You’ve probably experienced your cat showing its belly to you. You might have been laying on the couch with your cat snuggling against you, and then he shows you his belly.
Your cat simply lies down and exposes its belly, and now what? Do I pet it? Is it safe? These are all the questions I considered the first time my cat showed me his belly. Oh, the fluffiness and the cuteness… It was unbearably cute!
Your cat will show you its belly when it feels safe and relaxed around you. Isn’t that wonderful? Now let’s learn when it’s ok to pet it. Oh, and I truly hope you’ll like the pics I made to go with the topic!
The Cat Showing Belly Pose Explained
Your cat’s belly is a vulnerable place. It is not unusual, but it is not that common either, for cats to just lie down on their backs, be it next to you or in front of you, and expose their bellies.
Their stomachs contain the most vital organs, positioned just a few millimeters under the cat’s skin and fur.
Any damage to their abdominal organs can easily be fatal. It is in every cat’s natural instinct to protect themself, especially their belly area. However, if it feels confident or safe enough, your cat will expose its tummy to you.
This means your cat feels safe enough and secure enough to be vulnerable around you. If your cat shows its belly to you, it means it is relaxed, feels comfortable, and isn’t scared or anxious at the moment.
These moments are precious and valuable, however, they don’t always mean “come and pet my belly”.
You might be interested in: 6 Cat Sitting Positions Meaning + Other Cat Poses
So, When Should You Pet Your Cat’s Belly?
Many cats will enjoy, or even love, to have you petting their bellies. However, if your cat exposes its belly, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should go ahead and pet it. You have to pay attention to your cat’s body language and try to pet it.
If your cat likes it and seems to be enjoying it, you can continue with the belly rubs. But, if your cat gives you a fierce look, or worse, scratches you, then your cat probably doesn’t like its belly touched.
As I already mentioned, cats’ stomachs are quite vulnerable areas, so they’re instinctively guarding them. Most cats really like to flop down in front of their owners and roll around on the ground. These are all sweet signs of love, but they’re not an invitation to pet.
I believe that having your cat show you it trusts you and loves you is more than enough. You don’t need to snuggle it if it doesn’t want it at the time.
As I said before, if your cat greets you with an unwelcoming stare, you better back off. However, some cats will gladly accept your belly rubs if you take a different approach. I have six cats, and I feel like our bond is so strong that I can pet them wherever.
At the beginning of our life together, I tried out different methods for our cuddling sessions.
Always Pay Attention To Your Cat’s Body Language
All in all, touching your cat’s belly isn’t usually recommended, but if your cat keeps exposing its belly to you then you might as well try. You can’t know for sure unless you try and pet your cat, but first, read its body language.
I mean, you’ll see when you reach for it, how your cat’s feeling. If he or she continues to purr and squints its eyes then it’s probably ok to gently pet it on its belly and elsewhere. However, if you get a mean stare or your cat starts to growl, you better back off.
Take a look at this cute little kitty in the video below. This owner obviously knows their cat’s preferred cuddle spots, so they’re not worried about scratches and bites if they go ahead for a belly rub. Adorable!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnNj2pFAYV-/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
My Cats And Belly Rubs
My cat Freddie, for example, let me pet his belly from the start. But I wasn’t that direct. I went in from his side, and while I touched his belly I also rubbed him behind his ear. He loves when I scratch him behind his left ear the most. I don’t know why, but it’s super adorable.
On the other hand, my cat Mikey, who loves to snuggle most of all, prefers not being petted on his belly, but he’ll allow me to do it occasionally.
Now that I think of it, Mikey shows me his tummy the least of all my cats. Which makes sense, if he prefers scratches on his back or laying next to me, he’ll do so and that’s fine.
See also: Do Cats Understand Our Kisses? Do They Know We Love Them?
Final Words
You can pet your cat in many spots, some cats prefer their butt scratched, or to be scratched behind their ears, some like the back of their spine, and only a few prefer belly rubs.
However, sometimes your cat shows you its tummy and you’re not sure whether you should pet it or not. The most important thing here is that a cat showing you its belly is a sign of love and trust.
Now, when you try to decide whether you should pet your cat in its belly area, always read your cat’s body language and if you feel like it’s ok with your cat, go ahead and do it. Snuggle and cuddle your cat like crazy!
If your cat doesn’t feel like it, don’t bother it. If you see any signs of teeth or claws incoming, stop and retreat! Don’t risk losing the trust and bond you have with your cat. I hope this helps you understand why cats show us their bellies and that you’ll know when it’s safe to touch them.
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