The Right Way to Pet a Cat: Never Do These 5 Things

We all feel like we know how to pet a cat, but doing it right is harder than you might think. In this video, you'll learn about the 5 mistakes people make when petting a cat and 5 tips for doing it well.
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Video Navigation:
0:00 Introduction
0:48 Mistake 1: Moving in Too Fast
1:23 Mistake 2: Going Against the Fur
2:13 Mistake 3: Brazen Tummy & Paw Petting
2:55 Mistake 4: Ignoring Overstimulation
4:08 Mistake 5: Choosing a Bad Time
5:11 Tip 1: Choose a Good Time
6:13 Tip 2: Do a Gentle Introduction
6:53 Tip 3: Be Aware of Overstimulation
7:18 Tip 4: Pet The Right Areas
8:12 Tip 5: Learn About Your Cat
8:57 Take the Petting Map Challenge!
9:53 Conclusion

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[vistalite]

I’m very fortunate. My boy is cool with petting all over - even the belly. No biting. No scratching. When he was a kitten, the shelter worker told me to get him used to being touched in places like his legs, feet and belly. She said it would make for a better cat experience as he matures. Plus, she mentioned it would help with vet visits. She was correct. He has always been the perfect patient.

[amischair]

I must say Wessie was such a good boy while being “overstimulated“ on camera for his loyal viewers. 🤗😸

[localchumb]

I bet Wessie was thinking, "what the heck?!" with all those rough pets, haha!

Thank you for making this video, it came at a much needed time. My first cat that I had for 18.5 years passed away three years ago today and I always get hit with the feels and the memories throughout this week. She taught me so much! How to be a good cat dad and a decent human. We really can't take all these precious moments for granted. I now tell my two cats all about their great ancestor, Kitty and they always look at me with wide eyes when they hear about our stories :)

[a_drifter_]

My cat absolutely loves when his paw pads are massaged, and when the tips of my fingers interlock in his paw..(which works really well for trimming his nails). He also occasionally likes the pads moisturized. He will come over and “reach” out for my hands with his own paws and blisses out if I respond in this way, often into purring and sleeping. He has a funny obsession with his paws touching our hands.

[cl-evsg]

After having dogs most of my life, I learned to adjust my touch for my adopted senior kitties. Less pressure and gentle touch.
It took a few months for me to learn what they will accept and not accept.
I practice massage with them. They love it when I massage along their spine (not the actual spine).
I get rewarded w purrs. 😊

[scotty]

I think one of people's mistake with petting any animal is not reading their body language since you can tell so much if you educate yourself on what they do to exhibit certain moods. Also you need to let an animal smell you first. Great video, I just feel bad for Wessie since by the end she seemed like she had enough. :D

[userrrrr]

I actually got my kitten, and did all of these things to in a way "desensitize" him. He is very, very tolerant cat now and has never hissed, scratched or bit in his life out of anger. Not a single ounce of aggressive behavior from him his whole life. I made it a point to also begin walking him outside at a young age. Now he LOVES walks. He loves to run up and meet new people and play with big dogs. He's also an ultimate cuddler cat and will sleep on your chest all night long. He loves to play under blankets. I've raised an amazing cat and I'm proud. He's basically a dog and everyone loves him dearly. My little Milo man 💝

[Wolfensptz]

