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If you spend a lot of time with your cat, you probably notice very early on that every time you scratch their butt, they raise it in the air. This strange behavior has baffled many cat owners, and while the most obvious is that these butt scratches feel very good to them, other interesting answers exist too.
Read the article below to learn more about why cats raise their butts when you scratch them.
The 5 Possible Reasons Why Cats Raise Their Butts When Scratched
1. It Feels Good for Them
The most likely and common reason your cat may raise their butt when scratched is because it feels good for them! You’ll know your cat is enjoying this petting session if they stand still and let you scratch that area. For creatures that are rarely still and very controlling of how you approach them, standing still will be a very clear sign that they want more.
2. Your Cat Might Be in Heat
If you have an unspayed female cat, you are likely to notice them raising their butt when touched because this zone is sensitive during heat. If your cat is unspayed, keeping her inside the house during this time would be best to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, her roaming and getting lost or hurt, or contracting feline infectious diseases through mating. Spaying your kitten has many health benefits.1
3. Communication
Most pets, including cats, communicate by scent and may sniff each other’s rear end, which allows them to learn their sex, health, and other information. There is a chance that when a cat raises their butt towards you when you scratch them, besides clearly enjoying it, the action itself is used as a part of their body language and communication.
4. Trust
What better way for your kitty to show you how much they trust you than turning their back to you and showing you their butt. The same goes for revealing the belly. These are sensitive areas of the body and leave them vulnerable to attack. However, they know you can be trusted, and while enjoying a scratch around their tail base, they feel confident enough to raise their butt.
5. Instincts
Kittens develop a certain instinct for helping their mothers groom them by raising their butts. This behavior may stay with them even during their adult years and can be seen when you give your cuddly pet butt scratches. When you gently pet your cat, it might remind them of the way their mother would groom them, causing this instinct to raise their butts to arise.
When Butt Scratches Become Painful for Your Cat
Sometimes, when you try to scratch your cat’s butt, you might notice that it hurts them or feels uncomfortable, or particularly itchy. Sometimes there is a patch of hair loss, redness, or swelling. On the other hand, your cat might ask for butt scratches too frequently and even try to scratch or lick their rear end excessively. If butt scratches seem painful or itchy to your cat, or there is any swelling, hair loss, skin irritation, and redness, discharge, or swelling, they might have one of the following health problems:
- Fleas
- Skin allergies
- Skin infection
- Anal gland issues
- Abscess
- Wound
Another possible trigger for excessive grooming and sometimes scratching and licking of the rear end and other parts of the body could be stress and anxiety. Cats that have gone through a sudden change in their environment, in homes that have welcomed a new pet or a baby, or cats that suffer from separation anxiety might groom themselves more than usual.
If your cat shows signs of pain at the base of their tail, skin changes, hair loss, swelling, discharge, loss of appetite, lethargy, or increased stress and anxiety, it’s best to take them to the vet for a check-up.
Conclusion
Once you read all the possible reasons why your cat might raise their butt when you scratch it, you will have a much better perspective of this strange yet adorable behavior. Cats might be mysterious creatures, but the most common reason behind this is their love for cuddles and being petted.
Featured Image Credit: Christin Hume, Unsplash
