did you know that many Cat Guardians pet their cat's heads incorrectly for cats this experience is at best unsatisfactory and at worst uncomfortable the situation becomes even worse when it comes to petting their heads if done incorrectly and repeatedly this can seriously damage the bond between you and your cat so if you love petting your cat's head and who doesn't be sure to avoid these seven common mistakes mistake one unfamiliar cats the first mistake many people make when petting cats especially when meeting a new cat for the first time is to reach out directly to
touch its head but hold on you might be thinking aren't you supposed to pet the cat's head and you're right the problem isn't where you choose to pet the cat but rather how you go about it most cats would love a nice head rub but if the person offering the affection isn't displaying good manners things can get tricky fast imagine how you would feel if you met a new coworker and they grabbed your hand for a handshake before you even offered it you'd feel uncomfortable right a handshake is polite when one person extends their hand
offering and the other accepts it's not just about the handshake itself but about having the chance to say yes or no the same goes for petting a cat most cats especially those unfamiliar with the person attempting to pet them will interpret an abruptly approaching hand as a threat instead the person should ask permission by moving their hands slowly toward the cat's nose allowing the cat to sniff and recognize their scent the hand can then be extended again slowly to the top of the cat's head if the cat accepts the petting they will lean in and
make contact if they are less interested they will make this clear by pulling back or hesitating so be cautious with unfamiliar cats because in addition to stressing them out they may even scratch you mistake two unintentionally rough petting dogs and cats often appear side by side in popular culture whether in phrases like curiosity killed the cat or in classic characters like Garfield and Odie these two popular pets are often depicted as either rivals or unlikely friends as a result many people with experience with only one of these animals tend to view them as opposites many
cat lovers though they may not admit it secretly think of dogs as larger more trainable cats with wagging tails dog owners on the other hand tend to view cats as aloof dogs that meow instead of bark these misunderstandings can lead to various misconceptions but one of the worst happens when a dog lover meets a cat and tries to pet it the same way they would their canine friend cats are much smaller than most dogs with lighter bones and less sturdy bodies the kind of petting that would be acceptable for a dog may actually hurt a
cat or at the very least leave them uncomfortable petting a cat should be done gently and carefully to ensure that the cat is enjoying the interaction as much as the person offering the affection mistake three petting against the natural direction of the fur one of the qualities we love most about our cats is that they're soft and furry many cat lovers give into the temptation to ruffle the fur on the cat's head and feel the softness but this isn't as pleasant for the cat as it seems a cat's fur should never be pet against the
natural direction of its growth this can cause discomfort and will make the cat spend time afterward smoothing out their fur again imagine how you'd feel if someone messed up your hair every time they wanted to show affection instead you should always pet your cat in the direction the fur naturally grows meaning starting at the top of the head and moving towards the back and tail rather than from the tail towards the nose mistake four petting in the wrong areas of the head most cats love being petted on the head but that doesn't mean they like
being touched in every area of the head they have specific preferences and for many cats petting in the wrong place can result in scratches when petting a cat on the head the person should stick mainly to the top of the head and the base of the ears the ears themselves shouldn't be touched and most cats make this clear by flicking their ears away from anyone who gets too close the area around on the eyes and the top of the nose are also spots to avoid the most important area to avoid however is the whiskers located
on the forehead and cheeks these long and Ultra sensitive hairs are tools that cats use to sense their surroundings they are so sensitive that they can even detect changes in air currents around the cat's body when something as large and clumsy as a human finger touches these whiskers it can cause sensory overload very quickly potentially even causing pain are you enjoying the video is it helping you in any way if so please subscribe to the channel and give the video a thumbs up as it not only helps us a lot but also lets YouTube know
you're enjoying our videos which will make more of our content appear for you thank you mistake five not paying attention to the cat's body language one of the most common complaints from people who aren't fans of cats is that they scratch for no reason while being petted in reality of course there's usually a reason for them doing this and a cat about to scratch has typically given clear signs of irritation well beforehand humans just have difficulty noticing these signs the most obvious sign of feline discomfort is an agitated tail cats use their tails to express
their emotions if the tail is moving in a quick agitated manner it's a sign that the cat is stressed or annoyed a cat that has had enough petting will usually start with a slight tail tip twitch progressing to Stronger movements and eventually to tail lashing and potentially scratching noticing these early signs can ensure that the petting session ends on a pleasant note even if a bit sooner than expected mistake six petting the cat with dirty or toxic hands as mentioned at the start cats groom and clean themselves by licking their fur this means that anything
on their fur will likely end up in their mouths along with the fur itself this may sound gross but it's not as bad as it seems like many carnivores cats have strong stomachs and robust immune systems so a bit of dirt or dust accidentally swallowed is unlikely to cause major issues the same goes for fur which will be expelled as a hairball that the cat will eventually cough up however some things the cat might lick are more dangerous certain types of flowers like lies and tulips can be fatal if ingested by cats even in small
amounts common kitchen items like coffee and chocolate can also cause problems ranging from stomach upset to heart palpitations and seizures so if you have anything on your hands that could be dangerous for your cat especially if you've handled decorative flowers or human foods it's a good idea to wash your hands thoroughly before petting your cat this ensures that the next time they decide to groom themselves they won't ingest anything potentially harmful mistake seven petting the cat during meal Meal Time cats are adorable in any situation but there are times when it's appropriate to give in
to their cuteness and times when it isn't meal time is one of those times when it's best to avoid petting although a domestic cat doesn't need to worry about where their next meal is coming from their ancestral instincts are hard to erase in the wild an animal approaching while a cat is eating could mean that their meal is at risk of being stolen or worse that they're about to become another animals dinner so your cat won't appreciate being petted during meal time and if you do it often they may even begin to avoid their food
dish instead save the petting for after dinner when they'll likely enjoy it more now changing the subject is your cat spayed or neutered do you know the implications of sterilizing a cat in this video here on the screen I discuss the biggest myths and truths about spaying and neutering cats I bet after watching this video you'll know whether or not to sterilize your furry friend click on the screen and keep exploring the amazing world of cats with me
