{"id":169,"date":"2020-10-22T10:01:57","date_gmt":"2020-10-22T10:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/?p=169"},"modified":"2021-03-04T20:49:07","modified_gmt":"2021-03-04T20:49:07","slug":"why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do cats attack when you rub their bellies?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Many cats will attack when you rub its belly because the belly is a sensitive spot. When the belly is exposed a potential preditor can harm the vital organs such as the heart. Plus some cats are ticklish! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#Why_do_cats_get_mad_when_you_touch_their_belly\" title=\"Why do cats get mad when you touch their belly?\">Why do cats get mad when you touch their belly?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#Bellies_are_sensitive\" title=\"Bellies are sensitive\">Bellies are sensitive<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#Are_there_other_off-limits_spots_on_my_cats_body\" title=\"Are there other off-limits spots on my cat\u2019s body?\">Are there other off-limits spots on my cat\u2019s body?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#Where_should_I_pet_my_cat_instead\" title=\"Where should I pet my cat instead?\">Where should I pet my cat instead?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#Why_do_some_cats_like_belly_rubs\" title=\"Why do some cats like belly rubs?\">Why do some cats like belly rubs?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_cats_get_mad_when_you_touch_their_belly\"><\/span>Why do cats get mad when you touch their belly?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You know that feeling when you\u2019re chilling and cuddling with your cat one afternoon.\u00a0 You two are having a wonderful time, then suddenly, they roll over and present their belly to you as if asking for a belly rub?\u00a0 You know what the legends say \u2013 a cat\u2019s belly feels like heaven, and you know it does.\u00a0 So, you reach over to try and pet it.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ve fallen into their trap.&nbsp; Your hands are now scratched and bitten.&nbsp; It\u2019s honestly very confusing and painful \u2013 physically and emotionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why do they do this?&nbsp; Is your cat just some meanie who wants to hurt you and your feelings?&nbsp; Maybe, but probably not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just like dogs, when around people they know and feel safe around, cats roll over to expose their stomachs. &nbsp;It\u2019s their way of saying \u201cI trust you.\u201d&nbsp; When a cat shows you\u2019re their belly, consider it high praise \u2013 because it is.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bellies_are_sensitive\"><\/span>Bellies are sensitive<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cat\u2019s bellies \u2013 which include their sides and their chest area, are the most sensitive and most vulnerable part of their bodies.&nbsp;&nbsp; This is where most of their vital organs are.&nbsp; Their bellies also help them keep cool in hot summer days by loafing on your cold kitchen tiles.&nbsp; For your expectant mama cats, you might be amazed to know that she has as many as 10 nipples in her belly \u2013 each one of them important to make sure all of her kittens will be well fed and happy when they\u2019re born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>This is why, for most cats, their bellies are off limits.&nbsp; It\u2019s understandable why they\u2019re so overprotective of this specific part of their bodies.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, cats actually do expose their bellies as a defensive move. This is, as you must know well by now, a great way for them to use, not only all of their claws, but also their teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also to note that not all cats feel this way.\u00a0 Some cats actually don\u2019t mind getting the occasional belly rub.\u00a0 Yes, there are cats like this out there somewhere. Cats are very individualistic.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your cat doesn\u2019t want to play, tough luck if you do because you will be ignored.&nbsp; If you cat doesn\u2019t want to cuddle \u2013 you\u2019ll find out why they say cats are liquid \u2013 they will escape your grasp at their first chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are cats who will indulge their owners a bit of light belly rubbing \u2013 up to a certain point.&nbsp; If your cat is initially not one of these cats, you can actually try to train them into enjoying belly rubs with something they enjoy.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can pair a bit of belly rubbing with some scratches that they do enjoy \u2013 like on their chin.&nbsp; Or, if your <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/best-cat-food-for-indoor-cats\/\">cat is food motivated<\/a>, you can give them treats as you give them a belly rub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, please know that not all cats, no matter how hard you try, will like the belly attention you so want to give them.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s most important in you and your cats relationship is to maintain the trust that led them to open up their bellies to you in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_there_other_off-limits_spots_on_my_cats_body\"><\/span><strong>Are there other off-limits spots on my cat\u2019s body?