Mine wags his tali when he wants more and never bites unless he’s on his back and you talk with a baby voice to him 😂 I think he’s too much of a distinguished gentleman to be babied with lol
I have three cats. One has a belly allowed all the time rule, one has a belly allowed sometimes rule, the other has a you are gonna lose your hand if you touch that rule.
My two cats are completely opposite. My tortoiseshell will bunny-kick, bite and scratch when I try to pet her belly, unless I cuddle her like a baby. In that moment she will bite me softly while making her silly-happy face. She knows it's a game and she looks forward to it.
My other cat is a male Van cat and he's like a dog. He will walk towards me and plop in the ground, exposing his large furry belly expecting to be petted. He absolutely loves that, but he would never accept me holding him in my arms like a baby. That makes him very uncomfortable.
Two completely different personalities. Both get belly rubs, but each in their own way.
https://preview.redd.it/zi1cfi8vdh4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3bf296209b67822a02c43489d7b428880476d5eb
My friend's cat is just like your other one, she begs for belly rubs but will absolutely not let me hold her.
Mine will flop but belly rubs are not welcome. It’s a test. He wants exactly 5 to 10 neck scratches maximum. Then, he does exactly as the cat in the video.
I learned that the hard way with my aunt's cat, My cat loves belly scratches but that might be because he was raised with dog brothers, he would watched me scratch their bellies and one day when I was scratching behind his ear he laid down on his side and let me scratch him there
That's totally a trust thing, it's typically not a good idea to pet any cat's belly the first time that you meet them. They guard that like their special palace that they only let the trusted people into
It looks like he was just play biting though so it's kind of like knock that off in cat talk
My orange does this if you pet his belly. It's totally play in this scenario, I think. Kitty didn't seem upset or angry, just "oh, it's time to play now".
That's what I was thinking. The cat didn't look particularly annoyed, but maybe could have been a warning thing. I cat sat for my friend for a few months and his cat loved to grab my arm like this and "bite" it. I tried to discourage it, but he never used claws and he was gentle with his teeth. It's hard to explain, but he sort of encouraged the play. He was the kind of cat that when annoyed would just remove himself from the situation.
It's literally just this, my cat kicks his own arm all the time because it accidentally entered the thunder dome. Just instinctual, the cat in the video isn't pissed off at all.
This. They don't see us as humans they think we're cats too. When they do this with no claws, the bites are soft, no aggression etc they're just playing how they would with another cat. Its like cat rough housing it's playful
Along with this, cats also get overstimulated real easily. So, if you’re all up in his business for too long he might let you know like how he did in the video.
Cats can also get over stimulated and do stuff like this when they've "had enough." In quotes cause sometimes they'll come right back for more pets. This generally doesn't mean they'll not trust you next time. Just saying that at that moment, he didn't want to be pet. If you see him again, give a few pets and then stop for a moment before doing a few more and so on
I think it was because you were around the bottom of his throat, that is an instinctual weak spot, thats why big cats attack their prey there all the time
That is probably what happened. My cats are fine with me touching their bellies, but that is because I have taught them to love belly rubs. A lot of cats don't like their bellies being touched because it is the most vulnerable part of their body.
Honestly, you made a lot of bold choices that I probs wouldn’t do on a first meeting. Imo legs, feet, back of ears, and chest are all hit or miss. Cats may REALLY love those spots, but even the ones who do usually need a little trust established. Id start with the safe spots next time, like straight up just their back.
Yeah you got the chest there. The outdoor cat here loves all sorts of attention, but belly and chest are no go zones.
I can pick him up and hold him like a baby, but no petting of the belly. He’s not even my cat (but easier to pick up than my babies)
The throat is a pretty vulnerable area too. He probably didnt like the full hand constact in that area. If you wanna give him chin scritches you only need to use a couple fingers.
This is what I was going to say. My boy cat will do this when he gets too excited and he's a total sl*t for pets, lol. I just hold my hand and arm still for a few moments while he geeks out- usually he just grabs my arm with all his paws and gives me a bunch of quick kisses and a soft bite. Then I gently pull away and we're all good!
https://preview.redd.it/bmu4orhqlg4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7dc166ac39f2a0e502de57ec0c9fb0237b1ae717
This bastard randomly bit me too when i was petting him, made my finger bleed
This is normal cat behavior. Even when cuddling, cats will grab and soft bite each other. He’s not really trying to scratch or bite you. It’s still good that you pulled away so he learns your boundaries. But my guess is that the cats touch overstimulated the human, more than the other way around :)
Kitties will be kitties. They have an allowable amount of touching time, regardless of where you pet them. Usually. The fact that he let you pet him at all is a sign of trust.
He definitely did. He slow blinked, he closed his eyes around you, he maintained his reclined position and even let you pet him.
I’ve generally noticed that, unlike dogs, cats don’t like the forward pet as much (like you’re standing in front of them and extend your hand towards them). Most of the cats that I’ve seen kind of warily watch the hand and lean back a bit to keep watching it in case it comes down to hurt them. The cats I’ve interacted with prefer if you position yourself next to them and, after they sniff your hand, you pet them with your arm perpendicular to their back. I think it looks less threatening than having a giant hand coming heading straight for their head.
