Does your cat let you touch their - paws, tail, belly? Do they mind being held...

I was just curious as to where your cats do & don't let you pet them, and if they let you hold them very much, etc.

My cats let me pet them anywhere, most of the time - they really like it. Except when Sweetie is in a bad mood, or has had enough, or maybe is just in a playful mood, she will bite/scratch a little bit if I touch her belly. But other than that, they are pretty good about it.

Also, they don't mind being held, even being held like a baby or anything....until they've had enough of it.

For the most part, my cats are pretty tolerant.

So how about your cats?

Reilly is one of those "on my own terms" kind of cat. He will let me pick him up occasionally and when he sits on my lap and is in his lovely dovey mood he will let me touch his paws. You'll get kicked or bit if you try and touch his tummy though!

Harley doesn't care - the only spot he won't let us touch are his hind legs, and I don't know why that is?! He will FREAK out whenever I am petting him, and if I touch his hind legs at all he will meow at me like he's furious!

Otherwise, he's a luv bug!

Chichi is sooo prissy! You can only pet her if she wants to be petted and don't even think about touching her tummy or paws, WHACK!

Murphy is pretty easy going, unless he is in super hyper mode then he atacks everything. He loves to ride on your shoulders or back. Anytime I bend over at the waist, bloop, theres a cat on my back he's my little lover boy

None of my cats mind being touched but Buzz is the only one that likes being picked up and held.

Trent is pretty tolerant. Actually, he just likes being touched most anywhere and especially on the tummy. He LOVES getting his tummy rubbed! Makes for a very happy mommy, too. He's not too keen on his paws being touched, but he just gently moves his paws away.

Ophelia, on the other hand, is VERY particular about where she is touched. The paws and tummy are off limits! And she will let you know in no uncertain terms if you are too close. We learned that early on. The first time Earl tried to pet her outside of the bedroom (she was maybe 12 weeks old), she smacked his hand so hard that the sound echoed in the front room of the apartment. She's little, but don't mess with that kitty!

I'll move this to Behavior, since it is more about what our cats allow.

Diesel LOVES to have his tummy rubbed and loves to be petted. But doesn't like being picked up too much - He'll tolerate it but you know he isn't happy.

And Portia is a little on and off - She loves to be petted but she'll change her mind at any second and start biting! But she's not too bad. She also doesn't like being picked up too much - She'll squeak, but then loves a cuddle if she's in the mood!

Silly kitties!

Puppy loves to be pet anywhere. We're constantly messing with his feet to show his many toes to our friends. If you pet down his back and tail and then rub his belly, he gets so excited that he love nips.

Princess also loves belly rubs and tail strokes. She actually plays a game (the only play she does) with her feet. I try to tap the top of her feet, and she does the same to me. She's very gentle about her claws.

Patches would prefer no touching of feet or belly. And she is the only cat I have met who will scratch anyone who attempts to touch her tail. Many unknowning visitors have been whacked because they assumed all cats like to be pet down the back and tail. She is a head and neck kitty only.

Goes to show all cats are different.

Seamus doesn't like his belly rubbed or his tail stroked too much. Gator LOVES belly rubs and will do a flop to invite us to rub his belly.

My Sapphire absolutely refuses to be held, in fact she will not even sit on my lap! she like to sit between my feet when I am on the couch- it seems like she's just waiting for me to sit down cause she is right there, lickety-split! Also she only likes her head or right under chin or right by her tail to be petted, anything other attempt and she runs off. Simon is another wierdo, if I'm passing and reach out to pet him, he will actually duck to avoid me, but if he comes to me, then look out! its petting time! he heads butts me constantly too, and he always sleeps right next to me, bedtime is cuddle time. He also is not real keen on being held. Kittties and their quirks, huh?

I think a lot depends on what age your kitty is when you get them. My kittens were 2 months old when I got them and I can do whatever I want to them I made a point of playing with their feet because I knew that if I waited till they were older they wouldn't let me.