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t true for all cats, but most cats will not appreciate it when you touch them on their paws as it is another hypersensitive part of their body \u2013 just like their bellies, on their armpits or the area under their legs, the back of their legs, the bottom half of their back when they\u2019re in pain, at the base of their tail, and on their genital area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also good to know that how you touch your cat matters.&nbsp; Some cats don\u2019t like it when you are very forceful when you pet them as this can cause them to be overly stimulated which will cause them to leave the petting session.&nbsp; What\u2019s most important is that you don\u2019t stroke them against the natural flow of their fur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_should_I_pet_my_cat_instead\"><\/span><strong>Where should I pet my cat instead?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many alternative places where you can pet your cat safely.&nbsp; These areas will bring satisfaction to you and your cat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>On their cheeks, behind their whiskers.&nbsp; This place has a high concentration of scent glands.&nbsp; Cats like spreading their scent to those they \u201cown\u201d, so they will appreciate it if you stimulate this area.<\/li><li>Under their chin.&nbsp; Some <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-like-being-scratched-under-the-chin\/\">cats love under the chin scratches<\/a> so much they\u2019ll actually drool.&nbsp; Give it a try sometime, sans the nails.<\/li><li>On their forehead, in between their eyes.&nbsp; Some cats will actually pet you before you pet them by bunting.&nbsp; Bunting is when they bump their heads against you.&nbsp; When this happens, take them up on their offer!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_some_cats_like_belly_rubs\"><\/span><strong>Why do some cats like belly rubs?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For most cats, belly rubs will trigger an automatic defensive reaction.&nbsp; This is true for both cats and kittens.&nbsp; For others, it won\u2019t faze them a single bit.&nbsp; If you have a cat who does like belly rubs, count yourself lucky and enjoy it.&nbsp; Just keep an eye out for when they change their mind.&nbsp; If they start nibbling your hand, that\u2019s when you should stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Different cats require different strokes.&nbsp; When your cat likes, and trusts you, you will be greeted with a belly.&nbsp; It\u2019s not an invitation for a belly rub though.&nbsp; Most cats won\u2019t appreciate a belly rub like a dog would because cats are extra protective over the most vital part of their bodies.&nbsp; So, when your cat shows you a sign of their trust, don\u2019t break it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies_-pinterest-cover-01-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Why do cats attack when you rub their bellies\" class=\"wp-image-171\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many cats will attack when you rub its belly because the belly is a sensitive spot. When the belly is exposed a potential preditor can harm the vital organs such<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":170,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[28,8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why do cats attack when you rub their bellies? [ Detailed Answer ]<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why do cats attack when you rub their bellies? [ Detailed Answer ]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Many cats will attack when you rub its belly because the belly is a sensitive spot. When the belly is exposed a potential preditor can harm the vital organs such\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"AnimalsA2Z.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-10-22T10:01:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-03-04T20:49:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies_-featured-image-scaled-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"973\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/\",\"name\":\"AnimalsA2Z.com\",\"description\":\"Just another WordPress site\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies_-featured-image-scaled-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies_-featured-image-scaled-1.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":973,\"caption\":\"Why do cats attack when you rub their bellies\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/\",\"name\":\"Why do cats attack when you rub their bellies? [ Detailed Answer ]\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-10-22T10:01:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-03-04T20:49:07+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/#\/schema\/person\/40209377c762bd7e66a7a961433e79cf\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"item\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-attack-when-you-rub-their-bellies\/#webpage\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/#\/schema\/person\/40209377c762bd7e66a7a961433e79cf\",\"name\":\"Rolf\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f426b88898e45cab2746f58ec14d18e4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f426b88898e45cab2746f58ec14d18e4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Rolf\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3824,"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions\/3824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}