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

My cat is new...I have only had him 8 days from the Humane Society. He is a Maine Coon as was my last cat (my beloved who passed away 3 weeks ago). This cat, like my last, has the personality of a small child. I can do ANYTHING with him. Right now, he is rubbing on my face alternating with kissing my ear while talking to me. He loves to be carried like a baby. I can rub his paws, belly, ears, all over. The more attention, the happier he is. It is the reason I love Maine Coons so much. They are so loving.

Happy in S. FL,

Lisa & Milo (formerly Charlie....Milo fits him better!)

Both Patches and Mrs. Cheese will let you do absolutely anything to them, at any time. Neither of them have ever flinched, bitten, or scratched. (We're so blessed with amazing cats!) Little Patches loves to be picked up and held right-side up, upside-down, sideways, over the shoulder you name it! Cheeser doesn't like being held as much (probably because she's so darn heavy and it's uncomfortable for her), but one of her nicknames is "Smoosh" because when she's laying down she loves to be smooshed very roughly!! She'll sprawl on her back with her fat belly up, and we rub and smoosh her belly and she just purrs and purrs. She also loves her face to be "smooshed" - to rub the fur in all directions. She really likes to be pet hard!

We've only had our cats for about a month now. Swanie is a young male, and he loves attention and being petted. He will flop over on his side the minute you reach your hand down toward him. If you try to pet his tummy, tho, he thinks it's a game and the claws come out. He also likes a stroke down the back and up the tail. He's a very easy going cat, doesn't mind being picked up, and gets pretty excited when I sit down and provide an available lap. He's not crazy about having his nose messed with, and actually hissed at the vet who was cleaning something out of his nose. He doesn't like toenails clipped either. I tried once (on the shelters advice) and he totally freaked when he saw the cutters. Freaked even more when we tried to use them on him. I've decided that I will let him tend to his own claws, and don't mess with his feet at all.

Cynthia likes to be petted, but on her terms. She especially likes it when she's relaxed and ready for sleep, and she likes being petted all over. She loves a good tummy rub, and doesn't have a problem with touching her tail either. She doesn't mind being picked up, but she'll resist if she doesn't want you to, and she's not a lap cat or one to cuddle next to you, but she'll curl up (or stretch out) by you. Mostly, she loves Dude and follows him around everywhere. Right now she's hiding under a bed because we had to give her some medicine, and I'm hoping she'll get back to "normal" one of these days soon. We all miss seeing her (especially Swanie).

Suzy will tolerate being picked up, but does not like it. we did try to accustom her to it, but she just doesn't like it, so we respect that now, unless it's really necessary. She seems to know at those times to be patient and the human will let her down as soon as possible. She likes scritches on her own terms, and if she's not in the mood, she'll just scoot under your hand. I don't think there's any part of her that's really off limits.

Fawn enjoys being held by her Daddy -- only Daddy can really do it right. She'll take scritches however and whenever she can get them, but isn't that keen on tummy or toes being touched. She just bats away the offending hand.

Cindy is the cuddle bun, and will take any amount of scritching, rubbing, ruffling that can be doled out. She loves to be held and walked like a baby, and will snuggle into my shoulder when I do that. She doesn't mind having her feet touched, or her tail, and will drape herself over my arm in such a way that I can't help but scritch her tummy. However, if she is not pleased with me for some reason (she's a tortie ) she will slap me away quite forcefully.

None of our kitties liked being petted as kittens. They've all grown more affectionate (in human terms) with time.

Shelly LOVES being petted, but hates being picked up. He even likes a belly-rub now and then. He INSISTS on being brushed if he sees a brush.

Lazlo always bumps ups against us - but he only likes being petted on the cheek or down his back for a few strokes. For some reason he LOVES being brushed endlessly - but only in the bathroom, lol!

Flowerbelle LOVED petting us with her tongue. Now she's almost three - and she enjoys being petted sometimes. Again - especially in the bathroom, lol! She sleeps on us - and doesn't mind being picked up. Gary plays "airplane" with her, and she just squeals with delight. Her chest rests on his hand, and her body lies down his arm. Her butt is nestled in the crook of his elbow. He "zooms" her around - up to the top of the cabinets - down to floor level - she loves it! She's also becoming a lap kitty.

