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June 14, 2019

Why you risk instant death if you scratch your cat’s belly!

Why you risk instant death if you scratch your cat’s belly!
Dr. Chris Brown
by DR. CHRIS BROWN

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.

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