Pet owners are being urged not to ignore their cats if they raise their bottoms in the air, as they do it for a reason you’d least expect. While many people may think cats are simply saying hello when they come for a stroke and raise their bottoms, there is actually a very sweet reason behind the gesture.
According to a viral video, cats raise their bottoms as a sweet compliment to their owners, to show them just how much they care for them.
According to the video, if a cat does this gesture it’s a sign of affection and is the equivalent of saying ‘I like you’ and ‘I trust you’.
The video said: “You’re petting your cat nicely along their back, and suddenly their butt goes straight up like an elevator, tail pointing to the sky.
“Most people laugh and think it’s just funny or weird, but you should never ignore this behaviour. The elevator butt is actually one of the biggest compliments your cat can give you.
“It means they feel safe, relaxed, and completely trust you. When a cat raises their butt, they’re presenting the scent glands at the base of their tail.
“In cat language, this is a friendly greeting and a sign of affection. They’re basically saying, I like you, I trust you. Mother cats do this with their kittens, and cats do it with other cats they really like.
“When your cat does it with you, they’re treating you like family. It also just feels really good for them. That area has lots of sensitive nerve endings, so the natural reaction is to lift their butt higher.”
Dr. Joanna Woodnutt, MRCVS, founder of Petlearnia, further explained the behaviour, adding that it is more common in female cats.
She said: “The behaviour tends to be more common in females, especially if they had one or more seasons before they were spayed. It’s likely there’s some accidental reinforcement going on.
“They stick their bums up, we stroke them a bit harder—ta dah! They’re more likely to respond this way next time. Some cats might also enjoy the negative reaction they get when they leap up and shove their bums in human faces.
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“We tend to squeal, a noise which many cats find interesting. They’ll repeat the behaviour to see if it has the same effect.”