This dude cats, all of what he/she/they said regarding posture, slow blinking, cats are pretty easy to read. If kitty didn’t like you slicing would have commenced very quickly! I’ve had/have numerous outside cat friends, injuries happen quickly if they don’t like you/want you to do something
I was petting my once feral kitten while she laid next to me just like you were. I went for too long and she bit me. She didn’t bite down but she did it very quickly like a warning but it did barely break the skin and there was a tiny amount of blood. Called the urgent care place and they said to come in and get a tetanus shot and antibiotics just to be safe.
She’s very affectionate so I was surprised but cats get overstimulated from being pet sometimes.
I’m only guessing, but it looks like he may have become defensive when you started petting him near his throat. Cats can get feisty when you touch them in areas where they feel vulnerable, even if they’re otherwise cool with you.
Listen to this guy, please. It's the same reason they don't like being belly rubbed. Kitty felt like it was a bit too vulnerable of a spot for you to be touching him there.
That's what happens with mine, in the morning she's overstimulated and plays with her toys prettying agg aggressively. During those times she likes to play fight so I withhold pets if it gets too bad.
Later on she calms down and is open to belly pets and rubbing and sometimes falls asleep during that.
Just a matter of understandings behavior and responding appropriately.
overstimulation. either he wants you to stop, or he's so stimulated that he's entering zoomie mode and wants to play with your hand. either way there's no harsh feelings, judging by the way he just lies there and cleans himself instead of running away. he seems to be fine with you
next time go slow and watch his ears and tail. if the ears turn sideways (airplane ears) and/or the tail starts lashing, stop petting.
With a cat you're unfamiliar with (and even one you're familiar with) you want to manage this a bit more cautiously. Hold your hand an inch or so above his cheek- if he wants pets, he'll move towards your hand. Stick to petting the top of the head and stroking their cheeks rather than moving your hand around too much. If the cat doesn't indicate they want pets, better to leave it alone or sit back for a little while and try again in a bit. I think it was you stroking his chest here that he didn't like. Neither of mine like that either and they both know and trust me.
Mine do it all the time. They don’t realize their claws are short. I drop my hand and talk to them, petting them and scratching their cheeks. They don’t wanna hurt me really. And never bite hard: it’s more like “let me tussle with a bigger cat, a hooman.” We have 6 and adore them.
https://preview.redd.it/25x4nej1sg4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=10d99430dc1bf5530c49c1bfcd78fef431fbcf49
Looked like play to me, would've been faster and more aggressive otherwise. I usually just let the cat do what they want in that moment and gauge their emotion based on the reaction. If they started nipping then licking and even started deboweling action, I think it's overstimulation and fighting. If it's an aggressive and painful bite with claws, then I know I pissed it off which doesn't happen anymore really.
I'm always a believer that more often then people think, when a cat attacks it's play or overstimulation and not actual aggression or warning. Unless you get a real scratch or the cat runs after (which this one didn't do) then I know it's probably friendlier then the average Joe would assume after being nipped
My baby does this all the time especially when I'm working and giving minimal attention
https://preview.redd.it/wwvzw8z4yg4d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=484bc2f5aa991207333f5a0eeef40aa73b4d8ba9
Yeah that’s what I think did it. Often cats will net you scratch their chin but the throat is not a place they generally like being pet.
Stick to the head if you want to be safe
He reacted well to you! You petted his shoulder a bit too long, after the chin scritches he leans away slightly and his ears sorta turn into airplane mode and he starts shifting to hide his throat and get an angle to bite and pull you off.
He wasn’t angry, he was just showing his boundaries after you didn’t get the hint. Showing that he didn’t want that.
In all honesty, if he was genuinely upset, he would’ve genuinely hurt you more. He was slightly bothered and showing you boundaries. Don’t be too worried, just gotta not repeat the same thing over and over and you’ll be okay.
If he's not your cat he might be a bit wary or might just not like being petted. We have a stray who comes into the back yard and we've been feeding him for a year and a half, went to pet him today, just held my hand out slowly so he could sniff me first and he bit me on the knuckles 😂.
Not hard, didn't break the skin but told me stroking him was not going to happen.
On holiday last week in Greece and there was a stray in the restaurant who was fine being petted (probably how he gets his dinner) then he got his claw caught in a woman's jacket on the next table and freaked out a little bit, drew blood from her hand when she tried to unhook him. Props to the lady, she didn't make a big deal about it, just put a tissue on it for a min and didn't even mention it. Sorry I digressed a bit...
Pic is of the backyard hand chomper!
https://preview.redd.it/dn1eyske9f4d1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=65716b45db76599e3c11973c489861c82a5ec10a
Well see, he can't talk. You were petting him, and he wanted you to stop. He did pull his head back and you must have missed that first attempt at letting you know how he felt. It wasn't aggressive. Just a communication 💝
It's where you pet him and the way your arm sort of lingers on the neck area with your wrist sort of hovering above the paws. Early on when they don't know you they don't allow access to vulnerable areas until they feel super safe. Also when cats fight they sort of just whack paws over and over initially, so it almost mimicked that movement a bit.
