Has anyone actually figured out what they want when they do this?
He meows. Makes hard eye contact but if I touch him , he gets mad and runs off.
What? What do you want!?!?! Why are you staring at me and meowing if you don't actually want me to do anything?!
He also seems to get mad and run off if I just look back at him and not try to pet him.
If I try to ignore him he just rolls around and sometimes does this little ridiculous "tantrum" deal where he will stand up and dramatically throw himself down and then roll onto his back. It's always loud cause he's a big cat. It can't feel very good. But he does it all the time.
Idk. Maybe he just likes being dramatic.
Anyway. Any cat whisperers who have figured it out, let me know.
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Cats will often show you their belly as a sign of trust, as it makes them vulnerable. Some cats love to have their bellies rubbed, others view it as a breach of trust and will shred you, even though they flopped over. If it's a cat you don't know, the best thing is to just reach down and scratch the top of their head around the ears. If you want to see how far you can push it, give them scritches under the chin, move down to the upper chest, and inch your way lower to see how far they're okay with going.
This quickly turned into cat fan-fiction
If I even approach with my hand he gets mad and runs off before I even make contact. He is generally fond of cheek rubs. But he won't even let me do that when he's on his back.
To me it sounds like it could be what some littermates do to eachother, he's calling you to play. Our cats will do this same thing, but to each other: Jade will first go groom Ciri's face for a bit, perhaps a little stranglehold here, or she flops down in front of her sister, asking her to jump on top and wrestle, a lot like what you've described in the post. YMMV obviously, you know your cat better than a stranger online etc., but my two cents from my experience with a lot of litters in the past, I've seen this before many times.
It can also be what comment above said, he could be just showing his trust to you, but since it's such a high stakes thing, he could be a little overstimulated and doesn't know what he actually wants, and just reacts like his instincts are telling him.
Some cats, even cats that know and trust you react much better if you pet them with a hand they dont see approach. Sometimes I distract a cat with one hand and start stroking with another. I think laying on your back is a very vulnerable position for a cat, most cats I had did it but only one stayed in that position while I was approaching.
I think you might be right from what I can gather without a video to check the body language and a longer term observation.
Spot on, but I would personally go for slow horizontal approach to cheeks if you don't know the cat, a lot of cats freak out about things above them, so going directly to top of head is a bit risky, and has gotten me bit before. I would offer a scent mark target first, just stick a (tucked in, hard to bite!) knuckle out for them and if they rub their cheek against it, you're golden. After that I would move to chin and then top of head/behind ears.
My friends watching me scratch the floor in the other room, look back at their cat, take another step and scratch the floor again
With my cat, it's an invitation to play fight.
So I put on an oven mitt, tickle her belly and she clamps down on it and tries to kill it.
But she doesn't extend her claws or actually bite down, and when I remove my hand she goes back to the position on her back. Which tells me she seems to enjoy it.
Blood (yours)
My cat does this for belly rubs... Her software is bugged and doesn't have a limit on belly rubs. Also to scratch her back on the carpet. She will also let me spin her like a beyblade while doing this for some reason and keep laying on her back for more belly rubs
Attention. Purely you just talking to him and staying around him is enough usually.
Some head and ear scratches might also be acceptable.
Belly rubs might be interpreted as an attack.
Touch but don’t touch.
Pls pet?
No touch! Only pet!
Hes just like me fr
Showing their belly means they trust you. If they let you rub their belly they really trust you.
What if you stick you face in their belly and go "wuzza wuzza wuzza"?
Freezie pops
That's a decent movie but I like the remake better.
I don't even know the movie! Just found it on a gif search and thought it would work. 😂
First part is correct. Second part not necessarily. Some don’t like having their bellies touched no matter how much they trust you. The show of trust is exposing their belly, going for he belly is usually taken as a betrayal of that trust.
Yeah, I've had good results just going for the chest instead of the chest and belly. Then they can interact with their front paws or head if they want to, and you avoid getting raked with the rear claws if they suddenly decide petting was ok up to then but must stop immediately.
