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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / March 2005Really likes his scratches
My cat does something odd that someone here might be able to explain. When I scratch him on the back near his tail, he will in short order tilt his head to one side, cock his chin up a bit, then start seemingly lapping the air with his tongue. Now, I'm cool with this so long as it's just a pure pleasure thing. But if Goliath is getting something kinky out of it, I may have to flick that boy up side the head. Anyone else have a cat do this, or know of it? Ken > My cat does something odd that someone here might be able to explain. > When I scratch him on the back near his tail, he will in short order tilt his [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > side the head. Anyone else have a cat do this, or know of it? > Ken It's a pleasure spot. It is not kinky. It is not unusual. You can't do it too much or it can be annoying to the cat, but a good case of elevator butt is a happy thing. > It's a pleasure spot. It is not kinky. It is not unusual. You can't do it > too much or it can be annoying to the cat, but a good case of elevator butt > is a happy thing. Ahah! I've been meaning to ask this question. Okay, so I'm assuming that the term "elevator butt" refers to a cat lifting its hindquarters in response to petting. In Oscar's case, you can't pet the bottom half of her back without getting that response: her front is down, her back is way up in the air. It's hard for me to imagine a reason for this that *isn't* sexual. What am I missing?  Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >> It's a pleasure spot. It is not kinky. It is not unusual. You can't do it >> too much or it can be annoying to the cat, but a good case of elevator butt [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > It's hard for me to imagine a reason for this that *isn't* sexual. What am I > missing? Well, a massage isn't necessarily sexual, though it can be it doesn't have to be. It is just sensual and pleasurable. >> It's hard for me to imagine a reason for this that *isn't* sexual. What am >> I missing? > > Well, a massage isn't necessarily sexual, though it can be it doesn't have > to be. It is just sensual and pleasurable. Yes, but when I am getting a non-sexual massage, I don't arc my butt or any other portion of my anatomy up into the air =P Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > > It's a pleasure spot. It is not kinky. It is not unusual. You can't do it > > too much or it can be annoying to the cat, but a good case of elevator butt [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > It's hard for me to imagine a reason for this that *isn't* sexual. What am I > missing? That area is rich in nerve endings, mainly because it's one of the places on a cat's body which has scent glands. Notice how cats rub their faces and ears against someone, then walk past and rub their hindquarters on the same area? Those are all places which have scent glands. The cat is picking up the person's scent and applying its own to that person, a marking behavior denoting feline ownership; the nerve endings render the activity pleasurable. It's nature's way of ensuring the marking is done. That the cat enjoys being petted in those places is an added bonus to both the petter and the petted. >> Ahah! I've been meaning to ask this question. >> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > enjoys being petted in those places is an added bonus to both the petter and > the petted. That sounds plausible. Thanks. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >Ahah! I've been meaning to ask this question. > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >It's hard for me to imagine a reason for this that *isn't* sexual. What am I >missing? There is a scent gland on above the tail. They would normally rub up against things to put their scent on them. So, not only are they getting their scent on you, but you are helping to release it by rubbing them. A lot of cats also really like having their cheeks rubbed, and the area right behind their ears. Same basic idea. Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com > >Ahah! I've been meaning to ask this question. > > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > A lot of cats also really like having their cheeks rubbed, and the > area right behind their ears. Same basic idea. My cat has no smell at all, at least compared to the beagle I had when I was a kid. : ) So, these scent glands are supposed to be undetectable to us humans? >My cat has no smell at all, at least compared to the beagle I had when I was a >kid. : ) >So, these scent glands are supposed to be undetectable to us humans? Pretty much. Consider this. Can you detect a specific odor about each cat? We can't, but the cats can. Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com >>My cat has no smell at all, at least compared to the beagle I had when I was >>a kid. : ) So, these scent glands are supposed to be undetectable to us >>humans? > > Pretty much. Consider this. Can you detect a specific odor about each cat? > We can't, but the cats can. Not sure I agree with this. In fact, there was a discussion just the other day on .anecdotes about those of us who sniff our cats and how they smell. Oscar smells just a little bit musty and warm, like an old, comforting quilt. However, I don't know if that smell relates to her scent glands. I've never noticed a smell on me after Oscar rubs on me, whereas, for example, there's a distinct odor if I pet an oily-furred dog, like a labrador retriever. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >Not sure I agree with this. In fact, there was a discussion just the other >day on .anecdotes about those of us who sniff our cats and how they smell. >Oscar smells just a little bit musty and warm, like an old, comforting quilt. I think that is more about our level of smelling ability. I can smell an odor with the dogs usually, but not very often with the cats. I guess a better example would be: If you were blindfolded, could you pick out a variety of cats by smell only? I can't. I can pick them out by meow, by how they walk across me, and how they feel. But certainly not be scent. But I bet they can. . Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com >It's a pleasure spot. It is not kinky. It is not unusual. You can't do it >too much or it can be annoying to the cat, but a good case of elevator butt >is a happy thing. Kitty Hydrolics :) Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com > >It's a pleasure spot. It is not kinky. It is not unusual. You can't do it > >too much or it can be annoying to the cat, but a good case of elevator butt > >is a happy thing. > > Kitty Hydrolics :) Hee! I want to add, to the OP, that when petting that spot produces jerky movements of the head such as he describes, along with biting or licking, it has often crossed the line into feline hyperesthesia--not a big deal, but some cats get aggressive. Go easy on that spot. (If your cat eventually bites his foreleg, that is the hallmark of feline hyperesthesia. Still no big deal, but my vet says it can be uncomfortable for the cat--like tapping a funnybone over and over. My cat Buddha has this. She points her nose to the sky and wags her head back and forth and says "Mow. Mow mow. Mow mow mow." And if we keep on she bites her arm. It is hilarious.) > -- > Meghan & the Zoo Crew > Equine and Pet Photography > http://www.zoocrewphoto.com |
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