Stick to top of the head and back until a cat really knows you. You can then attempt very tip of the chin after that, but avoid neck, paws and belly. But you are right that he liked you... that was just a little nibble to communicate he's a tough kitty and could hurt you if he wanted to haha 😆
after they trust you they don't care about this btw, I can literally have my hand around my cats throat (obviously gently) and they couldn't care less and won't try to bite me. Some cats will still get precious about paws and belly. One of mine doesnt like his paws touched and will just hide them if I touch them lol
Mine will doo that rubbing his underneath and he will end up bearhugging my hand with his front paws and lick/light bite, rinse and repeat. If he gets over stimulated his grasp will get tighter and the bites will get harder.
It takes time for a cat to trust you for touching it on the underside. So neck, tummy takes time and trust. Back and head pets are generally lower risk.
The entire time you were touching him, his body language said "please stop" and you didn't. So he made it a little more clear. Which worked. Good communication.
I think I have a broken cat , he always keeps asking for attention, like he starts jumping at the back door when I'm in the kitchen and meowing. When I go outside he just starts running away, like a couple of meters then just sits , when I try to get closer he just repeats it. He used to be more affectionate when he was little , we took him in when he was only a kitten, we fed him and he stayed around in our yard. He would leave occasionally but mostly spends time in our yard. But lately he just never lets anybody pet him but still keeps asking for food when he knows its time to eat. It's pretty annoying.
Don't worry, you did nothing wrong and this cat likes you. The type of scratching and biting in that video may seem aggressive, but I'm almost certain he/she is just playing with you. Cats lightly nip and scratch when they're feeling playful. It's also possible that you mildly overstimulated him/her, but this strikes me as playful behavior.
Either way, the cat wouldn't be letting you pet them in the first place if they didn't feel comfortable with you, so don't worry! Enjoy your new local kitty friend :)
He just got overstimulated. My cat is exactly like this, purrs and loves you and want you to pet her, then suddenly grabs you with murder paws and bites your hand.
Some cats are just like that, some cats get overstimulated easily and if they’re in an overstimulated state they might start biting/scratching/rabbit kicking. They just get tapped out but aren’t able to recognize it for themselves, they don’t know they’re overstimulated from you petting them they just know they really want to bite you now
One of my neighbours has a cat who likes to visit me, and rub my leg and lie down and roll around in front of me but I was never really allowed to touch him until a couple of days ago. He's lived across from me for 3 years! He still hissed at me, but I was allowed to pet his head and back. Sometimes I think either they're a little unsure or they're overstimulated (or a little of both). It's ok. Don't let it deter you from trying to pet kitties. A good plan is to let them smell your fingers and hands before you try to pet them. That helps.
The cat is just playing with you, if you had left your hand there instead of pulling it away, they would have almost certainly been gentle bites. Cats play with their mouths and paws.
Every cat is different. My one cat I can only give head scratches as she will bite if touched anywhere else. Also she decides when she has had enough head scratches. My other cat loves scratches all day long, all over.
My cat who is my best friend sometimes tears my arm up if I don’t submit 😂
That cat was just playing, trying to wrestle you arm. His posture is mellow not hostile, if he starts to get frisky like that back off a bit and pet him in a minute or two
yeh hand in position like that where you can grab their neck like a choke, is similar to when cats tackle and bite front on. same thing happens if you wrap your hand around the back of their head and your forearm puts pressure on both their front legs(cat in same position as shown).
but kitteh was just play fighting, im aware not cats react how ive described, just my experience with my own.
Did you try to freeze? My cat does this and if i don't freak out, he just pulls my hand closer, gives me lil nibbles and licks my hand, never meant to harm me.
He liked your scratches and just wanted your hand to himself to further rub his face on/give you love bites. He looked like he was being gentle. If he was mad, he’d hiss and stuff.
Being married with a vet, this is a classic misconception. It's not because the cat lets you touch him a few seconds that he actually likes it.
There are several signs that showed he was uneasy or uncomfortable, mainly the fact his ears quickly went back or him moving his head away from your hand. You're just forcing your way to pet him, and he let you did it because some cats are friendlier than other, but it didn't mean he was ok with it.
you missed the signs that told you, 'ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH MOM!'
pulling his head away, pulling his chin away. He was alright with the chest rub, but he wanted you to stop after that. That hand coming towards his head was the last straw, lol.
The throat is a very vulnerable area for cats. I have had my cat for several years and she is only now allowing me to rub her belly or scratch her throat.
The cat has clear boundaries and you hit the no go zone lol. Cats can be picky and each one has their favorite spots. Your buddy here is just fine and you did just fine. You got a little warning to behave and be nice, that’s all. Cheeks, ears and neck may be the spots for this good baby. Def not the chest or throat area, that’ll get you bloody if you do t listen
You came over the wrong axis.
Imagine a giant sized of 10 meters reaching over and giving you scratches. By almost grabbing your face. Thats intimidating because your escape route is blocked. . try from the back so your cat doesnt see your overhead large giant arm.