Tuxedo could never stand more than one or two strokes of pets - and then his head/cheeks ONLY. Now he LOVES being petted, he LOVES being brushed, and he even enjoys a belly-rub now and again. But boy is he ever the king of head-butts! He jumps up on the bed or a cat tree and meows - and one of us will walk over and lean our head down to his level, and BANG he smashes his head into ours and then walks a few steps rubbing his whole body along our head - pushing into us (so you've got to brace yourself before you begin, lol). It is just so hard to believe this cat used to attack Gary and sent two other kittens to the hospital for stitches when he was a MEAN "definitely unadoptable" feral outside.

Spooky is a lapcat - almost. She loves being petted ALL THE TIME. Anywhere. Her belly, her tail, her head, her cheeks, her gums, even her teeth. She lies next to us for pets almost every waking moment we're around and not standing up.

Ming Loy because of her handicap has always flopped around and is constantly on her back. She doesn't get mad at belly rubs, but she doesn't seem to enjoy them. She'll tolerate being picked up for a minute or two. She is WAY more into play than pets!

Both my cats LOVE belly rubs. Niles especially, gets super sucky about 2 times a day, jumps up next to me, rolls upside down and practically demands full belly rubbing. He purss the loudest during these moments. Manytoes I think prefers belly rubs to back scratches, though he likes to be vigourously rubbed in all directions. Hes very affectionate all through the day. Both of them are also good with their paws, and never scratch me....sometimes they will pull the paw away, but not getting at all upset. Usually then I play catch the paw with them!. Niles likes having his paw pads tickled...he will spread all his toes out SUPER wide and it looks so cute. Manytoes is excellent with his front paws (the super freaky ones) but more picky about the back ones. he wont run off, but he'll give the kick (gently). Im super lucky to have such calm cats!

Originally Posted by Februa

Both my cats LOVE belly rubs. Niles especially, gets super sucky about 2 times a day, jumps up next to me, rolls upside down and practically demands full belly rubbing. He purss the loudest during these moments. Manytoes I think prefers belly rubs to back scratches, though he likes to be vigourously rubbed in all directions. Hes very affectionate all through the day. Both of them are also good with their paws, and never scratch me....sometimes they will pull the paw away, but not getting at all upset. Usually then I play catch the paw with them!. Niles likes having his paw pads tickled...he will spread all his toes out SUPER wide and it looks so cute. Manytoes is excellent with his front paws (the super freaky ones) but more picky about the back ones. he wont run off, but he'll give the kick (gently). Im super lucky to have such calm cats!

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Yes, you are very lucky to have calm cats! My cats like I said before are usually pretty calm. Precious just loves belly rubs though and Sweetie not so much except once in a blue moon when she's really really happy and relaxed she'll let me.

Dax lays on her back for a good portion of each day and we often spend hours in the evening on the sofa together, me reading or watching tv and Dax beside me stretched out with her little paws all limp. She loves the belly stroke, Dan thinks it's disgracfull the way she spreads her legs when I touch her belly - She doesn't want me to miss her poochy inner thighs!

Mine melts like butter when I touch her. I can play with her paws or tail, and pet her all over her belly, and she doesn't mind for the most part. She loves it. In fact, if you are petting her, or letting her rub against you, she will often twist over so you can pet her belly too.

Sonny & Salt always love to be held. I can carry them around like a mommy with a baby on her hip with no problems. One or the other of them is almost always on my lap as soon as I sit down.
Jasmine was a snuggler, too, most of the time, but she definitely had her times when she wanted to be alone. She however, loved to be patted and rubbed roughly.
George has always been independent. He'll give you a few moments now and then to pet him. Even rarer is to hold him. In his older age, he's become a bit more needy and sociable where he will sleep near me and let me pet him for longer periods of time. He loves to 'flop' and offer his belly, but only lets you touch it for a second before he's playing and batting at your hands.
Pepper, well, the jury's still kinda out on her. She tends to be more "busy" all the time, not staying still anywhere for long. However, especially after my husband goes to bed, she tends to gravitate towards my lap and cuddle/sleep there in the later evening quite happily.

