Your cat jumps onto your lap, kneads your legs, rubs their face against you, lets out a loud purr then turns around, raises their tail and shows you their butt. Sound familiar?
Most cat owners have likely experienced the moment their cat sticks their furry little rear end in their human's face. But why do they do this and what does it mean?
Why do cats show their butt?
If the sight of your cat showing you their bum makes you feel disgusted or even insulted, then it really shouldn't. What your cat is doing by presenting their rear end to you is actually a compliment and very polite in feline etiquette terms.
In the human world, we shake each other's hand, maybe share a kiss on each cheek, introduce ourselves and ask questions about the other person. However, when two cats greet each other, they use scent to communicate and recognise each other. They begin with nose-to-nose sniffing and then sniff and rub each other's side. Then one cat will likely turn around to present their backside to the other cat, allowing them to sniff. While this behaviour may seem unpleasant in the human world, to animals, the concentrated scent here tells one cat a lot of information about the other. In the cat world, to present their anal area for sniffing is considered very polite.
What the science says
According to cat researcher Mikel Delgado at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, it's very normal for cats to sniff each other's butts. They do it as a way to confirm another cat's identity or just to say hello. Cats have glands all over their little furry bodies. This includes the base of the tail and each side of the anus. A cat's glands contain scents that are unique to each feline, rather like the human fingerprint. These scents can communicate many things about the particular cat such as their health, age and sexual status.
Our feline friends don't consider flaunting their rear as anything aggressive or even disgusting. When we are petting our cats and they show their butt, our cats may be inviting us to check them out or they just want to say a friendly hello.
Amy Shojai, a cat expert and author on pet behaviour, says cats raise their tail as a sign of friendliness and trust. They give you full access to all of their most intimate details found in their scent. Turning around simply makes this invitation even clearer. Shojai suggests that cat butt presentation is a complimentary show of love, similar to the way humans enthusiastically greet each other with a hug or kiss. It means they are very comfortable in your company and assume that you are also comfortable. If a cat keeps their tail down and doesn't want their bottom sniffed, it can be compared to a shy person hiding their face.
Why do cats like being scratched on the bum?
Most cats have their preferred area of the body to be stroked and scratched. Many cats enjoy being scratched or firmly patted just above their tail. This is a very sensitive area of a cat's body, and they will instinctively lift their bottom in response. As your cat raises their bottom higher and higher and sticks out their tail, they may then show their butt to you as a sign of affection. But while most cats seem to enjoy a firm pat on their bum, you must not do it too hard and if they start to get overstimulated or upset, then stop.
While your cat showing you their bum is perfectly normal and a huge compliment, don't worry, your cat probably doesn't expect you to smell their bum. As much as your cat loves you, cats are clever and realise that you aren't a fellow feline. It's simply their way of using their body language to open themselves up to you so you can recognise them and know that your feline friend trusts you.