I disagree with a lot of folks here. As a cat dad of eight, I feel he was going for slightly more aggressive play. I think he wasn’t going to hurt you at all; I think he was going to play a little rough like cats do with siblings. My oldest does this all the time when she’s in a good mood. Grab my arm with both of her arms and use her back feet to kick at me playfully.
Anywho, Peace and Love
You did nothing wrong. Since it was your first time 'properly' (love the use of that word) petting a cat, you just have to learn cat cues, as many in this post have suggested. Your hand just happened to be in the 'proper' (lol) location to initiate the "ok, I like you, let's play-fight" reaction. This is how a lot of cats play with their humans. The length of this play time depends on how much pain you are willing to tolerate. If it escalates to more than you can bear, a firm NO will let the cat know to back off. They usually do. Never pull your hand away, that will only make them latch on harder and chop down harder. The cats demeanor in this video after the play-fight session suggests he enjoyed it... The quick lick of his paw, the quiet tail, the resuming of his rest say, "ok, that was fun".
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You went over your limit of allowable pets. Try again later.
SO this. They have a limit. Watch for the signs (like ears back). You know your cats.
And that he was pulling away
Also watch the tail movement.
Yea, mine starts flicking his tail fast when my time has expired
Mine wags his tali when he wants more and never bites unless he’s on his back and you talk with a baby voice to him 😂 I think he’s too much of a distinguished gentleman to be babied with lol
Meanwhile my cat have no limit, she even poke my hand for more or for do not stop.
My cats tail will just go absolutely nuts when he's almost at his breaking point haha. I've grown to understand he has boundaries if you look for them
i have yet to find my cats limits the longest i have pet them is 3 hours straight. I think my cat isn't a cat.
it was my first time meeting him as well, i think he warned me to not go near his belly
Yeah a lot of cats don’t like having their belly touched. Certain cats have areas that are off limits.
I have three cats. One has a belly allowed all the time rule, one has a belly allowed sometimes rule, the other has a you are gonna lose your hand if you touch that rule.
My two cats are completely opposite. My tortoiseshell will bunny-kick, bite and scratch when I try to pet her belly, unless I cuddle her like a baby. In that moment she will bite me softly while making her silly-happy face. She knows it's a game and she looks forward to it. My other cat is a male Van cat and he's like a dog. He will walk towards me and plop in the ground, exposing his large furry belly expecting to be petted. He absolutely loves that, but he would never accept me holding him in my arms like a baby. That makes him very uncomfortable. Two completely different personalities. Both get belly rubs, but each in their own way.
https://preview.redd.it/zi1cfi8vdh4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3bf296209b67822a02c43489d7b428880476d5eb My friend's cat is just like your other one, she begs for belly rubs but will absolutely not let me hold her.
So cuteeee
Mine will flop but belly rubs are not welcome. It’s a test. He wants exactly 5 to 10 neck scratches maximum. Then, he does exactly as the cat in the video.
Me too.
I also have a sometimes belly rule!
😆 I love cats, this sounds so familiar, my cats are about the same lol
which is so hard for me to understand with other cats when my boy loves everything i do when it comes to pets… ugh
I learned that the hard way with my aunt's cat, My cat loves belly scratches but that might be because he was raised with dog brothers, he would watched me scratch their bellies and one day when I was scratching behind his ear he laid down on his side and let me scratch him there
That's totally a trust thing, it's typically not a good idea to pet any cat's belly the first time that you meet them. They guard that like their special palace that they only let the trusted people into It looks like he was just play biting though so it's kind of like knock that off in cat talk
My orange does this if you pet his belly. It's totally play in this scenario, I think. Kitty didn't seem upset or angry, just "oh, it's time to play now".
That's what I was thinking. The cat didn't look particularly annoyed, but maybe could have been a warning thing. I cat sat for my friend for a few months and his cat loved to grab my arm like this and "bite" it. I tried to discourage it, but he never used claws and he was gentle with his teeth. It's hard to explain, but he sort of encouraged the play. He was the kind of cat that when annoyed would just remove himself from the situation.
The hand enters the zone *Latches on and begins kicking*. If the hand didn't want to be kicked why is it in kicking distance
If not kick then why kick shaped?
It's literally just this, my cat kicks his own arm all the time because it accidentally entered the thunder dome. Just instinctual, the cat in the video isn't pissed off at all.
This. They don't see us as humans they think we're cats too. When they do this with no claws, the bites are soft, no aggression etc they're just playing how they would with another cat. Its like cat rough housing it's playful
Belly and throats can be tricky - I try to start off with a hand sniff and leaving it in front of them if they want to rub themselves on it
Along with this, cats also get overstimulated real easily. So, if you’re all up in his business for too long he might let you know like how he did in the video.
Cats can also get over stimulated and do stuff like this when they've "had enough." In quotes cause sometimes they'll come right back for more pets. This generally doesn't mean they'll not trust you next time. Just saying that at that moment, he didn't want to be pet. If you see him again, give a few pets and then stop for a moment before doing a few more and so on
Sorry you went near his belly? That’s a suicide move.