Thank You for making this Video! I have been a life long Cat owner (73 years old and counting) and Birman Cat Breeder during that time. I would always have to show kitten people how to pet and handle their new babies! The sad fact is most people simply do not know how to treat and handle their cats correctly! The biggest problem is they pet them like they would a dog! Overly rough and aggressive and most cats simply don't put up with rough treatment! Most also don't respect meeting a new cat properly and allowing them to see and smell your hand before you get anywhere near petting them! As you pointed out going directly over their heads can really scare and annoy them and all too often they will avoid the pet or even bite the person trying this offensive attack on them! Especially if they have been hand abused by a cat-hating or teasing person! They become Hand Shy and aggressive towards anyone trying to pet them over their heads or anywhere around their heads! A big problem I have seen over the years is girls and women who have boyfriends or husbands that really don't like cats in the first place and they can be very abusive to a cat and then the cat thinks ALL males will treat them like that! If you ever see your boyfriend or husband act abusively to your cat act the same way you would if they mistreated your child! Kick them to the Curb!! Another point. EVERY Cat is different just like humans! Some like petting under their chins or around their ears GENTLY and some really don't care for that! Some LOVE their bellies stroked softly and in the correct direction! NEVER go against the grain of their coats! Just spending lots of quality time with them learning what they put up with, like or really like will work wonders in building your relationship with your cat! Paying attention to their eye, tail, and head movements will also teach you when they want affection and when they don't! Cats are NOT Dogs! You treat each species somewhat differently and even certain cat breeds will be either love sponges (like Birmans or Ragdolls) or they might be somewhat aloof (like some of the Exotics) and they really don't want a lot of hands-on treatment. Don't try to mold a Cat to what You want, but learn which breeds are more of what you want in a Cat and respect them for being what they are! Some people DON'T want a clingy cat or a vocal cat and some do! Learn about the breeds you are thinking of adding to your household and remember they are Forever members of your family, not disposable objects!

[curlyquirks]

Whenever I’m having a bad day I always binge your videos. Not only are they super informative, I find them really calming and comforting since cats are my special interest. I don’t have my own pet cat (yet) but I want to be ready for when the time comes. Thank you for what you do <3

[catherinekittykat]

Glad you made this great video....they should show this to every child and adult. It's all natural to me, but I'm a sensitive intuitive empath. LOL! Poor Wessie had to be the model of bad touching. Poor baby! Most people do not treat any animal or child the way I would. I don't understand most humans. And one thing humans do that makes me absolutely NUTSO, is PETTING Hey, I have endless ideas for videos, I'm pretty sure. LOL! Love you, sweet gal! You are a huge blessing for the animals of Earth! So glad you were born! Big hugs!

[lanaa]

Weird. My boys absolute LOVE to get their tummy rubbed as if they were dogs. They thankfully love to cuddle and constantly want the rubs ❤

[AmandaPaige]

My Mimsie will just simply put her paw on my hand when she's done with me petting her! It's so cute and I always respect it! She's the best! 🐈‍⬛❤️🐈‍⬛

[lvhomesales]

This is amazing advice for those who know nothing about cats. All cats are different and each has their own personality. Some are friendly and some are " just look " but don't touch. Most well-versed cat owners know to respect a cat that wants its own space. Love them in their own way.

[nightlurker]

One of my boys has not read the manual about belly scratches, he settles back into my arms like a baby and pulls my other hand into his belly with both paws! If I gently scratch him with my fingertips, he just melts into a purring soft ball of fur and would stay there for hours if I didn't call time.

[loretta_]

My cat is an exception to the tummy rub "rule". I'm always very gentle and stop the second she looks like she doesn't like it anymore. However, I've built up a lot of trust with my cat, she may not react well with just anyone she doesn't know doing it - I'm yet to find out 😸 Yes, she loves having pats/gentle scratching around her ears and and head. She also loves a little scratching under the chin. She'll often lift her head up to let me scratch away at her chin and she just closes her eyes and along with the purrrs, looks rather pleased!

[grammysagmoe]

I would never think of petting my cat so roughly!

[nancyoffenhiser]

Poor Wessie! I hope that he knows that he did all this for the sake of science and educating people!

[swettyspaghtti]

LMAO " bunny kicks" 🤣 i like that. Always called it donkey kicks

[monazaki]

when I bought a backscratcher... my cat loves to have a go at it too! Wessie is adorable!

[AlbertTorcaso]

A few of our cats place their paws in my hand when we are resting and it is fantastic.