It’s a submissive gesture; the belly is the most vulnerable place, so showing my belly means I (sorta kinda) trust you. I don’t think any cat truly trusts anyone or anything. land that’s one reason I love cats – they’re not quite tamed – they retain some wildness. My youngest female does it sometimes when trying to make friends with my oldest cat, a female. She’ll do it at other times, and when I move toward her and talk to her and say “belly, belly” (our code for I’m going to rub your belly), she jumps up and runs away. I’ve never seen it in the older female or the boy cat. I think she (the youngest female) is actually the more dominant of the three. The boy cat chases her and tries to mount her (they’re all neutered) but she fights him off (even though she provokes him sometimes – a tease!)
Our cat will sleep on its back when it is completely alone in a room. So if it is a sign of trust it is somewhat attenuated. It’s very cute when she does this with her front paws over her nose, covering her eyes as if the lights in the room bother her.
But it is definitely not an invitation to rub her belly. If she’s not in the mood and you try she’ll just run away. If she’s feeling playful she’ll attack the hand.
Our cats run the gamut. Pixel loves belly rubs, and will roll over in an instant. Havoc has to be in the mood, but loves them when she’s all warm and comfy. Caelan will bite your hand off if you stray below his chin. I think his response was conditioned by my picking fleas off his belly when he was brought in from the cold. I kinda grabbed his short and curlies in my zeal to depestify him, and he hasn’t forgotten.
I would be careful with this, though my 12 year old alley cat will grudgingly let me touch her belly for a short while, it is the exact position that she uses to attack a curious dog, smacking fistfulls of needle sharp claws into eyes nose and anything else she can maul. I’ve seen it quite often with cats used to dog company.
Keyser Soze loves to roll on his back and sleep- in the backyard, on the pavers or in the billiard table.
It is pretty disgusting- seeing this 16 pound Blue Persian displaying what doesn’t need to be seen.
That would be “on” the billiard table.
This is typical behavior for cats big and small. One reason, I think, is breathing is easier. Their body weight is not lifted when they inhale if they are on their side or on their back.
It really depends on the cat. Mr. Kitty, the rather wide cat who liked hanging out at my apartment when I was in college (I had a bird feeder on the patio) would roll over while being petted, but would swipe at you if you dared touch his furry belly. On the other hand, the cats around here (people in this neighborhood let their cats roam) are pretty good about letting you rub their bellies: Little Gray Cat practically begs for belly rubs, Stripey Orange Cat will allow belly rubs, but only after he rubs all over the person doing the petting; and Cotton Kitty grudingly allows brief belly rubs, getting up and strolling away when he’s had enough.
In some circles it’s called a “social roll”, basically meaning “hello, litter-mate”. It’s not necessarily an invitation to play, and almost never an invitation to rub the tummy.
In my circle it is called porno. That’s as close as I get.