Experts Reveal You May Be Wrong Petting Your Cat — And That’s Why They Snap At You

Petting a cat allows owners to bond with their pet and show affection, but if your pet snaps every time, you may be doing it wrong.

Cat behavior experts have found that felines don’t like being stroked in the direction of their fur, around their paws, the sides of their bodies, and the throat area.

If you allow your pet to stroke these areas, it’s possible that your pet is enduring the behavior in hopes of being fed later.

Expert Dr. Lauren Finca Nottingham Trent University said BBC Science Focus The best way to pet a cat is only around the face, such as the cheeks, the base of the ears, and under the chin.

“This is probably because these areas of the face contain many skin glands that produce scent,” Finca told the BBC.

“Cats are so motivated to use these areas to spread their scent that we think these areas are inherently very comfortable to be stimulated.”

It was long believed that cats were first introduced as pets by the ancient Egyptians about 3,600 years ago, but recent advances in DNA testing indicate that cats have been with humans for about 10,000 years. increase.

However, cats were considered royalty in ancient Egypt, wearing jewelry and feasting on food made for kings.

Today they are the second most popular pet in the world after dogs.

Cats are known for being lovable, curious and loyal.

“When it comes to petting, it’s best to remember that cats as a species are not inherently sociable or tactile,” Finca said.

She explained that many pet owners may not know that cats don’t like their bellies rubbed, either.

This is because they feel vulnerable because their vital organs are exposed, and they may see soft strokes as a threat.

Finca also stressed that just because your hairy friend is rubbing against you doesn’t mean it wants to be handled, but she shared some signs to look out for.

When irritated, cats can turn their heads very sharply to our hands. Or they may turn their heads to see us. They may also simply freeze or stop actively encouraging interaction (such as stopping purring),” Finca said.

The cat’s ears are probably rolled to the side, flattened on the head, or licked the nose or wavy fur.

A cat wagging or twitching its tail is also a sign of irritability.

“These relatively subtle signs occur fairly frequently in many of the cats I observe being touched, but people usually tend not to focus on them.” There is a tendency to misunderstand the meaning.

But her research shows that stroking a cat around its face does the opposite.

“This is probably because these areas of the face contain many skin glands that produce scent,” says Finka.

“Cats are so motivated to use these areas to spread their scent that we think these areas are inherently very comfortable to be stimulated.”