There’s a trick that every cat I’ve ever lived with has learned, and I want to know if this is typical of domestic cats.
When they’re very young (or just being domesticated) they will often swipe at you if they’re enjoying being scratched and you stop before they’re ready, so as to bring back your hand. They do this with protracted claws.
After some time, the swipe turns into a bat, with retracted claws. (That is, if the swipe regularly got them some extended lovin’.)
Some time later, the bat turns into a mere raising and extending of the paw as a signal that the RDA of affection has not yet been satisfied.
All of my cats have gone through this progression, so that after a year or so they simply lift a paw to indicate “More love, please”.
I was at the shelter last week - 600 cats in cages and play suites - I tell you, it was kitteh overload. The cats in cages were putting out paws like crazy, wanting just a touch. So lonely. It was hard to take, or would have been if they weren’t all such cuteses.
One does, near constantly. If I’m trying to take a nap, he particularly likes stretching out with his head on my shoulder and gently baps me in the face when I stop petting him.
The other is less subtle - just jams his face into mine or nips me until I pay attention.
I had a cat that did this. If I was sitting in my office chair she would get up on her hind legs, steady herself with one paw on my leg and raise her other paw while meowing.
River lays on me, rolled over, and stares at me with “love” eyes. This means “i loves you and pets me pleeze.”
Inara head butts me aggresively and with love.
Cade, the boy, half-meows/wimpers a bit and snuggles up against me and sleeps on my arm.
Never seen the paw-raise thing.
All 3 of my cats knead me, though. My wife suspects they were weaned too soon. They are about 2 1/2 years old and all knead a lot. We like it(they are declawed in the front).
Did you ever have the experience of having them swat at you to get you to keep petting them? And if so, did you indulge the request?
Ditto, I guess, for folks whose cats do the paw lift.
Btw, if I leave town for a few days, when I come back they are especially kneady, and they drool when I give them attention. I speculate that it’s a nursing response.
ETA: I have always indulged my new cats (kittens or adoptees) with continued attention if they indicated they wanted more by trying to hook my hand. That’s why I reckoned that the paw-lift was learned.
My cat is an older RSPCA cat, so I don’t know what her upbringing was like, but she does what we call ‘the paw of PLEASE’. However, to me it seems more like an extension of making biscuits/kneading dough/whatever you call it.
Oh yes, I’m certain it’s a learned response. I encouraged it because I thought it was cute. It still is, except when I want that nap.
He also has learned that flopping over to expose his belly will get the same response, it’s generally his escalating move if the paw wave fails. Followed by additional paw waving and chirping while on his back. Stupid cute cat.
Our cat will gently tap her paw on my forearm to get my attention. Particularly if I’m at the computer desk. Walk up behind me and reach up to tap on the mouse arm for attention.
While I’m at the computer. I’ll suddenly feel a gentle pat on my forearm, and one of the cats is standing up next to the chair, needling a little attention. They steady themselves on the arm of the chair with one paw, and pat my arm with the other.
Big’un does this, but Littl’un does not. (They’re littermates, Big’un is the dominant.) Littl’un rolls on her side and rubs her head against whatever she’s lying on and against her paws. She learned the paw-raise much earlier than Big’un did, btw.