Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)
We don’t have a cat any more. Smedley can eat random things he finds in the floor and then retch them back up onto my feet though. He just did that a few minutes ago with one of the girls’ mini dolls’ heads. If the girls bothered to keep track of their Disney dolls, they’d have already picked up that there’s some doll killing fiend loose in the house.
4.
Mary G
He looks more like a small bear cub than a cat.
5.
sfinny
Well the cat I have visiting with me is very lean, but likes to lick plastic bags and stick his head under the running faucet. He is going home tomorrow after a 2 month stay. Will actually be able to get the dishes done. Mr. Muffin was a great guest cat, though.
6.
Roger Moore
Actually, my cat is pretty good at doing that.
7.
sfinny
Except for the fact that he is now sitting on the keyboard and mouse.
8.
Yarrow
I love the name of the video.
9.
sfinny
And pushing all of them off the desk.
10.
EricNNY
My Chester lover belly script chest from ANYBODY. Including atrangers, stray dogs and my goats.
Steve!!
That is one scary ?, but, he is also sweet ?
12.
EricNNY
@EricNNY: loves belly scritches. Ugh, can’t comment from Android correctly.
13.
Yutsano
BITE HIM STEVE!!!
Proper authoritahs shall be alerted.
14.
Yarrow
One of my neighbor’s cats that I was taking care of got to where he’d roll over and want me to rub his belly. I’d do it and he’d seem totally happy for a minute or so and then he’d start batting at me with his paws and end up scratching me with his claws. I could never figure out if he wanted me to stop or it was part of some game. I didn’t like getting scratched, so I’d quit.
That was okay because one of the other cats wanted attention too and was all, “Me, me, me! Pet MEEEEEE!” so I’d have to go back and forth anyway.
15.
Mnemosyne
We have an ongoing territorial alignment happening right now — Charlotte has finally decided that it’s okay for Keaton to hang out in the bedroom, which has been her exclusive territory up until now.
But I think poor Annie is getting a little lonely hanging out all by herself in the living room when she used to have Keaton to keep her company. ?
16.
danielx
Yes, Boris can. And also race through the house at full tilt for any reason or none, which he and Natasha are doing right this very moment. Amazing the amount of noise two cats can make going up and down the stairs at high speed.
In general, cats aren’t too fond of having their bellies rubbed, so it’s usually an invitation to a wrestling match with tooth and claw, as you discovered.
There are exceptions — our shy cat Annie won’t sit in laps but LOVES to have her belly rubbed. Keaton will let me gently pet his belly, but bites Gerard if he tries to do it.
18.
sfinny
@Yarrow: Mr. Muffin is the same in that I would pet him and all of a sudden he would start to try and bite me. Then he would seem to be playing, then would bite. But he is going home to my sister-in-laws tomorrow, so not my problem anymore.
19.
Yarrow
@Mnemosyne: Like WereBear always says, the solution is more cats!
20.
Yarrow
@Mnemosyne: It seemed like he really wanted me to rub his belly because he’d roll over on his back and get mad at me if I didn’t rub his belly. If I did, then he’d purr and purr and look totally happy and content…until he decided to bat at me with his paw. He’s kind of an odd kitty with a (diagnosed by vet) neurological issue so I’m not sure if that’s part of it or not. My neighbor says he loves having his belly rubbed.
21.
westyny
I was owned by a female half Maine coon for 20 years. Longest and best relationship of my life. People in the neighborhood knew her and would leave gifts and cards (yes, cards) for her on my steps. She never went outside, but she was a celebrity. People allergic to cats would sneeze and tear up on the outside sidewalk, even when I was brushing her twice a day. She radiated catness. Anyway, Steve reminds me of her.
22.
Amir Khalid
My Bianca gives me tongue baths to my head, several times a day. She loves to nuzzle me, and loves it when I nuzzle her. She’s not that keen on belly scritches, though.
23.
Amir Khalid
@Yarrow:
So how often do you rub your neighbour’s belly?
24.
Debg
Several of my seven cats can do this. It’s less impressive on the skinny ones, but most of them are plump.
25.
Suzanne
My dearly departed Nico, who was a Maine Coon-Persian mix, would do this. Loved the tummeh rubz.
FYI, a Maine Coon-Persian mix makes one helluva floofy cat.
Amazing the amount of noise two cats can make going up and down the stairs at high speed.
