We all wish we could say that we have an affectionate cat who loves to be petted and cuddled, but unfortunately not all furry people like caresses, especially if they have been picked up from the street or if during their earliest childhood they have not had much contact with humans.
In this article we are going to talk about why can't my cat be petted And what can you do so that your furry does not get so nervous when you are giving him love.
Why can't my cat be petted?
There are several reasons why a cat does not want to be touched. The main ones are:
- He has not had much contact with people, either because he has been living on the street or because, even and being in a home since he was a puppy, he has not spent time with the family.
- You have had a bad experience with someone holding or stroking you. And, although time passes, feline memory is very good and will always be remembered.
- You feel pain somewhere in your body. Sometimes he can hurt himself, or he may be developing a disease, so if you notice that he is not feeling well, do not hesitate to take him to the vet.
How do you pet a cat?
It may seem very simple, but if you do not have much experience, the animal may think that you are somewhat abrupt or that you make very fast movements. For the cat, the human being is very large, so if we want him to approach us, I recommend you follow this step by step:
- Stand in front of your cat, and sit on the ground.
- Invite him to come over by offering cat treats. If you see that he ignores you, put one of them so that it is close to his position, and then another but this time that is closer to you.
- The cat will most likely not hesitate to approach you, so once you have it close, let it smell you, and if you want, give it some treat.
- Now, let him smell your hand, and gently run his fingers over his head.
- If he likes it, you can stroke his back until you reach the tail; Otherwise, you will have to settle for stroking his head today.
Repeat these steps several times a day for a while, and you will see how little by little you will get your cat to be caressed by you.
Are there cats that get stressed out if they are touched?
Cats, like people, have their own personality. Just as there are bad people who like more to be touched, caressed or physical contact in general… The same thing happens to cats. There are cats that prefer to maintain more contact with other cats or humans, and others that simply, they are fine going their own way.
Maybe you have ever wondered if you could pet your cat without having to stress it, but is this really the case? Is it necessary that you not pet your cat so that it feels good next to you or can you give it your affection however you want to do it ? Actually, cats set the limits for you themselves. If you want to caress them they will show you with their body language, and if they don't want to ... just the same. Although we comment more on this to understand it better.
You can continue petting your cat without worrying, as long as your cat "allows" you to pet him. When you see that he does not feel like physical contact, then do not hesitate to give him his space so that he does not get aggressive or leave your side.
It is necessary to know that there are cats that are more stressed than others, that they have more cortisol in their blood and this can make them more nervous when you pet them. It does not mean that they are stressed because you are stroking them ... Only that they are stressed because there is something in their lives that makes them nervous and prone to overreact to things. If you think this is what happens to your cat, it would be a good idea to look for that factor that causes him to be stressed to be able to control it as soon as possible.
What should you keep in mind if your cat does not allow himself to be touched due to stress
El Stress in the animal it manifests itself in poor health. There are two things that appear particularly. One is skin problems, so the cat is losing a little hair or grooming itself too much in one particular spot so that it has a bare patch on the skin or even an ulcer. The second is the cystitis (a urinary tract infection), which is actually quite common in cats.
General signs of stress in cats are actually not that easy to identify because they are simply not very demonstrative animals. They tend to hide their feelings when they are unhappy. That said, a cat that spends a lot of time hiding, under furniture or high up in the room, on top of cabinets and that sort of thing, that's often a sign of stress. The cat has to get in a good defensive position all the time before it feels comfortable.
Can cats live happily in a house with other cats even if they are not petted?
Yes, they can, but it is not as easy to achieve a happy coexistence with cats as it is with dogs. Most dogs will like to meet other dogs, and they will quickly establish a relationship with each other. They have the body language, the signals to do it. The problem with cats is that they don't have the same sophisticated signaling system as dogs.
But there are a few things you can do to make sure two cats get along. The first thing is that it is a good idea to choose cats that have already lived together, and the best solution is often two cats from the same litter. Cats that haven't lived together since they were young, you have to do a kind of careful introduction. The best way to do this is to mimic how the two cats would likely find each other, which is by their scent. And in this period you better not caress them because they will be stressed, the best thing is that you allow them to be the ones who approach you.
Can Cats Be Happy Living Indoors?
Cats don't need a lot of physical space to live. What they need is a safe and basic place to live that is interesting. The human living with an indoor cat should pay more attention to the cat, take more measures to make the cat's life interesting...
And a cat that lives indoors will most likely ask for more petting than a cat that can come and go, that is, one that is more independent and can explore "the world out there." Actually it is your cat who decides who caresses him and who cannot do it ... If he "lets" you give him love, feel privileged because that means that he has established a very close affective bond with you.
Can my cat pet me?
Obviously a cat does not caress like humans do, but in reality, it can. He will caress you differently, but the message is the same: give and receive affection. A cat that seeks your caresses or that wants to show your affection will do so in different ways:
- Being by your side all the time
- Looking for your lap to fall asleep or be quiet
- Sleeping next to you
- Rubbing his face against yours
- Rubbing his body against your legs
A cat can "pet" you in many waysWhat matters is that if he does it, if he decides to do it even though he has been for a while without allowing you to caress him ... it is necessary that you return that caress so that your affective bond is strengthened.
Is a cat that does not allow itself to be stroked a wild cat?
It doesn't have to. The idea that they have been domesticated for so long is actually a bit of a stretch.. Your average cat, you know who the mother was because you went looking for the kitten from somewhere. But you probably won't know who the father is because the cats go out and select their own mates.
Essentially, that is the mating behavior of a wild animal, not a domesticated animal at all, because they are selecting who they mate with. Cats are not really domesticated in the sense that most dogs are. Most dogs have some sort of pedigree in their background, while most cats don't ... But whether it is wild or domesticated, it will be your cat who decides if you pet him or not.