
How to stroke a cat, according to science - howard941
https://phys.org/news/2019-07-cat-science.html
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lota-putty
This article is right on 'signs'.

We've had several generations of country cats at our country farm
house(India). Only female cats stick around house after maturing and
eventually bear kittens. Male after maturing leave home, start fighting for
alpha status and even killing younger/weaker males.

People often show-up to take away young kittens to raise them at their home.

Primary purpose of having cats here(country-side) is still pest control, house
& farm rats. Hence, they're infested with fleas; we don't allow them inside
house.

~~~
howard941
I'm from a huge city and it surprised me when I left there to find this class
of utility cats living pretty much independent lives on farms as ratters
without any care whatsoever other than what water they get from the tubs
supplying the farm's livestock and maybe a humane .22 round to end it all if
their injured. My EE buddy with a real office and a farming background finds
all cats nasty despite being an otherwise great guy (despite this attitude)
and a dog lover.

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onion2k
One of my cats loves having his tummy stroked. The other one hates it and will
scratch anyone who tries.

I don't tell visitors which is which.

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snvzz
The cat will teach you rather than else. If you do it wrong, you'll get
scratched or bitten.

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crispyambulance
I think my cat is truly f-ing with me.

He'll go belly-up in front me, allow me to pet his belly while seemingly
enjoying it, then, take a swipe with his paw, watch me retract, then go belly-
up again.

~~~
howard941
All of our cats do this. My current 3 tolerate it to variable extents before
becoming overstimulated and rolling away or smacking with claw retracted. If I
kept doing it I know the next swipe would be unsheathed, and the cats know
that I know this, so we never get to that point. Honestly none of my cats have
ever liked having bellies rubbed at all whereas getting purrs and drools out
of them is pretty easy massaging in the places they like (behind ears, base of
tail, beneath chin, scent gland spots I think)

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whycombagator
> Signs of dislike or tension: > \- Biting, swiping or batting your hand away
> with their paw.

Until now I always assumed this meant my cat was telling me it enjoyed being
stroked. /s

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tepidandroid
Just imagine a giant hand coming down from the sky and grabbing you, stroking
you repeatedly against your will (smearing their foul scent all over you while
they're at it) and preventing you from leaving. If that sounds unpleasant to
you, then it's probably unpleasant for a cat.

~~~
jplayer01
Uhm, what? Have you never had a pet before? All the cats and dogs I've known
eagerly seek out being stroked, and if they're tired of it (mainly cats),
they'll just go away. No need to force the animals to do anything against
their will. And hell, I do enjoy being touched and stroked and caressed, sure
(getting my head scratched? fuck yeah). We're as much social animals as they
are.

~~~
tepidandroid
I'm surprised I apparently need to explain myself for such an innocuous
comment!

I'm not in disagreement with you or the other people who have replied in a
similar manner. I'm only talking about the people who smother their pets in
what they deem to be affection, ignoring the obvious signs of dislike or
tension mentioned in the article. You know, the people who like to drag their
cats out from their hiding places or chase them down for pets and hugs when
they try to run away. They're essentially helpless against our good
intentions.

If engagement between the pet and owner is mutual, or if the pet is actively
seeking this affection, then my comment obviously does not apply. My comment
only says to imagine the engagement from their point of view also.

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moate
According to every experiment I've ever run, the answer is: Don't. Just don't.
If there is a cat, leave that place. If you're unable to, avoid that cat. If
people are offended by your active disinterest in their cat, explain to them
that you don't like cats and if that's such a big problem for them they should
work that out themselves but you've reached a decision in your life about your
interest in cats.

Didn't need "Science" to tell me any of this.

~~~
jplayer01
Or, you know, let them come to you. If they want any form of affection,
they'll let you know. Otherwise it's possible to inhabit the same room as a
cat without interacting with it. It's well within the realms of physics and
social behaviour for this to be possible.

~~~
moate
ME: >>If there is a cat, leave that place. If you're unable to, avoid that
cat.

You: >>Otherwise it's possible to inhabit the same room as a cat without
interacting with it

So...avoid the cat? Like I said? Got it.

