Reflex action when I stoke my cat

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PatC - 23 Nov 2004 11:17 GMT

Hi
I have 2 x 8 y/o cats (brothers)
One has developed a strange behaviour:
When I stroke him on his back he gets a compulsive need to lick his body.
It is so bad that the instant I touch his middle to rear spine he goes ape
licking his back/chin/shoulder with what I can only explain as 'fevered'.
When I stop he once again relaxes until I do it again... so I'm now avoiding
touching his back at all.
Can anyone help explain this bizarre behaviour?
Thanks in advance
Pat

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Phil? - 23 Nov 2004 11:29 GMT

> Hi
> I have 2 x 8 y/o cats (brothers)
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks in advance
> Pat

Maybe your hands smell and he is trying to wash the scent of you from him.
Do you wash your hands after using the toilet??

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Gary Stone - 23 Nov 2004 16:32 GMT

> Hi
> I have 2 x 8 y/o cats (brothers)
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks in advance
> Pat

Thanks for asking this question, I too have a cat doing the same thing.
Would appreciate it if someone could provide some serious insight. Of
course, humor is cool too.

Stone

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Fat Freddy - 23 Nov 2004 17:00 GMT

> When I stroke him on his back he gets a compulsive need to lick his body.

Fluffy does the same thing. She occasionally suffers an outbreak of a
skin rash called Pyoderma, and I thought it might be related to that,
but she does it whether she has the rash or not.

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Ashley - 23 Nov 2004 19:09 GMT

>> When I stroke him on his back he gets a compulsive need to lick his body.
>
> Fluffy does the same thing. She occasionally suffers an outbreak of a
> skin rash called Pyoderma, and I thought it might be related to that,
> but she does it whether she has the rash or not.

One of my cats does the same, but only if I'm scratching below a certain
point on his spine. I've always thought it was a reflex mating behaviour.

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Gary Stone - 24 Nov 2004 00:09 GMT

>>> When I stroke him on his back he gets a compulsive need to lick his
>>> body.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> One of my cats does the same, but only if I'm scratching below a certain
> point on his spine. I've always thought it was a reflex mating behaviour.

My goodness, I hope she doesn't think I'm trying to mount her, ha ha. I am
wondering if it might be dry skin, as I noticed she has dandruff and it
started when the air got dry. I'm going to have to get a humidifier anyway,
see if it helps.

Stone

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PatC - 24 Nov 2004 10:39 GMT

> > One of my cats does the same, but only if I'm scratching below a certain
> > point on his spine. I've always thought it was a reflex mating behaviour.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Stone

It certainly isn't dry where I live, more humid than dry, & yes he does have
dandruff, but so does my other cat (not badly though) & he doesn't show this
behaviour.

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Gary Stone - 24 Nov 2004 14:29 GMT

>> > One of my cats does the same, but only if I'm scratching below a
>> > certain
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> this
> behaviour.

My cat will jerk her head and lick me like crazy just touching the fur
lightly. I think it may just be a sensitivity thing. At first I was afraid
she might have injured her spine or something. However, she jumps around
and hunts, bends and twist with no signs of ill effect. I just keep
observing her to see if she develops any other problems. If so, then I'll go
to the vet with her. My other cat is fine also.

Stone

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PatC - 25 Nov 2004 10:58 GMT

Hi
My cat does exactly the same.
No mobility problems at all.
I wonder if some cat guru person will ever tell us the answer???
We all would like to have a reply to this... pretty please... someone must
know?
P

> "PatC" <patc@comcen.com.au> wrote in message

news:41a443ae$0$3595$61c65585@un-2park-reader-02.sydney.pipenetworks.com.au.
..

> >> > One of my cats does the same, but only if I'm scratching below a
> >> > certain
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Stone

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