Everyone knows how to pet a cat, right? You just dive in there and start running your hand over the cat’s fur. Wrong! Well, wrong for some cats, maybe right for others. The thing is, not all cats come from the same cloth—or fur. Different cats have different tolerance levels for being touched. While some will practically turn themselves inside out begging for more petting, others will duck and squirm and dive avoiding the hand.
In our household we have one cat who can’t seem to get enough of the human touch and 
another one that is very particular about who, when, where, and under what circumstances she will or will not be petted. And she’s the one with the yummy fur you want to dig your fingers into and the adorable cheeks you want to kiss. That’s Lily.
In contrast, Sophie has rather coarse short fur and a wet nose that she’s always eager to rub against your cheek. She also loves to be combed, whereas Lily can’t stand it. She will tolerate a gentle brushing with a rubber brush only once in a while.
Can a shy, untouchable cat become a cuddly love bug? Yes. Sophie was one aloof kitten when we rescued her. Petting? Uh-uh—not on her watch. She avoided the hand at all cost. I guess the cost of avoidance became too high for Sophie because eventually she began to allow brief petting, then an occasional fur-ruffling. Now Sophie is often in our face begging for petting and even belly rubs.
Have you ever met a cat that seemed to eagerly invite
your petting, then suddenly turn on you and even bite and scratch? Why does he do that? Well, probably because you’re doing something wrong—at least where the cat’s concerned. So what’s the answer? How can you enjoy cuddling with your sweet kitty when she shuns you and even attacks you? I found a site that might help. It offers some great ideas for approaching the timid or reluctant cat—the cat who, perhaps, is more in touch with his wild side or who maybe had a bad experience with a human that caused her to become overly cautious. Keep in mind that your cat might also have pain issues that you’re not aware of.
Lily has kidney disease and I have to wonder if a full-body petting-massage is actually uncomfortable for her. Is her body ultra-sensitive to the touch? But all is not lost. Lily has taught me how to express my affection for her so that she can accept and enjoy it. Lily prefers a nice scratching around the neck as opposed to stroking. Her response to my gentle neck scratches is almost equal to Sophie’s exuberance over any sort of touching you might offer. She loves it—most of the time.
Do you have a touchy cat who often walks away from your attempts to pet her? Do you wonder why she does that? It might boil down to your approach. Perhaps you need to pay more attention to her mood. It could be she’s dealing with pain that you aren’t aware of. Or maybe there’s something in her history that causes her standoffishness. Study this guide and see if you can find a happy medium with your cat so you can both enjoy some cozy togetherness time. https://www.livescience.com/66013-best-way-to-pet-your-cat.html
