June 17, 2024, 5:58 am | Read time: 5 minutes
When cats greet humans or other cats, they often turn their bottoms towards them. With this gesture, they want to express certain emotions that we would not necessarily understand immediately. For cats, however, presenting their rear end is part of communication.
Many cat owners are familiar with this behavior, particularly during greetings or cuddling sessions: the cat purrs and rubs against you, then conspicuously presents its backside. Sometimes the animal literally pushes its backside into your face. Many people find this behavior strange – some are even disgusted by it. For cats, however, the raised bottom is an important part of their communication. PETBOOK explains what a cat wants to express when it shows us or other cats its butt.
Overview
Cats greet others bottoms up
Similar to dogs, cats sniff each other’s bottoms. This is an important part of the greeting process. First, they sniff each other’s faces. But if they are in a very friendly mood, they also present their bottoms for mutual sniffing. So if you observe two cats smelling each other’s backsides, this usually means that they like each other or want to invite each other to get to know them.
At the same time, by raising their bottoms and tails, they want to express that they are in a peaceful mood and that there is no danger coming from them. Cats generally communicate a lot via smells and pheromones, which are particularly intense around the anal glands.
Cats also greet their owners by presenting their bottoms. When you come home after a long day at work, cats often circle their owners’ legs. In addition, they nudge us with their bottoms or walk past us sideways with the back of their bodies. This behavior is a definitive sign of their happiness and, in feline communication, equates to a hug or a handshake. In fact, many cats also use this gesture when they want a treat or their next meal.
Feline communication: When cats show their butts
Cats not only use this gesture when they want to greet each other. It is also a part of their communication from an early age. The mother cat grooms her kittens daily. When she cleans her offspring in the anal region, she wants to trigger the release of urine or feces. She is doing this until the little cats learn to do it on their own. The mother also cleans her kittens again after they have done their business. She starts by massaging the kittens’ bodies with her tongue. The kittens react to the mother cat’s attention by lifting their tails and presenting their anal region. This reaction is a reflex.
Later in the cat’s life, this behavior is maintained and can be interpreted as an inviting gesture towards other cats. It can be an invitation to make contact, but it can also be an invitation to follow. Cats also often show their butts to humans when they feel comfortable and want to express their affection. Some also turn towards their owner, as they like to be stroked on their lower back and the base of their tail. They then stretch their backs even more, and their bottom automatically goes up. But you have got to be careful in this situation. This area is very sensitive, and not every cat appreciates being stroked for a long time and extensively on the bottom or lower back and the root of the tail.
Also interesting: According to a study, cats use anal glands for communication
A female cat shows its butt when in heat
If a female cat sticks its bottom up more often than usual, it could be because the cat is in heat. When it shows its butt like this, a cat that isn’t neutered shows that it is ready to mate and conceive. But even if they are neutered, this behavior can occur. This is called ovarian remnant syndrome. It is usually triggered by the fact that not all ovarian tissue was removed during neutering and hormone production is still intact. So if a neutered cat still shows signs of estrus, including a raised bottom, loud catcalls, or frequent rolling around, it should be brought to a vet. The vet must then determine what the hormonal surge is all about and whether an intervention is necessary.
Am I able to change my cats’ habit of showing me its butt while I stroke it?
The act of stretching the back and presenting the backside is an innate behavior in cats and a fundamental aspect of their communication. It is therefore not easy for this habit to be broken. Our domestic cats do not expect us to groom the presented area, as they experienced from their mothers when they were kittens. Instead, they want to express their trust and sympathy towards us with this gesture.
However, if you prefer to avoid having the cat stick its butt in your face, you should cease petting it as soon as it presents its backside. The animal will usually turn around on its own. If the cat wants to be stroked even more, it will start to nudge us with its head instead of its bottom.
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