Feline High-Fives!

We have all seen it, or we have had it done to us. You are minding your own business and a cat sticks his or her butt in your face.

Cats do this when they are greeting a person, another cat, a dog, etc. They will also do this when you are petting them. Most of us think that cats do this because they want you to scratch that area, but this is simply not true. (By the way, do not touch “that area” unless you want a paw to the jaw).

So why do cats offer us their rear end? Well, simply put, a kitty derrière in your face is the feline version of a high-five in cat language!

Cats have scent glands at the base of their tails that produce their own “signature” scent. When they offer this posture to you or another animal they are saying, “I trust you. Go ahead. Check me out. Get a good whiff of what I have goin’ on.”

So the next time a cat offers their rear to you, don’t be offended. It’s a compliment!

cat_body_language — Cat tails are expressive, but you have to look at the whole cat to see the full story: A cat with a straight-up tail is displaying confidence and friendliness. But if the cat is also displaying an upright tail with erect fur, dilated pupils, and ears folded back, this cat is exhibiting fear or aggression. We must read all of our cat’s signals to see the full story!

Does your feline family member offer you their derrière?

4 thoughts on “Feline High-Fives!”

WOW – This is good to know. Hemi and Mouse Girl, the purr things here at the Hotel Thompson, are always putting their derrières in my face and wagging their tail. Maybe I should do the same for them? Snorts. XOXO – Bacon

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July 8, 2013 at 4:56 pm Reply