Cats are some of the most remarkable animals in the world. Cats have been living alongside humans for thousands of years through a process of domestication influenced by natural selection and selective breeding, and now they now come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Munchkin to the enormous Maine Coon.
Cats have many strange behaviors, but the one we get asked about the most is why cats like to be petted. If you, too, are curious about why your cat does this, continue reading while we look at what science has to say, as well as some good guesses to help you understand your pet better.
The 5 Reasons Why Cats Like to Be Pet
1. Social Bonding
Humans have many ways of showing affection for one another, but cats are much more limited. If your cat is rubbing against you and allowing you to pet them, especially if they’re purring, these behaviors are commonly associated with affiliative social bonding and can indicate that your cat is comfortable and experiencing a positive interaction. In simple terms, the cat likes you.
2. Reunion Behavior and Social Interaction
If you go to work for several hours or spend a lot of time on a different floor than your cat, you will likely experience them rubbing against you and looking for pets when you see them again. Cats don’t have many ways to greet a human, and no one can be sure, but if your cat comes to greet you and seeks interaction, it can reflect social bonding and learned anticipation of your return.
3. Scent Marking and Communication
Cats are territorial animals, but serious fights are typically avoided when possible through communication signals and scent marking. Cats mark their territory by spreading pheromones, which are undetectable to humans. They spread the pheromones in various ways, including the pads on their feet, through their urine and anal glands, and, most importantly for us, through their cheeks and skin.
When your cat rubs these parts of their body on you, they deposit scents that other cats can smell. When your cat rubs on you, it is depositing scent as part of normal social communication, which can help create a shared group scent.
What Are Pheromones?
Pheromones are chemical signals that cats use to communicate with each other and that humans cannot detect. When your cat is rubbing these on you, it is associated with social communication and creating a sense of familiarity.
4. It’s Seeking Attention
Your cat may seek interaction and attention based on social bonding and learned experiences. When you stop what you are doing to pet your cat, you are reinforcing the behavior by providing attention.
Many cats will rub on you and let you pet them when they want you to pay attention to their needs, and it’s often a sign that they are hungry or want to go outside.
5. It Feels Good
Your cat has specialized hairs on their face, such as the whiskers, eyebrows, and guard hairs that are sensitive enough to detect tactile stimuli and changes in air movement, which can help them navigate their environment. The hairs also help your cat navigate small openings and provide other functions.
Petting your cat’s face or allowing them to rub their face against you can be perceived as pleasant stimulation of these sensitive structures, although responses vary between individuals.
Not All Cats Like To Be Pet the Same
You don’t need to talk to many cat owners to find one who tells you that their cat doesn’t like it when you pet them. While that might be true, some cats prefer you wait for the right time and place and pet them in a way they prefer. If your cat doesn’t appear to like pets, you might need to watch their behavior closely and keep trying at different times to find success.
We have had several cats that only like their head rubbed or under the chin, and they will get up and leave if you try to pet the rest of them. One cat likes to lie on the floor so we can rub their head with our feet, and another prefers to disappear for an hour or two, but they get excited when you come looking for them.
The cat will then press their head on you and roll on the ground so you can pet them. Most people would think that neither of these cats likes to be petted, but these behaviors show they may enjoy petting when it occurs on their terms, and it was easier than you might think to learn what those terms are. Almost all cats have little quirks you learn by spending time with them.
Most Cats Don’t Like Belly Rubs
While you can usually find a way to pet even the most aloof cat with patience and careful observation of their preferences, you will likely find that many cats do not like it when you rub their belly; they may take the opportunity to shred your arm and hand with their claws. Although a few individuals may tolerate or enjoy it, the odds are against you.
Some cats will even hold your hand with their front claws and do a bunny kick with their back legs, which can quickly cause considerable damage to your arm. This action will make most children cry, so we recommend teaching the child to avoid the belly at all times.
The belly is where your cat is most vulnerable and is likely a sensitive area to the touch. It’s also highly defensible, unlike their back.
Final Thoughts
Cats may rub against people as part of normal social and scent-marking behavior associated with familiarity and comfort. They no longer need to hunt for their food or fend off intruders in their territory and are free to lounge around in their favorite spots. They may show increased interaction when we return, which is associated with social bonding and routine. Petting them likely feels good because we can see how they react to it when they allow it.
Pheromones play a role in communication and social familiarity in cats, although their exact effects are not always visible to humans.
Featured Image Credit: Nitiphonphat, Shutterstock
The 5 Reasons Why Cats Like to Be Pet
