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Shelley123's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: NA
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Preston UK
Posts: 6,995
02-01-2010, 09:12 PM   #1

Strange behaviour


Does anyone know anything about a certain nerve that cats have on their back near their tails. Recently a friend of my sons who used to help out at a cattery tickled my cats near their tails causing some very strange behaviour, they began franticaly licking their front paws whilst crouching down and yowling/growling. Obviously i told him to stop as i thought the cats were having a fit. He told me that cats have a nerve near there tails ?
Since then they sometimes start to groom near their tails and the behaviour starts again, they sometimes do end up falling onto their sides through twisting round



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dandysmom's Avatar
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Cats owned: Leia: blue torbie
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 31,378
02-01-2010, 09:27 PM   #2

Re: Strange behaviour


That's a new one to me; never heard that. Leia and my previous cats, would arch their tails if I rubbed their back just at the base by the tail, but never exhibited any strange behavior....



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angieh's Avatar
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Cats owned: Magnificent moggies
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 21,718
02-01-2010, 09:27 PM   #3

Re: Strange behaviour


I've never seen quite such extreme reaction, but all my cats have stuck their bottoms in the air if rubbed on their backs around the base of their tails. They stretch out and seem to enjoy it. Both male and female act the same and I assume the behaviour is sexual.



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dandysmom's Avatar
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Cats owned: Leia: blue torbie
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Location: Washington, DC, USA
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02-01-2010, 09:30 PM   #4

Re: Strange behaviour


Yes, it was the same for my males and females both; I too assume it's a sexual response of a sort.



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Shelley123's Avatar
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Cats owned: NA
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Preston UK
Posts: 6,995
02-01-2010, 09:32 PM   #5

Re: Strange behaviour


It is weird and looks quite scary, both our cats have has weak back legs all their lives and as they get older their legs get worse. The vet thinks its some kind of genetic problem as another male from the same litter had weak legs also. The female in the litter is ok. Perhaps the extreme reaction is something to do with this



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Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: All black and white and tortie's
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: United kingdom
Posts: 2,228
02-01-2010, 10:19 PM   #6

Re: Strange behaviour


My brothers cat do it. There around 8ish both female and speyed. My neighbours tom neutered does it as well he loves it he is also about 8ish



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Shelley123's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: NA
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Location: Preston UK
Posts: 6,995
02-01-2010, 11:42 PM   #7

Re: Strange behaviour


Ours definately look distressed even when they are causing it to happen themselves



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angieh's Avatar
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Cats owned: Magnificent moggies
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Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 21,718
03-01-2010, 12:45 AM   #8

Re: Strange behaviour


You may be right if their hind legs are weak it may distress them. Poor loves. I guess that it may take a while for the stimulation of that particular nerve to calm down. I wonder if a little Rescue Remedy gently massaged into their ears might calm them.

(Sorry, awful lot of "may"s there)



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New Member
 
Cats owned: tuxedo
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Sussex
Posts: 5
03-01-2010, 09:04 PM   #9

Re: Strange behaviour


Yes, someone occasionally posts a YouTube of a cat making exceedingly strange gargling noises while being scratched just there. It's hard to tell if it's agony or ecstasy, frankly, but it's not a noise I'd like to hear coming out of my cat.



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Shelley123's Avatar
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Cats owned: NA
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Preston UK
Posts: 6,995
04-01-2010, 12:53 AM   #10

Re: Strange behaviour


Thanks catflap, if you come across anything on youtube could you let me have the details. I will try searching.
Like you i find the noise and the way thy behave very uncomfortable.



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