Also don't go from 0 to 100 instantly, unless you know the cat well. Ramp up the intensity more slowly so the cat isn't jolted around unexpectedly or feels out of control. Same thing if you pick them up. If they instantly start squirming around, they aren't comfortable. Maybe it's nervousness about being dropped, maybe they just don't want to be carried.
My cat will allow brief chest pets. NOT belly rubs!!!
Mostly I think she just wants me to stop walking and give her my full attention. She flops right at my feet. Usually while I'm carrying something.
Sometimes she'll let me touch her paws too, NOT in a grabby way, just with my fingertips.
(She normally allows face scritches and back pets but this position isn't conducive.)
And sometimes I just take a few seconds to tell her good things about herself, like she's smart and pretty and brave and strong.
Fortunately, cats are cool with the attention only lasting a few minutes.
Try getting a feather on a stick type toy and pulling it out when he does this. I'd say he wants to play, but doesn't want to engage your actual huge ape body when it comes down to it. In any case, it's a sign he considers you his human. He's really a beautiful cat.
I have a heavy cloth, like canvas, stuffed tube that I break out when he is on his back with crazy eyes. I know he wants to get a good "dig" in. I rub the tube on his belly and he'll latch onto it a tear into it like he's gotten some sweet prey. I'll even hold one end and drag him around the floor and rotate him while he furiously kicks and chews it.
It depends. It's like when a human says "I love you." In some cases it's time to blow them a kiss and cook them some crepes. In other cases it's time to double-check your safeword and tighten the straps.
😂
If they lie like that peacefully and contently then it's because they find it comfortable.
If they're active and trying to get your attention, but don't want pets, then it's because they want to play.
My cat does this when she’s happy. She’ll fall asleep like that with a literal little smile on her face in the sun and when I see it I explode because it’s so damn cute. She’s also an old girl so I have to kinda make sure she’s breathing these days and didn’t literally go belly up and give up the ghost on me 😭😭
Pets really nailed down the manipulation through cuteness
They've reached the apex of survival. Find the top life form then latch onto them and get them to serve and fuss over you.
hes telling you he likes you and is happy youre here and doing whatever youre doing.
not all cats showing belly want belly touched, simple as.
Yeah, my cat just wants effusive praise when she does this, she doesn't want me touching her.
i think it means they want attention, when my cat did this she wanted me to pet her or go to her so she would have me follow and show she wants to go out or have some food.
I assumed she just knew how cute she is and deliberately wanted to be even more cute so i would have to come to her, which i always did precisely for that reason.
Put on a thick leather work glove and wrestle him.
I used to do this with my giant Main Coon. I could feel his teeth trying to bury themselves in my hand. Ahhhh!
You need thicker gloves!
I could feel the pressure but they didn't penetrate. He was trying. lol
Violence
👍
It’s a trap!!
Belly rubs and blood. Did you try slow blinking at him before touching? Maybe he wants you to touch him but is nervous.
Sometimes he will do kitty winks back and forth with me. But tummy is off limits.
He has never liked that.
I think he wants to play with a wand toy. He seems open to that.
It means the cat is bored
Belly rubs :D
Trying to set me up ?
Haha. No he does not let me touch the belly. Ever.
Every cat is different. One of ours demands belly rubs like this.
Another one cannot tolerate being touched in any way. You go to pet her and she's like:
https://youtu.be/8DajVKAkL50#t=25s
He wants attention. One of mine does this (including the repeated walking around and flopping dramatically in my line of sight) but only wants a cheek scritch. Everything else is off limits. Sometimes they also want you to play with them (if you have cat toys). But almost never do they want a belly rub.
Hm. I suspect it's play he wants then. He definitely does not want me to touch him.
My old cat used to love belly rubs, and would never attack. Miss her so much.
My new cat doesn’t offer. I don’t think she understands the concept. She was a stray and still pretty young. Maybe she will grow into it.
Attention, pets, or possibly play time. Try a string or wand toy?
