r/CATHELP • u/SwordfishSilence • 15h ago
Behavioral Issue He licks the air when I scratch above his tail. Started a month ago.
He only started this a month ago. He seems happy but since it's a sudden change for him to have a lick button I'm concerned...
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u/cowplamt 15h ago
Feels so good and is being a freak about it
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u/kitycat22 12h ago
Confirming that this is totally normal. My dog did this too
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u/throwaway972057 12h ago
if you have an arm or leg close enough for them to lick, they'll lick you and not the air. my cat even nips/chews at me sometimes when i do this, i think he's trying to groom that spot through me cuz he can't quite reach there lol
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u/7GrenciaMars 7h ago
That's what I always thought, my cat had several spots where I would scratch and she would vigorously lick her arm while I was scratching.
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u/TheLastPeanut_ 12h ago
My void is the same way man she makes me uncomfy sometimes lmao
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u/Cautious-Arugula603 12h ago
My void has multiple lick buttons and she, too, makes people uncomfortable. 🤣
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u/Fickle_Grapefruit938 4h ago
We had a cat that moaned when you scratched her good, scared my BIL, he thought he was hurting her😅
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u/ProfessionalBelt9434 15h ago
Totally normal!!! That means they are enjoying it! This is sort of a built in response. I had a cat who did the same thing! 😺
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u/lerougequibouge 2h ago
Mama cats lick their babies at the base of the tail to encourage them to latch and drink. Neonatal kitten rescuers mimic this with a wet toothbrush 🥰
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u/DraconicEtherealVCat 15h ago
He's just loving it. Most cats do this. It's a "feel good" spot for them. A lot of them like to get spanked as well.
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u/MercenaryLove 15h ago
Haha, the ol booty pats as we call them. Mine loves it and it makes her get feisty and latch onto your arm and bunny kick the crap out of you.
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u/VaporTrail_000 15h ago
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u/RailOmas 13h ago
PAT PAT PAT PAT PAT PAT PAT PAT
CAT: "Why did you stop?"
PAT PAT PAT PAT PAT PAT PAT PAT
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u/toooomanypuppies 12h ago
I knew what you were going to say but "spanked" still startled me 🤣
Bongos are the way forward haha.
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u/UnderstandingBig9090 15h ago
Basically it tickles. Lots of cats have this responce. It's perfectly normal.
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u/headybitch710 15h ago edited 15h ago
This means the scratching feels good! Usually on a spot that’s hard for them to reach. I think it’s an involuntary response from the scratching sensation they would get as if grooming that area.
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u/Naughtyniceguy_ 15h ago
There are a lot of nerves along the spine and quite a collection near the bum. Cat is experiencing so much sensation they can't help but make motions and noises while dealing with the extreme sensation.
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u/Cryz-SFla 15h ago
Mine did that all the time, and if you put your finger in front of him he'd lick and then start to chew on it. This became one way i was able to get some medications into him with out a fight.
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u/Morbid187 15h ago
I used to have a cat that would do that. If you put your hand in front of his face he'll probably lick that instead
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u/Accomplished-Box9308 15h ago
Could be just communicating to you hes enjoying it ir sometimes they will also do it if they are overly stimulated. If she starts trying to nibble on your hand while your petting her shes over stimulated
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u/mightymiek 15h ago
I was so close to making a post about this. I know they could just be a freak but are you sure your cat isn't getting a skin allergy from the food you feed them?
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u/T-REX1970 14h ago
There’s a little kitten that lives outside my door… Well, she? has a mom and two siblings and my neighbors live in the same house as me, but I have taken this kitten in mentally as my own kitten and I have named her Ramen because she climbs on me, purrs and then turns into a boneless noodle instantly… When I pet her, she always looks up at my face and starts licking my nose lol she is so beautiful and if I could handle a pet, I would take her in a second but the funny thing is every time I’m playing with her outside on the steps either the neighbors come home or the neighbors open the door because they think I’m trying to steal the kitten lol!
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u/Then-Grass-9830 15h ago
cat version of find *that spot* on a dog and it kicking its leg.
feels yummy.
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u/InspectorPipes 15h ago
It’s programmed into the cat operating system. Every cat Ive known does / did this. If you do it too long they can get nippy…. I suspect it’s euphoric for them but it can get over stimulating .
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u/Okayyyitsav 8h ago
My childhood cat would do this, and if you pet her there too long she would rip out chunks of her own fur. Crazy chick RIP lucky
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u/honey_badger_411425 8h ago
Don't listen to most of these geniuses telling you its fleas or some underlying diseases.