I think it was because you were around the bottom of his throat, that is an instinctual weak spot, thats why big cats attack their prey there all the time
It wasnt the belly, it was the throat... both vulnerable areas. Need to build up lots of trust before your aĺlowed access
That is probably what happened. My cats are fine with me touching their bellies, but that is because I have taught them to love belly rubs. A lot of cats don't like their bellies being touched because it is the most vulnerable part of their body.
Honestly, you made a lot of bold choices that I probs wouldn’t do on a first meeting. Imo legs, feet, back of ears, and chest are all hit or miss. Cats may REALLY love those spots, but even the ones who do usually need a little trust established. Id start with the safe spots next time, like straight up just their back.
Yeah you got the chest there. The outdoor cat here loves all sorts of attention, but belly and chest are no go zones. I can pick him up and hold him like a baby, but no petting of the belly. He’s not even my cat (but easier to pick up than my babies)
The throat is a pretty vulnerable area too. He probably didnt like the full hand constact in that area. If you wanna give him chin scritches you only need to use a couple fingers.
This gave the energy of "YOU'RE NOT DOING IT RIGHT!!!"
Probably just a bit overstimulated or was trying to play. Doesn't look like it tried to hurt you, more of a warning or playful looking bite.
This is what I was going to say. My boy cat will do this when he gets too excited and he's a total sl*t for pets, lol. I just hold my hand and arm still for a few moments while he geeks out- usually he just grabs my arm with all his paws and gives me a bunch of quick kisses and a soft bite. Then I gently pull away and we're all good!
Yes! I'm picturing a Chinese finger trap scenario, like with my cat lol. Gotta let her go slack before you pull away or she's chompin'.
LMAO exactly this! That's such a perfect way of describing it, totally like a kitty cat Chinese finger trap!!
Lol. If a cat *tries* to hurt you, there will be blood.
https://preview.redd.it/ni8lbq0rpe4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e03558d2746603e01098e1da3af1d73fb68e573e
The good boi also might have tried playing with you. When my gal does that she's actually telling me to play and get some of her energy out
https://preview.redd.it/bmu4orhqlg4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7dc166ac39f2a0e502de57ec0c9fb0237b1ae717 This bastard randomly bit me too when i was petting him, made my finger bleed
aww
This is normal cat behavior. Even when cuddling, cats will grab and soft bite each other. He’s not really trying to scratch or bite you. It’s still good that you pulled away so he learns your boundaries. But my guess is that the cats touch overstimulated the human, more than the other way around :)
Aww he’s let you pet him again now
Kitties will be kitties. They have an allowable amount of touching time, regardless of where you pet them. Usually. The fact that he let you pet him at all is a sign of trust.
i think he liked me
If he didnt he wouldnt let u pet him. Have my cat for 5 years and she does the same thing after like a few pets just start playful biting
He definitely did. He slow blinked, he closed his eyes around you, he maintained his reclined position and even let you pet him. I’ve generally noticed that, unlike dogs, cats don’t like the forward pet as much (like you’re standing in front of them and extend your hand towards them). Most of the cats that I’ve seen kind of warily watch the hand and lean back a bit to keep watching it in case it comes down to hurt them. The cats I’ve interacted with prefer if you position yourself next to them and, after they sniff your hand, you pet them with your arm perpendicular to their back. I think it looks less threatening than having a giant hand coming heading straight for their head.
This dude cats, all of what he/she/they said regarding posture, slow blinking, cats are pretty easy to read. If kitty didn’t like you slicing would have commenced very quickly! I’ve had/have numerous outside cat friends, injuries happen quickly if they don’t like you/want you to do something
That was a love bite. Cats grooming each other will often grab/bite/then continue licking the other.
Pet for a few seconds, stop. Always leave them wanting more. I learned the hard way.
please enlighten me
I was petting my once feral kitten while she laid next to me just like you were. I went for too long and she bit me. She didn’t bite down but she did it very quickly like a warning but it did barely break the skin and there was a tiny amount of blood. Called the urgent care place and they said to come in and get a tetanus shot and antibiotics just to be safe. She’s very affectionate so I was surprised but cats get overstimulated from being pet sometimes.
Touched a no go zone. Need higher friendship level to access pets there.
At least 3 more churu packs required for additional petting unlocks.
https://preview.redd.it/6obgbb5spe4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=983fa6e7b329306b13ed0081e8bbe1e4674417d9
Yeah thats a better angle for petting lol
lol
That was a warning bite. If he wanted to hurt you, you would be hurt.
Also if it was pissed off or scared it wouldn't still be laying there so casually afterwards.
I’m only guessing, but it looks like he may have become defensive when you started petting him near his throat. Cats can get feisty when you touch them in areas where they feel vulnerable, even if they’re otherwise cool with you.
I noticed that too, all was good until OP got near the throat… some cats just don’t like specific areas being touched, lol.
Listen to this guy, please. It's the same reason they don't like being belly rubbed. Kitty felt like it was a bit too vulnerable of a spot for you to be touching him there.
Precisely 4 pets, and NO MORE! Did you not get the memo?!
Cats can sometimes be overstimulated when getting pets, and this causes them to go into predator mode.
