AAAWWWWW!  All 4 of mine do this, and all 4 are female.  Also, when they do
lie on their backs their legs are tucked up with paws folded over.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Mimi was always pulled together like that.  Stinky sprawls.  I have no
idea whether it was gender-related, or just Mimi and Stinky-related.

I always called Mimi "the no- nonsense cat," and Stinky "the
all-nonsense cat." ;)

Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

I call that one the "elegant" pose.  I assumed that both boy and girl
kitties could be elegant, but I've only had one cat - Betty, a lady
cat.

My little Cheeky is very feminine, and in fact sits the same way,
with her tail tucked. The rest of the time it is flying high, like the
mast of a tall ship! I have been told this means she feels safe.

no manners that make sence to us, sleeps on her back all sprawled out, yowls
all the time, just generally bratty, she is not elegant at alljust flops
whereever strikes her, the boy on the other hand has the tinyiest meow,
always looks regal, and sophisticated, and very often lays on his tummy with
all 4's spread out kind of like a rug, hehe, never on his back, he is much
too above showing his bits, i think in a former life he was gay. hehehe

Sheba sits in a regal position but with her tail straight out behind
her, usually in the pathway. And she acts outraged if anyone thinks it
is in the way. I think a youthful injury to her tail is the cause of
the positioning of her tail. It still has a kink in it and the hair on
the lower half doesn't fluff. However, she will curl it around her
when she lies on her side.

Robin and Djoser don't seem to have a particular pose. But Amber (RB)
had many poses all his own. When walking, he carried his tail low and
curved forward, usually on the right side. When sitting, he could
assume the regal pose with the tip of his very fluffy tail turned up
looking like a pom-pom. Or he would sit on a window sill with his
plume of a tail hanging down like the letter "g". When lying down, he
would get into so many different sleeping positions, like a
contortionist and expose his belly and throat and look adorable. Oh,
how I miss that cat! <tears>

--
CATherine

My Roxie's ladylike behavior seems mostly evedent at chow time. Stosh and
Brandy have next to no table manners; they wolf their food, sending bits
everywhere flying, and immediately go back to their roughhousing. I call
them my Juvenile Delinquents, thought Stosh is just over a year and a half
old and so would be a true adult. Chronologically.

Roxie is nearly Victorian in her manners. I can see her unfolding a dainty
napkin and spreading it out. She takes delicate little nibbles, taking
care not to get crumbs or gravy on her cheeks or chin, and takes only a
little at a time. Her only exception to her etiquette is when ham comes
around, and then she's Mama's little sneak thief.

Roxie is also the most meditative, and prefers the yoga position of front
paws tucked in, eyes almost but not quite closed. She does not like to be
disturbed in this state. She is close to enlightenment, it seems at times.
She alone will sit with us at prayer, the other two being too young and
too hyper to stay long, and that's cool; our creator made them that way
and I won't tamper with their nature. But if Sikhs had nuns, Roxie would
be in the running. Maybe she's Buddhist...

Blessed be,

Baha

Tallulah seems very feminine to me, though I can't really put my
finger on just why.  She does do these things, but it's more than
that; it's just Essence of Lula, I think.   :-)

------
Krista

Sweetie sits like that.

Joe... um... what Joe does is spill...or sort of ooze.  He's like a big
furry blob.

Currently sprawled on his back with legs in all directions and no dignity
whatsoever.

TBird <---- DH and I watch Joe spill in all different ways and places....

Do you notice

Smokey's favourite pasttime is "poking," defined as "working hard at
doing nothing."  Poking doesn't count if the cat's asleep, since
sleeping does not require effort.  Smokey's really poking hard when we
see him on his back on the couch, all four paws in the air, head
hanging over the edge, eyes wide open lookin' around--and he holds
that pose for hours on end.

Nocturne would never do anything so crass.  She spends her time
enthroned on a pillow, tail curled around legs, occasionally grooming
herself.

The bitties move around too much to poke, and dont' have Nocturne's
sense of elegance.  They're best known for sleeping with their
forepaws/"arms" around each other.  SISTERS!

--Enfilade

If this is so, my TuTu must be a slut.  She loves to stretch out on her
back for a belly rub or comb.  If I try to comb higher on her chest, her
front paws direct me lower on her belly.    MLB