I got Mama when she was about 6 months old and was pretty set in her ways by then. When I got the babies she picked up a lot from them. She will sit in my lap and let me pick her up but I still can't play with her belly. Other than that she lets me do just about anything, including picking her nose, eye goobers, cleaning her eyes, etc

Luna's my tolerant one. She doesn't mind being touched anywhere at all, just as long as someone is touching her! Lovebug.
Sophie is a bit more touchy. She wants loved on her terms and her terms only, and do NOT touch her feet, tummy or tail. Heck, even some of the places she let you pet her yesterday are off limits the next day! She has no qualms with nipping to let you know, either!
Cassie is not affectionate with anyone but me. She'll swat or nip. No touching the tummy there, either.
Funny how they're all so different!

Originally Posted by chichismom

Murphy is pretty easy going, unless he is in super hyper mode then he attacks everything.

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That's how Sweetie is.


.......Also thanks for moving this to the Behavior Forum- wasn't sure where it belonged

Tailer will let you touch him anywhere except his fanny...as long as he's in the mood for it. If he's not in the mood, he'll run away. (Then, of course, there are the times he demands it.)

Harvey will let you touch his head and back. No petting the fanny for too long, and DO NOT touch his paws!

Forest will let you touch him anywhere...anywhere at all. Just don't pick him up!

abi loves physical contact: paws, head, ears, tummy, gums, hind legs. anywhere. in fact she is rarely more than five feet away from me. I finally let her in my sewing room, she sits on a stool and watches me sew.

good thing because i wanted a lap cat and she is sublimely that. although every evening at dusk she goes beserk/insane and we run and up and down the stairs together or go hunting for mice and snakes (small and handmade by me) that I have dropped all over the house. then she eats dinner and settles down to groom herself and my fingers all while seated in her favorite spot: my lap.

(she sleeps on the top of her tree because i dont let her in the bedroom or no doubt she'd be in the bed with me and husband.)

Sienna doesn't mind being touched anywhere. I can rub her tail, paws, and belly....however, she will get up and walk away after a few minutes of having her belly rubbed. She tends to come right back though. She's very affectionate...she follows us around until we start rubbing her. She also doesn't mind being picked up either.

Tori, on the other hand, hates having her paws and belly touched...she's been like that ever since we got her. She is very affectionate on her own terms and loves having her upper back and head scratched. She also doesn't mind her tail/lower back being touched; however, she can tire of it quickly/become over stimulated...so we just watch for the warning signs. She also isn't crazy about being picked up...but she will tolerate it.

My old cat loved being picked up and enjoyed being rubbed everywhere...including her paws. She just adored having her belly rubbed for endless amounts of time. I would come home to her on the floor rolling around just waiting for me to pat her stomach. She was extremely affectionate.

They are all so different and their uniqueness is just another quality that makes each one of them so special.

cute thread

Blueberry will let me hold her for about 10 seconds, then she starts to meow in annoyance. You can only pet her on the back, or rub under her chin..anything else will get you that annoyed prissy meow, and she will then scatter..

Hobbs is way more layed back although he doesnt like his paws or belly touched. I can usually hold Hobbs like a cradled baby for as long as I want. if I hold him long enough like that, he will zone out and fall to sleep. He will also sleep in my lap on a chair, or if Im watching TV on the bed and laying on my stomach, he will sit on my back like Im his chair or something

My plump cat Sarah likes having her belly pet and scratched all the time, and being held as well, only upright though. Emmy her daughter, will roll on her back and curl up just so I know to scratch her belly, she loves it.She just doesnt like being held too much. Jackson doesn't really like being touched on the belly, only very gentle, but he loves being held and pet. Pumpkin will tolerate being pet and kissed but absolutley no belly touching especially after being spayed. She will let me hold very briefly before she decides she wants down. If she is on her cat tree, for some reason, she wont let anyone touch her at all.
My mom's cat Taco LOVES being held and pet and would live in somebody's warm lap if they let him. However, he was declawed when I adoped him from the shelter ( ) and will not let anyone ever touch his feet or anywhere near them. Some stupid person had all four feet done. He is very sweet and loving but if someone tries to touch his foot, he will bite.

Originally Posted by Jasper

. He is very sweet and loving but if someone tries to touch his foot, he will bite.

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And I dont blame him one bit, it's so easy to keep them trimmed I really get upset about a doctor doing that to an animal unless the animal is a menace to society and even then surely there is a better way.

well it really angers me that a person would have him completely declawed, plus having him neutered way too young causing urinary problems, just to end up in more than two different shelters.