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I read an article that said: "Cats that tolerated being petted were found to have higher stress levels"
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Does Petting Really Cause Stress?
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Do you have a link to the article? My experience is that they like it until they don't then they simply move away. Did the article mention whether the owners 'forced' the petting so to speak?
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No, I can't find it.
It's ok though, I remember what it said.
It specifically said the cats that tolerated it. So I figured it meant that some cats don't even let you pet them at all.
It was bluntly telling you that you're stressing your cat out if you pet them.
Also, it was a list. It was saying 'ways that you stress your cat' etc.
I wonder if just chin scratches would stress them out...
It's ok though, I remember what it said.
It specifically said the cats that tolerated it. So I figured it meant that some cats don't even let you pet them at all.
It was bluntly telling you that you're stressing your cat out if you pet them.
Also, it was a list. It was saying 'ways that you stress your cat' etc.
I wonder if just chin scratches would stress them out...
Nooo the study was misinterpreted and the researcher has released statements about it! It's all over Google I think. It's just an outrageous headline that pulls a lot of clicks and attention! It's not at all what was concluded from that study, luckily!
That's good then. I can't contemplate a life of not petting my lot.
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#15
This site talks about the study and how it was misinterpreted Do cats really hate petting? - The Berkeley Science Review
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Ok this is good. Because I was petting my dog & was like nooo...
I was going to say if it stresses them why do my cats keep asking for it? 
I am sure that there are some cats that simply tolerate petting but the majority of cats love the attentions they get - purring, drooling and falling asleep in their human's arms. If you have a "don't touch me" cat as I do, you do need to be mindful that their ability to tolerate petting is very limited and can change in a second.
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I don't rate this article very much. I'll use these quotes as reasoning for this. “We’ve yet to discover anything about cat behavior that suggests they have a separate box they put us in when they’re socializing with us. They obviously know we’re bigger than them, but they don’t seem to have adapted their social behavior much.” - um cats use a whole other language to talk to one another than they do us which the article later references.#7 your cat only meows at people. - the article then basically contradicts itself (from the same researcher by the way) “Cats learn specifically how their owners react when they make particular noises.”. #13 and #8 are more useful but this article is clearly aimed at click bait level of attention span.
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For some cats it is stressful if it is forced. I have an introvert who runs when he doesn't want to be petted. Sometimes I offer my hand and he hits it away or runs, sometimes he pets himself with my hand. Most of my indoor cats and some of the ferals love to be petted and even cuddle. And they pile! OMG.
Some of my cats pet each other.
Some of my cats pet each other.