I have both. I'll give that a try next time
One of my cats lays on her back and stretches out when she's hot. If you try to scratch her belly, she will claw your arm off. So she has clearly communicated that I should not scratch her belly and that's an easy message to understand based on the scars.
My other cat loves belly scratches, but she prefers if I pick her up for them.
The easy thing to do is try various actions and then stop doing the ones that result in you getting your arm torn off, and whatever's left over, that's what the cat likes
What if you don’t figure it out before losing both arms?
Head cup and little scratch behind ear. Quality trust time, ignore incidental cat tum for now.
He’s bored and wants to play.
To feel the weight of their sins on their bellies instead of their backs.
Like a weighted blanket
It's comfy
If pets aren't what he wants because he runs off if you get close, try laying down next to him, as close as he'll let you, and imitate him. Curiosity may get the best of him and he may come over to you and scope you out!
Belly rubs
You trying to get the man killed?!
Yes
Never had cats, but is that not a playful pose? At least, I believe they do this when they want another cat to play with them.
Of course, there's the trouble that you're not a cat, so can't really wrestle with them like another cat would. But yeah, maybe you can poke at them or next to them, so they can avoid your 'attacks' as a game.
I have a few of the wand toys, I'll give that a try
You can, if you put on an oven mitt.
My hand is covered in little scars and I have no regrets
One of my cats is not a lap cat on most ocassions but does actually want belly rubs. I just have to join them on the floor if he flops over like that.
The other doesn't like belly rub but will try to sleep on me whenever I sit down.
So, depends on the cat!
Mine wants belly rubs. This goes on for a bit until he decides you are a chew toy now.
Belly trap!!
Sometimes i protecc, but mostly i attacc
Where does he run off to? Me might be trying to bring you somewhere.
Just gets up. Runs off a bit. Looks back at me. Like I did something wrong. Cause I guess I did.
I think he's wanting to play as some others have suggested. Play with a fishing rod or wand. But no touchy .
They're apologizing. Or belly rubs.
Izzy never does that, but she's old and creaky so I don't think it's comfortable for her to lay on her back.
I had a long haired cat lay on his back to cool off. He could spread his fluff open that way to get some airflow. Only cat I've ever had that I needed to keep cool rather than warm.
The (non-geriatric) females tended to want to play. Dangling a favorite toy was fun for the feline and safe for the primate.
He wants you to chase him
Depends on there she's laying. If she gets up on a table and does this she will absolutely bite, if she does this at my feet of laying next to me she wants very slow, gentle belly rubs starting from her chest and only going about 2/3 of the way down her belly. I lost track of how many tries it took to get it right.
My Siamese Mama Bear always wanted me to give her a really rough, all-over rubbing. She could take as much as I wanted to give. I always surrendered before she did.
Cat 🥰
I'm more curious, do y'all have a green carpet? Am I about to find out I'm cllourblind? Is this outdoors?
It's a very old olive green carpet. The owner of the house I'm in said it's from the 70s. Isn't that crazy!?
It's in decent condition but it's super flat. Probably because of its age.
Amazing! 70s choices were so danged bold! Yeah, not all worked out but..!
Most of my walls are a fun but oft complained about, green. Here's the walls, with her highness basking in having successfully dethroned me:
Cant say all the old color choices were my favorite, but at least there WAS color. Everything is beige and tan now days. Love your bright green wall. ^__ ^
Maybe he's asking you to give it a go, too?
Have you tried getting naked and flopping down on your back beside him?
So . He seems to get upset when I'm topless. I can only assume my form is offensive to him.
It's kind of ridiculous and amusing.
Idk why. But if I'm changing or something and bend down to pet him. If I'm topless, that's gonna be a no.
Maybe you're presenting the wrong end.
Haha. Maybe.
My adult cat wants to be pet when he does that. The kitten does it mostly when she's in trouble for something. Almost seems like asking for forgiveness when she does it, but I know it's a lie.
"You gotta be quicker than that"