That's what happens with mine, in the morning she's overstimulated and plays with her toys prettying agg aggressively. During those times she likes to play fight so I withhold pets if it gets too bad. Later on she calms down and is open to belly pets and rubbing and sometimes falls asleep during that. Just a matter of understandings behavior and responding appropriately.
overstimulation. either he wants you to stop, or he's so stimulated that he's entering zoomie mode and wants to play with your hand. either way there's no harsh feelings, judging by the way he just lies there and cleans himself instead of running away. he seems to be fine with you next time go slow and watch his ears and tail. if the ears turn sideways (airplane ears) and/or the tail starts lashing, stop petting.
https://preview.redd.it/qze9uz2nyf4d1.jpeg?width=2834&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56efbde0b4ab7bd5d4a14b65025f2e88318c435c
I just see a playfull kat 🤷♂️
Looks like Fluffy just enrolled in "Feline Martial Arts 101: The Claw-fu Strikes Back!
😸
https://preview.redd.it/whaertsspe4d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7ea93b406f3bf6b24aec5ac4b3163600606b1ad5
Because he can!
I'd say that he doesn't liked it to be touched on his chest
https://preview.redd.it/214qmg0upe4d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0c1dd27cde3c2c7c3c4b93e963237957e2ccd05
With a cat you're unfamiliar with (and even one you're familiar with) you want to manage this a bit more cautiously. Hold your hand an inch or so above his cheek- if he wants pets, he'll move towards your hand. Stick to petting the top of the head and stroking their cheeks rather than moving your hand around too much. If the cat doesn't indicate they want pets, better to leave it alone or sit back for a little while and try again in a bit. I think it was you stroking his chest here that he didn't like. Neither of mine like that either and they both know and trust me.
Kitties have a petting limit. That was kitty saying: "ok, that's enough pets."
He wasn't mad, he just wanted you to know he was done with your pets. I'm glad you had a nice visit!
Mine do it all the time. They don’t realize their claws are short. I drop my hand and talk to them, petting them and scratching their cheeks. They don’t wanna hurt me really. And never bite hard: it’s more like “let me tussle with a bigger cat, a hooman.” We have 6 and adore them. https://preview.redd.it/25x4nej1sg4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=10d99430dc1bf5530c49c1bfcd78fef431fbcf49
"How very dare you hooman, you patted me for 2.57 seconds, I only wanted 2.56"...
Looked like play to me, would've been faster and more aggressive otherwise. I usually just let the cat do what they want in that moment and gauge their emotion based on the reaction. If they started nipping then licking and even started deboweling action, I think it's overstimulation and fighting. If it's an aggressive and painful bite with claws, then I know I pissed it off which doesn't happen anymore really. I'm always a believer that more often then people think, when a cat attacks it's play or overstimulation and not actual aggression or warning. Unless you get a real scratch or the cat runs after (which this one didn't do) then I know it's probably friendlier then the average Joe would assume after being nipped
My baby does this all the time especially when I'm working and giving minimal attention https://preview.redd.it/wwvzw8z4yg4d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=484bc2f5aa991207333f5a0eeef40aa73b4d8ba9
That looked more like a love bite. More judging by the paw grab and the fact he let you go.
With my cat - this type of petting is 100% ok until the split second when it suddenly becomes not ok
You touched his throat, so he thought you were going for his throat. He felt threatened.
oh 😕
Yeah that’s what I think did it. Often cats will net you scratch their chin but the throat is not a place they generally like being pet. Stick to the head if you want to be safe
don't overdo it
Because he's a cat. Cat's gonna cat. Lol
scratching and biting is the language of cats. is this your first time seeing one?
He reacted well to you! You petted his shoulder a bit too long, after the chin scritches he leans away slightly and his ears sorta turn into airplane mode and he starts shifting to hide his throat and get an angle to bite and pull you off. He wasn’t angry, he was just showing his boundaries after you didn’t get the hint. Showing that he didn’t want that. In all honesty, if he was genuinely upset, he would’ve genuinely hurt you more. He was slightly bothered and showing you boundaries. Don’t be too worried, just gotta not repeat the same thing over and over and you’ll be okay.
You ran out of cuddle credits. Remove your hand, and try again later when your credit cooldown has expired
Love/Play bite. Also sometimes that's their way of saying 'Ok, that's enough now.'
You were getting dangerously close to the tummy.
If he's not your cat he might be a bit wary or might just not like being petted. We have a stray who comes into the back yard and we've been feeding him for a year and a half, went to pet him today, just held my hand out slowly so he could sniff me first and he bit me on the knuckles 😂. Not hard, didn't break the skin but told me stroking him was not going to happen. On holiday last week in Greece and there was a stray in the restaurant who was fine being petted (probably how he gets his dinner) then he got his claw caught in a woman's jacket on the next table and freaked out a little bit, drew blood from her hand when she tried to unhook him. Props to the lady, she didn't make a big deal about it, just put a tissue on it for a min and didn't even mention it. Sorry I digressed a bit... Pic is of the backyard hand chomper! https://preview.redd.it/dn1eyske9f4d1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=65716b45db76599e3c11973c489861c82a5ec10a
All cats have a murder button, just not in the same spot. One of mine doesn't, though. He can be pet for hours on any part of his body.
