Yes, cats like to be petted. That said, you have to be careful because they don't like to be petted in just any way, and often, what we think our furry friends like is far from being as appreciated as we think!

If you have a cat, or at least if you have ever petted one, you have probably experienced a situation where, while you are calmly petting it and everything seems pleasant and your cat seems sincerely enjoying it, all of a sudden, it bites or scratches you, and this, in the space of a split second! Is it the cat who is to blame or is it us who do not know how to pet them properly?

Let's take a little history so that we can learn more about the ancestry of our feline companion. Most likely, the ancestor of the domestic cat, the African wildcat, was considered a parasite. However, today, this is no longer how we perceive our cats! On the contrary, they are precious companions that we cherish. The change in the relationship between humans and cats is said to have taken place around 4,000 years ago (later than the relationship between dogs and humans). You are probably thinking that in 4,000 years, the cat has probably adapted to social demands, but not quite yet. In fact, its brain would still be wired to think and act, in general, like a wildcat.

This may explain why we think of cats as independent, even borderline insolent, animals. In fact, wild cats were solitary creatures who invested a lot of time and effort in communicating “indirectly,” that is, through visual and chemical messages in order to avoid having to touch each other. This is probably where the complex social skills of our domestic cats today come from. And while cats are more independent, humans are naturally social species who love and favor touch as a way of showing affection. So it is understandable that our first reaction when we see a cat or kitten is to want to pet it… but for a cat, this interaction may be too direct and may not be desired or even appreciated in the case at hand.

Many cats enjoy being petted, and they should learn to appreciate it within the first two to seven weeks of their lives. When it comes to human-cat interaction, many things can play a big role in how our feline friend will react: our personality, our gender, the areas of the cat we touch, and how we treat the cat on average.

Yes, some cats may react more abruptly to unwanted attention, while others will tolerate it because they are fed and housed. But if they tolerate it, it does not mean they are well. A cat may have a higher level of stress if it only tolerates petting instead of enjoying it or makes it clear to the human more aggressively that it does not like it.

How to pet your cat

If you want the moment to be enjoyed by both the human and the cat, you need to give your pet some freedom and a certain amount of control over their environment during interactions. Let them tell you where they want to be petted and for how long. This won't always be easy, as our tactile nature and love of cute things can make us instinctively approach the animal without really thinking. But it's important to exercise restraint and it can really pay off, because if the cat approaches you, you'll probably have a longer time with them than if you're the one who starts it all off.

Keep your eyes open for your cat's behavior and posture when petting him. You want him to be comfortable and enjoying the moment. Most cats will enjoy being touched at the base of their ears, under their chin, and around their cheeks. These areas are much preferred over the belly, back, butt, and tail.

The best signs to notice that the cat likes your touch are:

And conversely, here are the signs that you should probably stop cuddling for now:

Many cats will like to be touched, but many will tolerate it, at most. You just have to learn to respect their limits, not to force them and above all, not to rush them so as not to awaken the wild cat sleeping inside them.