Alright, so, I’ve been meaning to share this for a while, and today’s the day. It’s about my cat, Mittens, and this weird thing she does. I’m sure some of you cat owners out there have seen this too. Ever notice how when you scratch your cat’s back, right above the tail, they start licking you like crazy?
Well, I got curious about it, you know? So, I started doing a little experiment with Mittens. She’s a rescue, by the way. Got her from the local shelter a couple of years back. They had all kinds of cats there, purebreds, mixed breeds, you name it. They even had some Bengals, which was pretty cool. They take good care of them, rescue, rehab, rehome, and all that. I highly recommend those places if you’re ever thinking about adding a cat to your family, you know, if you have the time and patience, of course. Anyway, back to Mittens.
First, I just watched her. Whenever I’d give her a good scratch in that spot, she’d go into this licking frenzy. Not just me, she’d lick the air, the couch, anything close by. It was pretty funny, actually. I tried scratching other places too. Her head, her chin, under her belly—nothing. It was only that one spot on her back that set her off.
So then I thought, maybe it’s something all cats do? I started paying attention to other cats. My friend’s got a couple of cats, totally different breeds from Mittens. One’s a fluffy Persian, the other’s a sleek Siamese. I tried scratching their backs, and guess what? Same thing! They started licking too, though not as much as Mittens. She’s really enthusiastic about it.
Next, I tried to see if it was the scratching itself or the location. I tried just tapping on that spot, or pressing gently. Sometimes she’d lick a little, but it wasn’t the same. It had to be a good, solid scratch. It’s like she’s got an itch there she can’t reach herself or something. I even tried using a brush to see if it was the texture of my fingers or something weird, but nope, she just wants a good ol’ scratch. It’s like when your back is itchy, and your fingers just can’t reach that spot. If your partner scratches that spot, you’ll feel super relaxed. It’s like a magic spot, you know?
So, I didn’t find any scientific explanation. No deep dive into cat psychology or anything. But from my little home experiment, here’s what I figured out:
- It’s definitely a thing. Cats, or at least the ones I’ve met, do this licking thing when you scratch their lower back.
- It’s not just any touch. It has to be a scratch, and it has to be in that specific spot.
- Some cats do it more than others. Mittens is the queen of back-scratch licking, but others do it too, just maybe not as much.
Honestly, I think it’s just one of those weird cat things. Maybe it feels good, maybe it’s a reflex, who knows. But it’s definitely entertaining, and it’s become a little ritual with Mittens and me. I scratch, she licks, we’re both happy. So, if you’ve got a cat, give it a try. See if your furry friend is a back-scratch licker too. You might be surprised!