Neither one of them likes their paws touched but they love
having their belly rubbed

My two cats welcome any kind of affection, with no hesitation. They always let me touch their paws, they roll onto their backs just to have their bellies scratched, and they don't mind being held. As long as it's not for extended periods of time. And they absolutely LOVE chin-rubs. Especially my Buttercup. For her, that's total bliss. Her eyes close, the purring starts, and she's totally relaxed. She's definitely my little "shadow." Follows me everywhere throughout the house, sits on my lap, and even paws at me if I stop petting her. I strongly believe her overly affectionate behaviour stems from the fact that her previous owners did not show her any affection, instead keeping her locked in a room 24 hours a day with no food and very little water. My other cat Midnight also came from a bad home. He's inbred and has a deformed ear, due to lack of care from his previous owners. He LOVES when people come into our home, and he's always running up to greet them. He's known, amongst our friends and family, as "the handsome boy." Everybody loves him.

Captain Cuddles doesn't quite live up to her name... haha. She follows me around more than she cuddles, I should've called her Stalker instead but that doesn't sound as cute. She'll trail me wherever I go within a few feet, if I get up to get coffee in the morning she's there, if I go to the bathroom, she's there too! She's sweet though and loves to nudge at my legs, be pet, and always lets me pick her up. She'll chill in my arms for a few minutes but won't sit on my lap or on the couch with me, it's weird. I wonder if it's because she doesn't like the leather? She'll let me play with her tail and touch her paws, and she'll lie on her back and let me rub her tummy.. but only if I don't have a brush in my hands! If it's a grooming session, tummy is off limits which makes it alot more difficult.

Miss Mew said:

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!

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When Bella is sleeping at the end of my bed I will lay down with her and she will let me pet her for awhile till she thinks it's enough and either swat at me and run off. Now Thunder is another story, if you can catch her she will let you hold her for about 5 seconds then watch out she is on the scratching war path.

Kipper is only 4 months old, but the cutest thing is that when you scratch his front armpits he does this swimming thing with his arms.... he loves it. Belly rubs are the bomb, but any sort of contact is preferable to none for him. I was once wiping up something on the floor and he climbed up my back to my shoulder where he stayed when I stood up again and continued with the housecleaning. I think he would be most interested in a babywearing situation ;-)...except of course during play time. My 4 year old scoops him up like a forklift and carts him around,, and he has NEVER shown any disdain or wish to take flight from the situation.

My big fat orange tabby Joey loves to be held, touched, scratched whatever.. He will basically let you do whatever you want with no fuss.. He loves being picked up and held, he likes especially to be held up like a baby in your arms (tummy up).. He loves to snuggle in your lap too. Loves a good tummy rub!

Now my little black Burmese cat Mikey is different.. He loves his pets and scratches (especially hard on the head).. Loves to cuddle, and sleep with you, but WILL NOT be picked up.. Hates it.. And will squirm and struggle if you attempt to do so.. Hes not into tummy rubs either. If you try to rub his tummy he will just get up and walk away from you. 

I have three cats and the only one that becomes temper-mental about being held and touched is my only male, who is also the only stray of the bunch and is also getting up there in cat years. He will let you love him for a little bit but as soon as you touch his tail or his belly he swats at you. 

I guess every cat is different, but I have learned my limits with him and now we are ok.

Snow Balls is super chill. He let's us pet him everywhere, but sometimes tummy rubs can turn into playtime where he gently nibbles your hand, but not aggressively. He's fantastic during nail trims and loves getting picked up too His favourites are cheek and ear scratches. 

I adopted my cat when she was a year old, so I pretty much missed her kitten years. For the first little while, she didn't really like to be held or touched on her belly or tail or picked up often. But I was incredibly persistent to the point where her attaching me didn't phase me at all. And, despite her complaining I cuddled the crap out of her (but not so much that it actually caused her distress). I also looked up cat social psychology so I could mimic kitty affection, it seemed to have worked! Now my cat is used to being picked up and enjoys it (especially when it gets her a safe height away from my roommates 90lb dog) I can play with her paws, give her tail strokes, and most of the time even touch her belly (sometimes she doesn't have a choice when I find a matte, I will take her to her favourite place where she feels safest (which is my bed) and put her on her back and gently go after her mattes. She doesn't like it too much, but she is very tolerant. I feel like I am so lucky hehe. Oh but she's lazy. She won't jump up on my lap, just whine until I pick her up and put her there haha.