When a cat is petted in these areas, its body language often changes. "They might do a quick head turn, looking at your hand, or they might start moving away from you or wiggling around a lot, basically trying to get away from the petting," Mikel Delgado, a cat behaviorist and senior research scientist at Purdue University, told Live Science in an email. "If these early warning signs are ignored, they might escalate to biting, hissing or scratching."
Although there has been little formal research into this question, animal behavior experts proposed a few ideas for why cats don't like to be touched in certain areas.
A cat's belly houses vital organs — such as the liver, stomach and intestines — without the protective bony cage that the ribs provide for the heart and lungs. Although cats have evolved a special feature called the "primordial pouch" — basically a flap of loose skin and fat on their belly — which provides a little extra padding to protect vital organs during fights, most cats still feel threatened when humans touch or rub their belly.
Cats have extra padding on their stomachs to protect their organs. (Image credit: Cyndi Monaghan via Getty Images)The tail is also a vulnerable area for cats. "When a cat is chased by another animal, including other cats, the tail is often the part of the cat's body that is closest to touch," Ellis said, "and the risk of being bitten at the base of the tail is high." Therefore, cats may be skittish about having their tail stroked.
Another reason could be that cats' paws are very sensitive. They have wrist whiskers (also known as "carpal vibrissae") and toe pads that are sensitive to various types of stimuli, like pressure and heat, Delgado said, "so it's not surprising that many cats are sensitive about having their feet touched."
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As puzzling as it may be to humans, these varied preferences are a reminder that "each cat is an individual," Delgado said. Positive responses to petting of the belly, feet or tail can also signal close bonding to a human, Ellis said.
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