Cat pets me?

[sparrowhawk]

So...me and Sam are sitting/laying down in my (read: our) recliner. He's cradled in the crook of my right arm (so obviously he is laying on it). I'm cradling my head with my left hand/arm.

He's purring. I'm relaxed, eyes closed, not sleeping or even almost sleeping, just thoroughly relaxed. Suddenly Sam starts to meow. Not super loud, but definitely noticeable. I'm like "What's wrong buddy?" He just stares at me expectantly.

I'm sure at this point I had this confused look on my face. Then, he raises his front paw,  places it on my forehead and with his claws still retracted, slowly moves it down my face. "Did you just pet me?" He meows and does it again.

So I start petting and scratching his ears and he's going crazy happy. Rolls all over me, purring super loudly, and no more meowing.

That was 3 weeks ago. At first I thought it was cool that he can actually communicate by imitation what he wants.

But now things have changed. He pets me regularly, even when he doesn't want me to pet him, especially when I'm lying in bed. A week ago, I was lying in bed and he jumped up and started petting me, so I assumed he wanted to be petted. But he moved to the end of the bed away from me. I rolled back over. He started petting me again. I let him pet me for a couple of minutes then try to pet him again. He moved away again. The third time he started he petted me for 15 minutes straight, then curled up behind my neck and went to sleep.

That was both cool and weird. And he does it fairly regularly now. I don't particularly enjoy the sensation, though I'm sure he thinks I do. He pets me where I pet him (behind the ears, head, and chin). Of course, humans don't particularly enjoy having someone rub their hands on their face. But I let him because I'm sure from his point of view he is doing me a great service and honor in showing me affection the way I show it to him (and, because of that, I do find it cool and enjoy his attempt).

I was just curious if anyone else has become their cat's pet...literally the object of pats and not just figuratively because they have you trained.

 

[Kat0121]

Lilith does this too lately. Last night I was going to bed and called her. She jumped up and found her little snuggle spot next to me. She put her paw on my arm and started to stroke it. Her claws were out but just a bit. It didn't hurt at all so I just stayed still. She lifted her paw, then put it back with claws retracted fully. She started very softly stroking my arm again 

 

[lykakitty]

This is a really interesting behavior. The first thing I have to tell you is that cats don't imitate people. He isn't "petting" you with the idea that it feels good for you because you do it to him. He's most likey communicating affection, but it's not through imitation. I've seen cats do this type of thing to get attention, Calypso does it to me if I'm not giving her enough (read: 100% undivided) attention, but the avoidance afterwards is odd. It may just be his unique little way of saying he loves you.

 

[dbljj]

Opie does this esp. When I am on the computer. He rubs his head all over my shoulder, will lick my hands, then he will settle down and just watch me do whatever. But Ally comes in , walks all over keyboard, lays where her paws hang down and try to type while I am typing, finally she will just lay completely down on the keyboard. She wants my undivided attn.

 

[sparrowhawk]

This is a really interesting behavior. The first thing I have to tell you is that cats don't imitate people. He isn't "petting" you with the idea that it feels good for you because you do it to him. He's most likey communicating affection, but it's not through imitation. I've seen cats do this type of thing to get attention, Calypso does it to me if I'm not giving her enough (read: 100% undivided) attention, but the avoidance afterwards is odd. It may just be his unique little way of saying he loves you.

I've also never thought of cats as imitating behavior - at least not before this. But I grew up with dogs in the house, not cats, so I'm learning a lot (if you have read my earlier posts, you know that Sam chose me, I did not even want a cat and spent two weeks trying to find his owner before I caved) and that's why I ask questions on this forum. It's just different - it is, in action, similar to a pet, and its not his normal attn-seeking behavior. He nips when he is hungry, constantly walks between my legs when he wants up, rubs his face (while standing still) against my leg (or hand or anywhere else) when he just wants to be friendly or interact (that's how he used to signify 'pet me'), runs in circles around the apartment before stopping next to me when he wants to play, and meows when he believes he is being ignored or unhappy with me for something I'm doing. Or, if I'm either reading or on the computer, he lays down between me and the book or screen ("Ahem: please direct your attn to the cat, if you please!")

So this whole "place paw on face/head and stroke it" was not only odd, but new. He still does all the other things too. He normally engages in this odd behavior now when he finds me already lying down or sitting down with my eyes closed. But, like I said, a lot of times now he doesn't want anything, since he'll move away if I attempt to pet him again. I agree whether its imitation or not, it seems to be affectionate, I just was curious if anyone else's cat did it, since I had never heard of it.

 

[Draco]

One of my cats does this to me at nights. Sometimes I'd wake up to find him curled against me. When he notices me looking at him, he'd reach out and give me a pet or two before going back to sleep. It's almost as if he's saying "I am here, go back to sleep". It's too cute.