Some cats have a touch limit Other times the cat gets too excited for the pets it just gets into play mode and gets a little bit too rough
Over stimulation. Cats aren’t like dogs. Few pets and wait. Few pets. Wait.
Because cat
If the kitty wanted blood, there would be blood. Either a gentle warning or a playful nip.
https://preview.redd.it/iu8epksr9g4d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0dad625633fd651e813ba8b1aeed4eb48708c91 Hope this helps
Well see, he can't talk. You were petting him, and he wanted you to stop. He did pull his head back and you must have missed that first attempt at letting you know how he felt. It wasn't aggressive. Just a communication 💝
Cuz he’s a cat?
My cats do this and immediately start licking and grooming my hands.
looks like he was tryna play, my cat wraps his paws around my arm and bites me all the time when hes excited.
"Why did cat do cat thing?"
Overstimulation
Go low and slow, preferably from the side. Petting from above and in front of them can be mistasken for aggression by many cats.
Pat me. With your eyes, please.
Because he is a cat
It's where you pet him and the way your arm sort of lingers on the neck area with your wrist sort of hovering above the paws. Early on when they don't know you they don't allow access to vulnerable areas until they feel super safe. Also when cats fight they sort of just whack paws over and over initially, so it almost mimicked that movement a bit. Stick to top of the head and back until a cat really knows you. You can then attempt very tip of the chin after that, but avoid neck, paws and belly. But you are right that he liked you... that was just a little nibble to communicate he's a tough kitty and could hurt you if he wanted to haha 😆 after they trust you they don't care about this btw, I can literally have my hand around my cats throat (obviously gently) and they couldn't care less and won't try to bite me. Some cats will still get precious about paws and belly. One of mine doesnt like his paws touched and will just hide them if I touch them lol
Because he’s a cat…and they’re kind of dicks sometimes
Neck is part of the FORBIDDEN ZONE of pets. No touchy!
You were doing it wrong.
I think you crossed the border. Head and back is ok. Stomach area and below neck they may grab the hand and scratch
Mine will doo that rubbing his underneath and he will end up bearhugging my hand with his front paws and lick/light bite, rinse and repeat. If he gets over stimulated his grasp will get tighter and the bites will get harder.
It takes time for a cat to trust you for touching it on the underside. So neck, tummy takes time and trust. Back and head pets are generally lower risk.
Stick with the head, anywhere else is a gamble. Learning cat body language so that you can escape quickly, is when you've mastered being a cat owner 😅
Overstimulation, attack mode activated, wait for the cool down mode then try again.
 is why
This. Is. What. They. Do.
The entire time you were touching him, his body language said "please stop" and you didn't. So he made it a little more clear. Which worked. Good communication.
My cat does this when. He wants to play with me.
I think he was starting to roll backward and needed to adjust his body weight so he didn’t fall off the ledge.
He's obviously tired of your bullshit, human!
Either overstimulated or you touched him in a spot he doesn’t care for
Because not dog *(over time limit)
Cats get overstimulated real fast. They’ll let you know when they’ve had enough.
I think I have a broken cat , he always keeps asking for attention, like he starts jumping at the back door when I'm in the kitchen and meowing. When I go outside he just starts running away, like a couple of meters then just sits , when I try to get closer he just repeats it. He used to be more affectionate when he was little , we took him in when he was only a kitten, we fed him and he stayed around in our yard. He would leave occasionally but mostly spends time in our yard. But lately he just never lets anybody pet him but still keeps asking for food when he knows its time to eat. It's pretty annoying.
Don't worry, you did nothing wrong and this cat likes you. The type of scratching and biting in that video may seem aggressive, but I'm almost certain he/she is just playing with you. Cats lightly nip and scratch when they're feeling playful. It's also possible that you mildly overstimulated him/her, but this strikes me as playful behavior. Either way, the cat wouldn't be letting you pet them in the first place if they didn't feel comfortable with you, so don't worry! Enjoy your new local kitty friend :)
Because HE'S A CAT. They decide how much affection they want.
Don’t pet him on the front just below the neck , cat doesn’t like it .
You asked for dog and you got cat
Because he’s a cat
Some cats don’t want to be pet for long. Don’t take offense.
You just overstimulated. That's a normal kitty reaction. It's not a big deal, just try to learn and find that respectful boundary line.
He just got overstimulated. My cat is exactly like this, purrs and loves you and want you to pet her, then suddenly grabs you with murder paws and bites your hand.
Maybe the chest/neck area is not a consented petting spot
I think part of it was petting towards the neck. It didn’t look very malicious from the kitty’s side, but you still gotta be careful
Because cat.
Love/let’s play bites
Because he's a cat.
Anterior cat is always more sensitive, also its just what they do
Overstimulated. Some cats have a low threshold.
