Conference misery::feline

My Chester and Farley approach tummy rubbing differently.  Chester quite often
rolls over and loves for me to rub and pat his tummy, although sometimes it
will degenerate into a tussle.  I think the tussles are more a form of play
for Chester.  Farley, however, never offers, and when I do rub his tummy (it's
quite ample, to the say the least, and very irresistable) he always tries to
bite and kick.

-Patrick

    
    I had read somewhere that if a cat allows you to touch its stomach
    that it really trusts you. I never associated it to tickling but
    it could be. 
    
    My two cats behave the same way and try to push me away with the
    hind paws.

    I remember hearing the same thing, that if a cat allows you to tickle
    its stomach it is because they trust you.  This is because the
    underside of a cat is its most vulnerable spot to attackers.
    
    My Ebony LOVES to have her tummy rubbed.  Boo boo on the other hand
    will tolerate it for just so long and then he starts with the kicking
    and biting.  The trick is to figure out when that's going to happen
    before it does.  He's getting better though.
    
    - Lauri
    

    My Birmans seem to be ticklish on their hind feet.  At least, when I am
    trying to clip claws, they really squirm when I hold the back foot.
    
    All 4 love to have their tummys rubbed, so I guess they really trust
    us.  
    
    Steffi

	Well, Cider will lay on his back, with his paws streched right out, and
	pray for someone to tickle his stomach - he doesn't care who.

	You can also pick him up, turn him on his back, and tickle him in
	mid-air. He just streches out some more.


	Yoda, on the other hand, may let you rub his chin if he thinks you
	deserve it - and would wreck your hand if you put it anywhere near
	his stomach.

	I wonder if there are any "normal" cats!!!!!!

	Heather

    
    
    	Audrey wants no part of tummy rubbing.   Unless she's in a deep
    	sleeping-by-the-radiator-or-in-the-sun daze.  But she only allows
    	it for a minute.
    
    	Sasha likes having her tummy stroked.  When she's had enough she
    	just gets up or rolls over.
    
    	Chloe likes it too but I think it's more playing for her.  When
    	she starts the kicking and biting I continue to rub her belly
    	and she purrs up a storm.  She does this mostly when she's
    	high on catnip.  (which is quite often...she's quite an addict!)
    
    	JJ
    

    YES! cats are ticklish and I have scars to prove it.  Mine are ticklish
    in the same places as I am.

    Try taking your finger and rub in between the paw pads....some of
    my guys really love it and they open their toes real wide so I
    can get inbetween.  But of course I have a few that will tear my
    hand off if I ever attempt this with them!!!
    
    Sandy

    Sandy I love when my kitties do "the toe spread" too!  They seem to
    like it enough.  As for tummy rubs:  I have been rubbing Drakstars
    belly for a while and he really likes it.  His breeder has told me tho 
    that when he gets a little older and starts to mature, this will be a
    no-no.  Because of the fact that it will...er... stimulate him and he
    may bite.  Perhaps this is why some cats are overly sensitive and just 
    can't take it?!
    Karen	

    Hmm, hadn't thought about that...  I would have thought that their
    thoat would be the most vulnerable spot and Kelsy loves to have
    her chin and throat rubbed.  My other cat Cinnomin is a huge (15
    lbs)and fluffy calico and she loves to have her belly rubbed.  She'll
    stretch out on the floor in front of me just waiting for my to rub
    her belly.  I guess she trusts me more than Kelsy does....
    

    Furby sleeps on her back all the time, and sometimes just  lies on her
    back and looks at the world upside down, but touch her tummy, and lose
    a finger! ;-) She 'looks' like she's inviting a belly rub, but don't
    let her fool you! Her claws are like exacto knives! 8-)
    
    Feendoonie doesn't like to be on her back at all, but I can rub her
    tummy if she's standing up!
    
    Finnigan, aka Mudgehead doesn't mind it too much, but if he can grab me
    to 'mudge' me in the meantime, he likes nothing better! (the big poop!)
    ;-) He does love to have his feet and toes rubbed though, and spreads
    the toes out so I can do between them.
    
    Yonee
    
    
    Yonee

Sabrina lets me pet her anywhere, and shows no signs of being ticklish.
She loves to be petted, but as soon as I pick her up she stiffens up like a
board, and this has been going on for almost 14 years now!!  Kabuki will roll
over on his back, stretch out right next to me, and bite after rubbing his
tummy for more than about 5 seconds.  Go figure!!

Maybe next time my cat will *like* to sit in my lap, because neither of these
two do.  They do like to be close though, and like to sleep with me! :-)

Laura

    Harry (not-much-of-a-Rat-anymore) is definitely ticklish UNLESS I'm
    holding him UPSIDE-DOWN in my arms ..... only then will he stretch out 
    full-length, and let me do tummy-rubs.  Otherwise, his very sharp claws
    very quickly tear the offending hand to shreds.
    
    Babycakes (formerly Bug Eyes from PBrody Shelter) stretches right out
    in front of me and presents-tummy!  She loves to have her tummy
    scratched anytime, anywhere.
    
    ......................
    
    By the way -- when Harry wants me to play Mousie-Fetch, he brings the
    Mousie up onto the bed, drops it, then comes over to me and tickles ME
    until I stop reading and toss that d*mn mousie for him!

    re: .9
    
    >>His breeder has told me tho 
    >>that when he gets a little older and starts to mature, this will be a
    >>no-no.  Because of the fact that it will...er... stimulate him and he
    >>may bite.
    
    What she probably means is that if you get him over stimulated like
    that he may try to breed you!!!  Whole males can get over stimulated
    from any kind of petting, not just belly rubs.  Trust me on this one.
    :')  I know of what I speak.
    
    Jo

    I realize that Drak loves me, but...
    Karen 8^}
    I wish he was old enough to breed Josette!!

    I wonder if it has something to do with their up-bringing.  Shadow, who
    came to us between three and four years old, has hind feet poised and
    claws extended if you even look like you're thinking about touching his
    tummy.  Sammi, on the other hand, we raised from two weeks old and
    started giving her "fuzzy belly rubs!" very early on and she enjoys
    having her tummy rubbed.
    
    Rebecca

    My old man Merlin loves to have his tummy rubbed, and he loves having
    his toes spread.  He also likes having his armpits scratched, and after
    a few years of patient practicing now lets me hold his hands.
    
    My guess is some of it's temperament and some of it's learned.
    
    len.