A Michael Broad Blog
Although people describe a cat’s sudden negative reaction to being petted as if they are Jekyll and Hyde characters, it is naturally logical and normal from the cat’s perspective. Cats react and interact instinctively. And by default, cats are cautiously defensive. Through socialisation, they have adapted to living in what is an unnatural environment …
Domestic cats vary a lot in terms of what they enjoy regarding being petted, cuddled and being picked up. The default situation is that they like it but with varying degrees of enjoyment or tolerance. Although being picked up is a little different. Some cats just don’t like it and I’d suggest that it …
When stroking your cat, it’s essential to apply the right amount of pressure. Too much pressure can be uncomfortable or even painful for your feline friend, while too little pressure may not provide the desired effect. In fact, applying too much pressure or petting to vigorously can stimulate a play response from your cat which …
I’m going to refer to a study which starts off with the words, “Receiving touch is of critical importance”. The words at the end of the study are as follows: “In conclusion, we show clear evidence that such interventions are beneficial across a large number of both physical and mental health outcomes”. This applies …
You’d agree that it is the sworn duty of all cat caregivers to keep their cat safe and make them happy. Those are the two goals and the former precedes the latter. I believe that every cat has a preferred way to be petted. There is no universal petting method. How cats like to …
NO, not NORMALLY is the answer to the question in the title but there are exceptions. The paws of the hind legs are almost always out of bounds in my experience. More so than the forepaws. But after living with my cat for around 8 years and developing an ever-closer relationship, he likes me …
Because of her early days experiences, a kitten equates being provided for with her mother. As the human caregiver continues to provide for the now adult cat, the cat relates to their human caregiver as their mother. Her true mom licked her kitten a lot during her earliest days to clean them, which is …
Individual cats will have their own response to being petted and not all domestic cats like to be petted to the same extent. I think that we have to remind ourselves that people pet their cats mainly because they want to do it as it brings them pleasure. People expect their cat to enjoy …
