# Why does my cat do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545 "2005-12-14T05:35:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/1 "2005-12-14T05:35:50Z")
If i scratch my cat along his back in a certain area he gets this bizarre look on his face and starts licking anything in sight and then this leads to biting. Is he in pain, enjoying it what the hell is with this animal? ---
**Author:** ![Calliope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Calliope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calliope)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/2 "2005-12-14T05:39:35Z")
One of my cats does the exact same thing. It used to cause her to lick me, and now it’s always biting. I think it is stimulating a nerve or something. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/3 "2005-12-14T05:42:46Z")
Possibly…My cat looks like he suddenly becomes possessed, he has a definite difference in facial expression. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/4 "2005-12-14T05:44:26Z")
First of all, it’s a cat, and like women, cats will do whatever the hell they feel like. Secondly, if the cat _didn’t_ like it, don’t you think he/she would let you keep your flesh intact when you did it? Third, it’s pretty common behaviour for animals to have an involuntary or near involuntary response to the right kind of nerve stimulation. I’m sure you’ve got some spots on you that when they’re properly stimulated make you feel all “groovy” inside (think erogenous zones). Fourth, it’s funny as hell to hold yourself just out of reach of the cat while you scritch that spot and watch them desperately try and find some way of licking you. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/5 "2005-12-14T08:22:20Z")
It could be the cat has an infestation of fleas at or close to that spot and he itches. You’re scratching the itch and it feels good. If the skin where you sctatch seems rough, its probably fleas. To tell, using a very fine toothed comb, comb over the area several times while the kitty is on something light colored. If you see tiny black dirt drip a bit of water on the dirt. If after a few minuted, it turns red its flea dirt. I have had cats that just like to be scratched and whig out like you describe. It’s kinda cool if you can disguise the scratchy place and hold the kitty to your cheek so he licks your face like a dog, it freeks people out. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/6 "2005-12-14T08:26:50Z")
Or could it be you’re sexually stimulating your cat. :eek: Seriously, don’t cat bite when they’re doing “the wild thang”? ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/7 "2005-12-14T14:20:06Z")
Along the spine, near the tail, right? All the cats but one I’ve seen react funny if you rub/scratch that area. For one thing, no matter how lazy they are, they can’t seem to resist raising their hunches in the air. One of my cats have no reaction to this area, but he’s retarded anyway. Bumping for an answer. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/8 "2005-12-14T14:33:04Z")
My cats too. If you give them what ought to be a satisfying scratch on the back, just forward of the tail, they will turn around and bite aggressively until you stop. No idea why. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingCowOfDoom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyingcowofdoom/32/21776_2.png) [@FlyingCowOfDoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingCowOfDoom)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/9 "2005-12-14T14:39:53Z")
I have pet rats, and they will do the same thing to me if I scratch them. Rats will groom each other frequently, so my rat thinks I’m grooming him and tries to groom me in return. I’ve never met a cat that tried to do anything nice for another living thing, but maybe some do. Your cat might just be trying to return the favor. –FCOD ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/10 "2005-12-14T15:01:18Z")
One cat raises his butt up in the air and raises his tail. The other cat will whip her little face around and nibble-lick the hand touching her. My conclusion: there’s something special about that spot, but how the cat responds is totally dependent on that cat’s personality. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/11 "2005-12-14T15:48:50Z")
You and the [pig guy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=349522) ought to get together. ---
**Author:** ![Squirt\_One\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Squirt\_One\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squirt_One_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/12 "2005-12-14T16:35:34Z")
I think someone else had it right. You’re sexually stimulating your cat. That spot above the tail that makes them raise their tail is the same spot the male cat uses to get the female cat ‘ready.’ They do bite during sex. So the biting is either them biting because that’s what they do during sex, or biting because they’re confused why their human is sexually stimulating them. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-cat-do-this/335545/13 "2005-12-14T18:03:32Z")
I don’t think it’s correct to say that a person is sexually stimulating the cat by scritching it in a certain spot. Males and females have the same reaction to the scritching, yet they do not act the same way when they are in heat or responding to a female in heat. It’s just a nerve response - a “ticklish spot.”