I don't know how to pet cat

[Fajita Jim]

Doggos love me. That full-on rubdown, back belly and sides, scruff of the neck, I got doggos down.

Cats let me pet them for like 3 strokes then claw and bit the bejeezus out of my hand. Why I do wrong?

[potato]

Originally posted by Fajita Jim:

Cats let me pet them for like 3 strokes then claw and bit the bejeezus out of my hand. Why I do wrong?

maybe you're petting them too hard? or they smell the bad juju on you

[DarkCrystalMethod]

Does your hand still smell like dog?

[Hairy Hands Harry]

Are you trying to do a belly rub? Cats need to really love you to let you do that.

[kingjames488]

same with me... cats are just a good judge of who they can control I guess.

[ṼṏẌṏḭḊ]

You're doing it right. That's what cats do.

[Birds]

cats have invisible minefields comprised entirely of that one moustache hair that makes you scream when you dink it wrong. there is no rhyme nor reason to their development; each individual cat is often the bearer of their own unique pattern. although certain areas almost always have one. the head is typically the only 'safe' area in this regards, and there are a few key spots you should avoid unless you know what you're doing.

even the side of the neck may be going too far. I had a cat scratch me a few months ago, despite decades of experience, because they were a stranger and I wasn't used to their fur type (long, mostly white) and dinked a hair early on.

[trousers]

The trick is to ignore the cat. They hate being ignored.

[Fajita Jim]

Originally posted by Hairy Harry:

Are you trying to do a belly rub? Cats need to really love you to let you do that.

I do know better than that. I'm trying to pet them on their back neck-to-tail.

Originally posted by ṼṏẌṏḭḊ:

You're doing it right. That's what cats do.

😕

[saranacX]

Originally posted by potato:

Originally posted by Fajita Jim:

Cats let me pet them for like 3 strokes then claw and bit the bejeezus out of my hand. Why I do wrong?

maybe you're petting them too hard? or they smell the bad juju on you

This.

You can't be as rough with a cat as you can with a dog. Be more gentle. Also let cats smell your hand first, especially if they don't know you.

[Electric Cupcake]

Originally posted by Fajita Jim:

Originally posted by Hairy Harry:

Are you trying to do a belly rub? Cats need to really love you to let you do that.

I do know better than that. I'm trying to pet them neck-to-tail.

Originally posted by ṼṏẌṏḭḊ:

You're doing it right. That's what cats do.

😕

Don't pet the back end. If they raise their rear when you touch it, you're tickling a dragon.

[Birds]

as a general rule of thumb if it has long thick fur it is in a constant state of irritation. at most you should do a gentle head pat, on the top of the scalp only.

[Fajita Jim]

Originally posted by Electric Cupcake:

Originally posted by Fajita Jim:

I do know better than that. I'm trying to pet them neck-to-tail.





😕

Don't pet the back end. If they raise their rear when you touch it, you're tickling a dragon.

hmmm

I do not know the physiology of cats. Grew up with dogs.

[Azza ☠]

Massage around the ears.

Do long strokes down the cat's back in only one direction (head to tail).

Do not touch the tail. Do not touch the sides. Do not reverse the direction.

The cat will start purring if content. Drool on your lap. Then claw you!

Congratulations you have patted a cat!

[Birds]

Originally posted by Electric Cupcake:

Originally posted by Fajita Jim:

I do know better than that. I'm trying to pet them neck-to-tail.





😕

Don't pet the back end. If they raise their rear when you touch it, you're tickling a dragon.

the butt-raising is involuntary; it's an intense erogenous zone.

[Birds]

Originally posted by Azza ☠:

Massage around the ears.

Do long strokes down the cat's back in only one direction (head to tail).

Do not touch the tail. Do not touch the sides. Do not reverse the direction.

The cat will start purring if content. Drool on your lap. Then claw you!

Congratulations you have patted a cat!

okay, so cats have feeler hairs about 2-3cm below the base of their ears. they may let you touch this area, but if you touch it too much it's like you're rubbing pubic hair out of place.

that's probably why you're getting scratched.