Your cat has probably already shown you its belly, and no doubt in different places and in different contexts. But why does he do it? After all his animal instinct tells him not to expose his organs. In this article, I explain to you why your cat shows you its belly.
Why does my cat show me its belly: The different reasons
If your cat shows you its belly, it is for one of the following reasons. For each, I explain in detail how to detect the precise cause and especially how to react to it according to what this position of the cat means.
Not for hugs
And yes ! I prefer to start by destroying a myth, cats don’t want to be stroked on their stomach because they hate that you put your hands near their organs, it’s a natural survival reflex that helps them survive in the wild.
However, even in the domestic state, cats retain their survival instinct, it is a genetic part that cannot be modified. So don’t cuddle him on his tummy, even if he purrs and stares fondly at you.
But stroking his head instead to prevent him from losing trust in you, touching his belly will be very bad for your cat, it’s a bit like betraying his trust.
He marks his territory
Cats are territorial animals par excellence, you can for example notice that they do not share their litter or their food and that they are very possessive when there are several animals in the household.
They mark their territory by urinating on the outside, but indoors, lying flat on their back helps mark their scent. Whether on the couch or on the floor.
If your cat spends a lot of time rubbing against furniture or you, kneading objects to deposit their scent, then they’re probably marking whatever territory they can.
In this case, he will surely do it on the sofa or on his cat tree to mark his sleeping area and will not seek a hug, you will just see him with his eyes closed or half-closed while doing so, without purring and not expect nothing from you.
He wants to play
If your cat is young and has dilated pupils looking at you, it’s probably a call for play. It will also have its paws up and maybe even stick out its claws. In this case you can play with him so that he can release his energy.
He can also give you signs that he wants to play, such as giving you little paws to let you know that it’s time to play. If he does it at the usual time of the game, then he is sure he is waiting for you to play with him.
He’s warming up
Cats like it warm, and if a ray of sunshine pierces any part of the room, you can be sure that it will go, especially in winter, and absorb the heat by spreading its whole belly with its paws out. air, totally relaxed.
He may squirm because the heat does him good. If your cat goes belly up in a sunny spot, it’s to warm up.
He relaxes
This position allows the cat to stretch its legs and circulate the blood for total relaxation. Cats often do this after they have gone hunting and also do this when they have just played. Basically, after the effort comes the comfort.
They will then be half asleep in appearance, opening and closing their eyes in a vacuum, sometimes the tongue sticking out when the state of the cat is truly relaxed at 100%.
He shows his confidence
You cannot imagine how difficult it is for the cat to show its belly without being on guard because it exposes its organs and this position is deeply embedded in its brain as being very dangerous because its organs are easily accessible.
If your cat sleeps on his back , it’s a sign of complete trust in you, he knows you won’t hurt him, but be careful not to touch him, because if you touch him, he will lose all his confidence in you. .
Defense stance
It may seem counterintuitive, but a cat lying on its back may have perceived a threat coming from above and lying on its stomach is in this case the only correct defensive position so as not to be taken by surprise. .
This is a very rare case, mostly happening outdoors when he sees a big bird or something moving in a tree.
He has irritated skin
If the skin on her belly is irritated, then your cat is definitely not going to lay on her belly, but expose it so that there is no tension there. Check that your cat has nothing problematic at this level.
Pimples, redness or sores or even pulled hairs indicate a health problem that needs to be treated.
Why does my cat show me its belly: The final word
A cat can show you its belly for so many reasons, so know why it’s doing it so you can do the right thing and not break its trust.