Stumpy doesn't like back rubs

She's a funny girl. She loves head rubs and belly rubs, but if you try to rub down her back, she cringes away and puts her belly to the ground. She hates when I rub near her stump as well.

She had a broken pelvis from a car accident 2 months ago now and we got her after that. I have no idea of her history before that because she was a stray, but I wonder what makes a cat who loves pets not like to be rubbed down her back. She doesn't like being brushed for the same reason. She also NEVER rubs up against us either. She's affectionate, but not in that way.

Could this be accident related or could this be just her? I don't think I know of any cat, included the many cats of the shelter I've worked with who doesn't like a rub down the back and a scritch just above the tail, and who wont rub around my legs.

Maybe she's just hypersensitive in those areas. I would just keep giving her rubs and pats where she prefers them and not worry about trying to get her accustomed to back rubs. I've discovered that cats are very individual and you can't always go by what one likes because there will always be an oddball in the group that throws it all off, lol

Yup, she's definitely an oddball....

I also see that it's only 2 months since her injury. So it might be that she's still healing and tender in the area. Bones can take considerable time to completely heal.

I broke my foot in 3 places last year in September and it's still sore.

In time as the bones heal she might get over it. Cats are very sensitive to pain medication and things like Tylenol will kill a cat so don't go giving her any human pain medication. Maybe have your vet check her over and assess if she's in pain and if there is anything you can give her to help ease it if she is.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I also see that it's only 2 months since her injury. So it might be that she's still healing and tender in the area. Bones can take considerable time to completely heal.

I broke my foot in 3 places last year in September and it's still sore.

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That was my thought too - she may just still be tender.

What about rubbing the underside of her tail - does she like that?

In any case, she loves loving, I wouldn't worry about where so much - when (if) she starts rubbing against you, you'll know that she might be ready for back petting.

My Pearl was kicked on the hip near her tail years ago, before I got her, and she still meows when I touch too close to that spot. It happened when she was 4 months old, and she is six years old now.

Her hip bones stick out a fair bit. She's skinny, but not malnourished to the point that her bones would stick out... When she went to the vet for her post-adoption check up, she said she was a good weight.

So I do wonder if it maybe healed a bit funny, and was achy for a while, which made her not like back rubs, and now she just remembers that pain.

She certainly races around like she's not in pain.

This is how she often sits now as well.





Sorry about the quality not being the best - hubby has the camera overseas at the moment, so I'm using my phone. Hopefully you can see how her leg sits out to the side. The vet gave her the all clear healing wise and said to just give her a bit more time (this was about a month ago I guess), so maybe she's just weak still?

I'd either go back to him again now, or to someone else just to get a very good explanation if nothing else of why it's either ok and not to worry, or why it may not be and what to do about it (if anything). Can you afford a new x-ray?

I'm confident she's not in pain, and I spoke to the vets and they said the leg may always sit funny, and she may always be a bit weak in her back legs.

Does anyone elses cat not like their back being rubbed?

Tryon doesn't like it either. You can rub her face and head all you like, but don't touch her back and belly or you'll come back with a limb missing.

Something could have happened to her when she was on the streets. I don't know her history as I found her less than a year ago wandering around Fort Tryon Park. She could have been attacked and maybe still sore.... Or she could just be a weirdo

All I know is, we learned early on head and neck rubs only

I've never had a cat that didn't like to be rubbed and scratched. Abby, my youngest, is very accommodating. When it comes to rubs and brushes, she stretches out full length on her sides and her back and sticks up each leg in order to make sure I don't miss any spots, but she hates having her paws touched. I have to clip her nails most of the time while she's sleeping like the dead.

Chynna is sensitive on her back and hind legs. When I scratch down her back she is fine until I get within a couple inches of her tail, and on her back legs. When I scratch or brush those areas she starts to lick and nip her front legs. Once I stop scratching those areas, she stops licking and nipping herself.