Have you ever touched your cat and it seems like they enjoy it? Did it ever happen that you touched certain body parts of your feline friend and it twitched? After experiencing this probably the question, “Are cats ticklish?” bothered your mind.
Well, it’s not only you who ask this question. I myself tested the paws of my kitty and reacted as if I tickled him. Are cats ticklish? Are they like us? Do they have funny bones too? Let’s find out.
Are cats ticklish? Can cats laugh?
Most likely you have been tickled many times, especially when you’re still a child. When we hear tickle the first thing that comes in our mind is the lightness and cheer of a giggle. We humans mostly experience this type of tickle. Our reaction often comes with a burst of laughter or giggle. This tickling reaction is known as gargalesis. Gargalesis is just one of the types of tickles. This tickle engages the application of high pressure to sensitive areas of humans. This tickle is felt by humans and some primates like chimps and gorillas.
Yet, our cats don’t have the gargalesis. The tickle that they have is knismesis. Knismesis isn’t a type of tickle that makes you laugh. It’s a tickle that feels annoying and irritating. We humans also have knismesis. It is when you’re touched lightly, that you quickly brush it off. Have you ever tried to touch your cat’s ear and then put it down? That’s the example of a tickle that your cat has.
Where are cats’ ticklish spots?
Our cats are very sensitive to touch. When they don’t like it, they don’t. There are certain body parts that they like to be touched. When you pet or tickle them in these areas, surely your cat will be blessed. These parts are:
Head
In our article Why do cats head butt, we talked about the pheromones the scent hormone released by a cat. Cheeks are one of them, sometimes a cat will seek your attention by bunting its head to you. This is one of the signs that your cat wants to be tickled on its head. Usually, cats close their eyes when they appreciate and enjoy your tickle.
Ear
Most cat owners are fond of touching their cat’s ears. When you tickle your cat’s ear, it’s funny that it will just keep on putting it down. As long as your cat doesn’t complain you can keep on tickling it on its ear. To add up, when the ear is tickled, the scent hormone is released and this makes them feel more comfortable.
Chin
Another soft area to touch is the chin of your cat. Have you ever experienced sitting and your cat seeking your attention? Then suddenly, there you are giving up and petting your cat. This is followed by your cat leading your hand to its chin. You’ll notice your cat is changing position while you play with its chin. Literally, your cat is simply enjoying your tickle and again spreading some of its pheromones.
The back
Oh! This is my favorite part. Have you ever noticed that whenever you pet the spine of your cat, it brings its tail up? When your cat enjoys this, it always turns around and changes its position.
Belly
However, not all of our cats would love to be touched in the belly. The belly is one of the most sensitive and ticklish parts of your cat. Your cat enjoys a tickle on this part when it tries to roll over and still shows its tummy to you.
Paws
Paws are warm and incredibly soft. These are highly sensitive parts of the cat. They use it to sense if someone is standing near them, or if they are in a dangerous situation. This is why when you try to tickle your cat’s paw it responds quickly.
How to know if my cat is enjoying my tickle?
Cats really have an attitude of being hot or cold. They can be so friendly and clingy, then just a moment it changed that as if your existence is not important. Sorry, for the description, my cat is as crazy as me maybe and it always does this to me.
We wouldn’t like our little feline to get crazy and ignore us by annoying them. Here are some signs that they’re enjoying your tickle:
- Your cat moves its tail back and forth.
- Seemed relaxed by squinting or closing their eyes.
- Nudge or reach your hand when you stop petting them.
- Lastly, it kneads your skin with paws and purrs.
How to know if my cat is annoyed by my tickle?
As mentioned above, our cats’ moods easily swing. They easily express if they don’t like anything, so if they’re annoyed there’ll be signs. These signs are:
- It switched and changed positions with an annoyed face.
- They’ll start to groom themselves as if your touch is non-existent.
- It lowers down its ears.
- Sometimes, they stopped you through their paws.
- The most promising of all is when they walk out from you. Who can relate?
Our cats may not have the same tickles as ours, but it’s nice to know that they get tickles too. If you’re asking if cats laugh, maybe, no one knows if they do. Maybe they’re just laughing in silence or inside their heads.
They have their soft spots that can be tickled, we just need to be extra careful. We need to be sure that they’re enjoying it and they’re relaxed. There are signs that we can watch out for whether our cats enjoy or are annoyed by us.
Tickling our cat is something unavoidable. Moreover, who can resist that cute fluffy baby? The sweet stares and playfulness trigger us. Consequently, cat owners tickle them to express more of our love for them. What’s your cat’s favorite tickling spot? Also, could you share with us how your cat expresses its joy when tickled?
