Cat Chat Feline Forum

Does anybody else's cat love having their tum tickled. I only ask because Georgia loves it. She'll happily lay on the bed while I'm reading, legs splayed out in the most Un-ladylike position and have her belly rubbed. If I stop she will clasp my fingers with her front paws as if to say, 'no, don't stop'. With her following me round the house and garden, coming when I call, and the belly scratching I'm beginning to think she's part dog. Even the lady at the cattery has mentioned her rolling over for a fuss. (Georgia, not the lady).

Most of mine will take it to an extent, even Freyja if it is carefully done when she is in the mood and just between her front paws not on the belly itself. Blue, our much missed Ragdoll, however was the master of the belly rub, he would have been happy for us to spend all day with him lying on his back, paws in the air, having his belly rubbed.

When we first got him he had had to have his belly shaved as it had become matted, he was so keen to have his belly rubbed or brushed it was hard work to make sure the rest of him got groomed properly. it always made me wonder just how badly neglected he had been before being handed in to the rescue for his tummy to have got into that state.

I've found some do, some don't. Surprisingly cats who've been feral have been the soppiest. My Mouse was wild, but 'stroke the Mousey stomach' and she loves it. Whereas little Molly only shows me her stomach in the hopes of using my hand as a kickeroo - ouch! But she'll let me stroke her belly when she's upright; she'll purr and arch her back to let my hand underneath her ... cats, eh?

Not sure how much Lucy likes it, but I make her! Normally I prefer to put my face in her belly, you just have to stay focused so if she gets fed up you don't get clawed.

Tilly prefers to have her tummy brushed and combed rather than tickled. She rolls over whenever I get the comb out, making it difficult to groom any other part of her.