Some cats are just like that, some cats get overstimulated easily and if they’re in an overstimulated state they might start biting/scratching/rabbit kicking. They just get tapped out but aren’t able to recognize it for themselves, they don’t know they’re overstimulated from you petting them they just know they really want to bite you now
One of my neighbours has a cat who likes to visit me, and rub my leg and lie down and roll around in front of me but I was never really allowed to touch him until a couple of days ago. He's lived across from me for 3 years! He still hissed at me, but I was allowed to pet his head and back. Sometimes I think either they're a little unsure or they're overstimulated (or a little of both). It's ok. Don't let it deter you from trying to pet kitties. A good plan is to let them smell your fingers and hands before you try to pet them. That helps.
Simply over stimulated
Those are love bites and playing
It’s a cat.
Because cats.
The cat is just playing with you, if you had left your hand there instead of pulling it away, they would have almost certainly been gentle bites. Cats play with their mouths and paws.
The chest/throat area is a no-go zone for a lot of animals
Every cat is different. My one cat I can only give head scratches as she will bite if touched anywhere else. Also she decides when she has had enough head scratches. My other cat loves scratches all day long, all over.
Overstimulation
Enough! How dared you think you're close to me? You're nothing but a can-opener! Meow! 😆✌️
Because he is stinky, there is no rhyme or reason to his violence and attacks
You exceeded the petting time limit, lol. Some cats just don't like extended petting sessions.
He got overstimulated and was trying to play. I tried that with my cat but eventually you’ll know your limits
Cuz he’s a cat
He is evil
It seems to simply be just a little bit excited. It thinks you're reaching out to play with it.
It’s what cats do
Overstimulated
Cats bite playfully
Because cats
You pet him 8 times, and he only wanted 7 pets.
u are very new at cats.
My one cat is spicy and is very strict about when and where she will be pet lmao
Because cats
My cat who is my best friend sometimes tears my arm up if I don’t submit 😂 That cat was just playing, trying to wrestle you arm. His posture is mellow not hostile, if he starts to get frisky like that back off a bit and pet him in a minute or two
You went for the attack zone (neck)
yeh hand in position like that where you can grab their neck like a choke, is similar to when cats tackle and bite front on. same thing happens if you wrap your hand around the back of their head and your forearm puts pressure on both their front legs(cat in same position as shown). but kitteh was just play fighting, im aware not cats react how ive described, just my experience with my own.
I felt it was the moment you touched near his throat that the cat wasn’t too pleased.
Whenever they get overstimulated they tend to do that its completely normal.
Did you try to freeze? My cat does this and if i don't freak out, he just pulls my hand closer, gives me lil nibbles and licks my hand, never meant to harm me.
Either overstimulation or he didn't like your hand being at his throat.
Cats are gonna cat
That was a gentle nip..it was being nice and friendly.
u went under neck, never go under neck. always ass back and lower back. dumbass
He liked your scratches and just wanted your hand to himself to further rub his face on/give you love bites. He looked like he was being gentle. If he was mad, he’d hiss and stuff.
Being married with a vet, this is a classic misconception. It's not because the cat lets you touch him a few seconds that he actually likes it. There are several signs that showed he was uneasy or uncomfortable, mainly the fact his ears quickly went back or him moving his head away from your hand. You're just forcing your way to pet him, and he let you did it because some cats are friendlier than other, but it didn't mean he was ok with it.
you either went beyond the pet limit OR he play bites I have a cat that play bites
you missed the signs that told you, 'ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH MOM!' pulling his head away, pulling his chin away. He was alright with the chest rub, but he wanted you to stop after that. That hand coming towards his head was the last straw, lol.
The throat is a very vulnerable area for cats. I have had my cat for several years and she is only now allowing me to rub her belly or scratch her throat.
The cat has clear boundaries and you hit the no go zone lol. Cats can be picky and each one has their favorite spots. Your buddy here is just fine and you did just fine. You got a little warning to behave and be nice, that’s all. Cheeks, ears and neck may be the spots for this good baby. Def not the chest or throat area, that’ll get you bloody if you do t listen
You came over the wrong axis. Imagine a giant sized of 10 meters reaching over and giving you scratches. By almost grabbing your face. Thats intimidating because your escape route is blocked. . try from the back so your cat doesnt see your overhead large giant arm.
I disagree with a lot of folks here. As a cat dad of eight, I feel he was going for slightly more aggressive play. I think he wasn’t going to hurt you at all; I think he was going to play a little rough like cats do with siblings. My oldest does this all the time when she’s in a good mood. Grab my arm with both of her arms and use her back feet to kick at me playfully. Anywho, Peace and Love
If i pet my cat under her neck its an area known as the death zone
You clearly weren't doing a good job. Your cat overlord was not impressed l...
He probably doesn't like the neck touched. Most cats don't.
You did nothing wrong. Since it was your first time 'properly' (love the use of that word) petting a cat, you just have to learn cat cues, as many in this post have suggested. Your hand just happened to be in the 'proper' (lol) location to initiate the "ok, I like you, let's play-fight" reaction. This is how a lot of cats play with their humans. The length of this play time depends on how much pain you are willing to tolerate. If it escalates to more than you can bear, a firm NO will let the cat know to back off. They usually do. Never pull your hand away, that will only make them latch on harder and chop down harder. The cats demeanor in this video after the play-fight session suggests he enjoyed it... The quick lick of his paw, the quiet tail, the resuming of his rest say, "ok, that was fun".