. My other 3 kitties only like a 'gentle spanking'..

my fixed female likes gentle pats on her butt while lying down like a baby in his crib does..

it drives her crazy. her front legs and mouth grab onto anything available

but never my hand.

after i'm finished she sometimes flips onto her back and wants her tummy rubbed as well. by now the eyes are almost closed.

this seems to have bonded us well as nothing phases her like tail holding or paw rubbing .

now and then i'll get a love nip but thats rare.

    guess that makes me her human :>)