That's just a cat being a cat. Some of my cats used to use their hind leg to simulate scratching when I used to scratch them at the base of their tail. Then there were some who would turn around and start licking my hand. Some would just arch their back up. Others would just roll over.
As long as he is acting like his normal self, don't overanalyze things. Each cat has its own personality.
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u/Donaldjoh 15h ago
My girl Bird does that, unless she’s on my chest, then she licks my right temple (never the left).
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u/VioletSkywalker77 15h ago
My 2 both do this, one in the same spot, the other under her chin. Definitely not abnormal
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u/Relative-Win3101 15h ago
He may have feline hyperesthesia ! My cat does this as well.
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u/Full_Fun9829 15h ago
One of ours does that. When she had her brother and he cleaned her she would naturally clean him in return. It's her default when she's being groomed to want to groom in return. We often offer her our other hand to clean while we scratch her and she goes to town grooming us even doing the little cleaning nibbles
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u/interestingsonnet 14h ago
My cat does this weird head turning thing when I scratch that area. Its like they’re glitching because it feels so good
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u/attackmindset 14h ago
Gently use/rub a lent roller on him…. That’ll prob be his fav spot too lol and ya have less of a mess to clean up. Cats appreciate it and ya may even notice easier poo’s for them (less hair being eaten when grooming)
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u/HistorianPerfect8312 14h ago
Check them for flees just in case. My cat started doing this for a while and I eventually ran a flea comb near the base of his tail and ended up finding a lot of fleas. Once I treated him this behaviour stopped, I think the fleas were causing the area to be extra sensitive.
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u/Fun-Post8497 14h ago
That is normal, that is a very senstive spot that they like to have Scratched, this is like the motoclicle effect on dogs that they start doing the Scratch movement when you find the spot
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u/CaeLynnith 13h ago
Above the tail is considered hyper-sensitive or an erogenous zone for cats, they have a nerve cluster there. It can illicit various behaviors, from "feels good, gimme more" to this grooming response, to hyperactivity, etc.
Their tail and butts lift instinctively because as kittens their mother would stimulate that same area to get them to lift, to make cleaning easier.
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u/Bruinman86 13h ago
My wife had a cat like that at her mother’s house. Great kitty. She was all black that looked sort of brown in the sun. She too liked if we petted her hind end. Must be a nerve thing.
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u/woobie178178 11h ago
Excellent! This is good, no worries needed. I had 2 of these models of my own and a friend has one currently.
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u/davidc538 10h ago
Cats are weird, I used to have one that would chew her paws when I scratched her back.
Seems normal to me
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u/Thepuppeteer777777 4h ago
I pat my cat on her but and she yells like im murdering her but then she comes back for more. It's just a good spot for cats
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u/Phoenix_Maximus_13 4h ago
Ah he’s fine. You ever seen someone roll their eyes back or go cockeyed when you scratch a good spot on their back? This is the cat equivalent. You found his back g spot lol
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u/Nagadavida 13h ago
I know everyone else says not an issue but I would bring it up with the vet on the next appointment and have them check the anal glands.
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u/rainbird 8h ago edited 8h ago
It is funny. But it's probably also a flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). Cats with FAD have an extreme sensitivity to flea saliva. Even a single bite makes the tail base and rear area inflamed, raw, and hyper-sensitive to the touch. Your poor boy has very itchy skin from a bite, which is why this came on suddenly.
(Get your cat a topical long lasting flea/heartworm med!)
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u/SwordfishSilence 8h ago
I am getting a comb tomorrow to check for sure, and I already put revolution plus flea meds on him. Is there anything else I should do?
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u/ChamaGo2000 14h ago
My dog use to do this too I'd say he's licking the air to give thanks to Allah, nothing was ever wrong with him he was just a lil slow
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u/psychophysicist 14h ago
Kittens have this reflex from birth, mother cats use it to encourage them to suckle
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u/Brilliant-Rush-5963 14h ago
C'est un réflexe de toilettage. Ma minette me lèche la main ou le bras
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u/Red_Tiger5311 14h ago
Even tho other ppl say he’s enjoying it, he may be overstimulated, my cat (ironically has neurological damage from an injury) does this when we overstimulate him.
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u/Elian-Criss 13h ago
One of my cats does the same. She cant reach out to that area when she “wash” herself and scratch herself. So i scratch her as an extra help. If your cat doesnt have sores on that spot, then its just a normal behaviour.
