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Stroke a cat’s chin and you’ll get purrs, affection and maybe even a massage. Scratch their belly however and you risk instant death. And finally we know the reason why...
There’s no doubt the chin, cheeks, chest and top of the head are PPS - preferred patting spots. But research now shows why the belly and tail are such strict no-go zones. It turns out the hair follicles there (and the nerves associated with them) are hypersensitive. Just a small touch causes them to squirm in a way not that dissimilar to how we feel when someone tickles our belly or underarms. Or when ‘someone’ massages our belly with their claws. Ahem. But I digress!
So while some cats will become accustomed to the belly scratch and even enjoy it, it’s often safe to stick to the pre-agreed affection zones. Purr-fection.
