Petting your cat may not be as simple as you think. Cats are moody at times. They don’t always like to be petted nor caressed. It is essential to understand what petting does to them and how it affects their mood. Petting in the wrong spot may result in a scratch, agitation, or ferocity. You should know how to pet your cat with important precautionary guidelines.
Experts recommend giving time for your pet cat to get adjusted when you start to be clingy. However, this will take some time. Take note. There are specific places in the cat’s body that will give them satisfaction because it’s near their scent glands. In this article, we’ll discuss different ways on how to pet your cat.
Best Ways to Pet Your Cat
Cats are just as sweet as a dog. They’re even sweeter if they know that someone around them knows how to take care of them. If you want to get some tips on how to pet your cat, take a look at these four ways to pet them.
Focus on the Chin
Before you get started, you may want to cut your nails. You don’t want them biting you for that harsh reason, right? Gently rub their chin with the tips of your fingernail, particularly in the jawbone that connects them right through the skull. Usually, cats will love this kind of gesture. They might push into your movement, a particular sign of enjoyment.
Caress the Area Behind the Ears
Like most cats and dogs, they find it very relaxing when they are rubbed between the area of their ears. Their facial expression always tells the story. One good tip about cats is when they bump their head and body through you. They are marking them your own! Oh, what a lovely gesture.
Pet Their Cheeks
In doing so, use the back of your hand and place them directly on their cheeks in a slow and gentle motion. Once your cat gets acclimated from your movement, slowly lift your finger and massage their whiskers. Do this in circling motion.
Massage the Forehead to Their Tail
Start from the head and gently run down your hand through the tail. While you run your hand, gently massage everything on its way. This leaves a very relaxing sensation to the cats. It is one of those massages that they love.
If you wouldn’t mind, it is our go-to move when petting our pet cat. Usually, this gesture is being reciprocated by them by pushing their backs. This is a sign that they love what you are doing and want for more.
Ways to Pet Cats Whenever They Come to You
Cats can trust those around them. Whenever they go near you, you must know how to pet your cat. This is to avoid hurting them even if you didn’t intend to. Here are some of the ways to pet cats if they go around.
Let Them Sniff You First
When they sniff you first, they want to be comfortable around your scent. Once they do, you can pet them all you want. They usually do this by extending their nose throughout the portions of your body. Once done, you can easily pet them as they are now more accustomed to your scent and overall appearance. However, when the cat seems uninterested, it might not be the perfect time to pet them.
One good way to know if he or she wants to be petted is when she brushes his/her body to you, and when they ‘meow,’ this is most like the signal that they want to be petted.
Wait for them to bump their head to you first.
This gesture is often exhibited when they want your attention. If, by chance, you are busy and can’t pet him/her, try to pet them once or twice. In this way, they won’t feel that they are being ignored. Cats aren’t as vocal and expressive as dogs. However – they are more than capable of doing such. It just takes the right time to do it. It is often useful to reciprocate these actions.
When They Jump on Your Lap
It is a form of a cuddle to them, especially if they want to be petted. However – for some reason, they just want to lie down and sleep in your warmth. Cats do these because we humans are a great source of heat. For them, a warm experience, especially in cold climates, is very soothing to have. So, if they do this, they might as well oblige to pet them. Do this in a gentle and mellow manner.
Understand How They Communicate
One of the ways to pet your cat is that, if they want to communicate through low audible sounds, this kind of communication is called purring. Purring is one way to tell you that your cat is in the social mood to be petted and would want your attention immediately. Sometimes, one touch of your hand in their body is all they need. They say that the louder the purring, the happier they would be. However, take not the excessively loud purring may not mean excessive happiness, sometimes this means annoyance to them.
Look Out for the Warning Signs
Sometimes, as we’ve said earlier, over-petting may lead to annoyance and disturbance, which may sometimes lead to provoked behavior. So, it is best to pay attention to it. When you’re not paying attention, there are signs in the form of nibble or scratch.
However, we put the utmost importance on communicating with your pet at an early stage to avoid these kinds of scenarios. Prevention is better than cure!
Conclusion
Knowing how to pet your cat is one way to alleviate stress for you and your feline friend. It gives you a sense of well-being wherein your frustrations and displeasures in life are quickly removed. Remember, owning a pet cat may have some repercussions, as cats aren’t as vocal as dogs. However, once they are acclimated to you and their surroundings, the rest will be history. Cats are very nice creatures to have. They make your home a whole lot better with their presence alone. Know more about cats.