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u/Doctor_Salvatore 12h ago
It's a reaction to the eorgenous nerves there. It feels so nice, cats sometimes tend to be silly when you scratch or pat there
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u/sharinamai_x 12h ago
This is a very sensitive spot for cats, but can be painful/uncomfortable for them so be careful :)
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u/Ancient-Tap-3592 12h ago
Absolutely normal, they have many cebaseous gland there and it's not the easiest spot for them to reach so they appreciate the help
Most cats love it and at least half will lick the air/ their paw/you/whatever they have in front, or slobber
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u/Hot-Choice8862 11h ago
Sometimes they can have spots like this if theyve had previous issues with fleas
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u/marc_nico 11h ago
Cats have weird crossconnected nerves i swear, mine tries to scratch at nothing with his back paw when i pet him in the right place xD
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u/Prudent-Money-8666 11h ago
You know how when you give a dog scratches sometimes their leg involuntarily kicks? Same thing.
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u/ItsPerfectlyBalanced 11h ago
My boy does this too except he aggressively licks his chest. Sometimes his tongue catches his hair really good and and he looks like a total spaz.
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u/GroundbreakingRun90 11h ago
The base of the spine where it connects to the tail is incredibly sensitive. Theres a lot of nerves there. Be gentle with that spot as damage can cause them to lose the use of they rear legs and seizures.
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u/lol_alex 10h ago
Hahaha one of our cats will do what we call „The Stevie Wonder“ when you scratch a spot on his back near the tail end (closes his eyes and moves his head from side to side). I sing „I just called to say I love you“ when he does. It‘s hilarious.
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u/Dragonfly0011 10h ago
My tortie is long and short legged, she corn cob nibbles on my arm when I scratch the itchy spot right before her tail.
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u/tres_909 10h ago
We have a cat that does the same thing. Or he'll groom his front legs. The other two in the house don't. Glad he's got his own thing lol
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u/Odd-Manufacturer8970 9h ago
I think that's pretty normal. Imagine you're a cat, he'll probably lick you back for scratching that spot. Kinda like how you'll see other cats licking each other. I like to think its a chain reaction.
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u/ExtinctFauna 9h ago
It's just a reaction to scritching a sensitive spot. Sometimes cats will yodel when you do it!
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u/DoomMammoth 9h ago
I had a black one who would chew on his front paw every time you would scratch in this same spot
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u/Uniplast21 9h ago
You know, I have three cats, and ALL of them started doing a new thing at the same time a few months ago. Whenever I scratch the area just above their tails, they will start licking and nibbling on anything nearby, including me. They NEVER did this until about 3 or 4 months ago and they all started at THE SAME TIME!!
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u/SingularityII 9h ago
Maybe he caught a bug one time while you were petting him and thinks he can do it again.
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u/SadButterscotch1433 8h ago
Mine also has the lick button. It used to be just a small area in his back, but now it's has grown...
Or maybe I'm just getting better giving better scraches to him.
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u/OrganizedChaos65 8h ago
You're tickling him and this is instead of giggling. Cats lick when they're tickled.
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u/EniNeutrino 8h ago
I wouldn't be too concerned about the change, but do take notice of whether he seems more itchy than usual. Sometimes they get more into the scratches if they have fleas, dry skin, or some allergy or other irritation.
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u/AWashGYT 6h ago
Mine turns around and will groom my arm as long as I continue with the scritches. He's a silly floof ball that definitely needs help getting some of the itchy spots without chewing a hole in his coat.
Obligatory cat tax image
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u/BeccaMitchellForReal 6h ago
https://reddit.com/link/p8hw5wm/video/xk3ozpeyn8oh1/player
Oswin has a licky button. It doesn’t work every time too.
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u/Tarnished-Sausage 5h ago
Not meant to cause offense, but can we stop posting even when it’s literally basic cat behaviour known for centuries…
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u/DataSurging 5h ago
One of my cats does it because his nerves are pinched there and he is being overstimulated, but others do it because it feels good. lol
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u/essiemessy 3h ago
It could just be a new pleasure thing for him, but see if there's any irritation in the area. Sometimes something like a flea rash will just be incredibly itchy and cause that reaction.
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u/Cipher508 1h ago
this is not necessarily normal. both my cats started doing this and after a vet visit it was found to be mites causing the itch. We thought it was just a quirk till they both started doing it. we brought them to the vet once they started getting scabs all over that area.
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