THUNDER BUNNIES!!!
28.
Mike S
When our oldest was that fat she’d roll up next to me in bed and make me rub her belly until she fell asleep. She’d poke me in the neck
with one nail if I fell asleep first.She was the best pet I ever had. Sadly her 17 year run of making me happy ended Sunday.
We don’t think our cat is awesome – we think she’s a dangerous lunatic. That said, we do spend a lot of time cuddling with her.
34.
CaseyL
My cats love to go outside, find a nice patch of lawn or clean dirt, and roll in it like crazy. Side to side, over on their backs, top of their head rubbing against the ground, making swimming motions with their paws. Their bellies get exposed, but they don’t actually want to be touched when they’re doing this. They like me to be there, watching them, telling them how wonderful they are. But touching them interrupts their communion with Mother Earth, or something.
Mind you, they want LOTS of cuddles once we’re all indoors :)
35.
Mike S
@Yutsano: @Amir Khalid:
Thank you. My wife and I are devastated. She was an amazing girl.
Last week, the comedian teased his comeback with a preview clip showing former US vice president Dick Cheney apparently agreeing to autograph a “waterboard kit” – in reality a plastic water jug.
@Amir Khalid: I saw that on the local news, half-term Governor Palin was very upset by this.
40.
Keith P.
@Mnemosyne: Of all the cats I’ve ever had (about 10), I’ve found that cats only like belly rubs if they get them as kittens. Ditto for most things that aren’t head and base-of-tail scratches, such as holding them. My current kittens LOVE belly rubs, and they’re starting to be OK with being held for long periods.
41.
SWMBO
@Mike S: So sorry to hear this. Peace and comfort to all of you.
42.
celticdragonchick
We have two kittehs…Olivia and Tuxedo (Tux is a girl too)
Tux was taken from her mother far too early and she has severe socialization issues. I am the only one who can pick her up and pet her, and I never try to pet her tummy. Strictly verboten. She does like to pick out laps and cuddle, but it is strictly an affair of you wait for her to decide. She used to go torture spiders she would find about the house. I would see walking about with a half dead spider hanging from her mouth and its legs all broken and I would try to take it from her “Here, give me that sweetie. You broke your toy and it won’t play with you anymore”
Olivia is a street rescue from a rescue group, and she is possibly the sweetest and most loving cat I’ve ever had…unless you are a rodent.or rodent sized, in which case she is a fucking nightmare from the imagination of HP Lovecraft. Since she was a street kitteh she gets food aggressive and she does NOT leave gifts. Her kills are HERS GODDAMMIT AND IF YOU WANT A MOUSE YOU BETTER BY GOD FIND YOUR OWN MOUSE!!
Also watched her snatch a bat from out of mid air that had managed to get inside our townhouse and was trapped in the living room. She must jumped 6 vertical feet in the air and all of a sudden Mr. Bat was pinned to the floor and getting ready for hours of non step fun as his wings get pulled off.
I rescued Mr Bat and took both kittehs to the vet for shots the next day just in case.
Miss Olivia loves to curl around your head on your pillow at night and she gives nose kisses to any and everybody who wants a kiss. She gets nibbly when she is happy and will wash your face and chew on cheeks, noses and eyebrows in equal measure.
If she rolls on her back and wants you to rub her belly, that means the Cat God needs a blood sacrifice and you are the intended sacrificial target. Beware. She is purring, but you will bleed.
43.
Mel
@celticdragonchick: My little Jane was once a bat catcher, as well! She is the sweetest, gentlest, most dainty little thing, but let some hapless rodent or bat dare to enter the house, and she morphs into Warrior Cat.
I remember an image I saw, years before social media was prevalent, of a BIG cat that looked like it had fallen over onto it’s back. The caption was:
Fat Cat Capsizes.
Luca, my semi-feral tabby, will tolerate a massage of his upper chest. Any lower and well you didn’t want that hand anyway. I love Steve’s curly undercoat. The big floofy floof.
49.
opiejeanne
@RedDirtGirl: There was a triptych photograph that was sold framed many years ago; it showed the cat tipping over. We have a copy of it somewhere.
50.
Shell
Thinking of that Beatrix Potter book, “The Roly-Poly Pudding.”
51.
SteverinoCT
I was at a bookstore, sitting with the resident cat, when we got into a friendly dispute over I was ”scritching” or “tickling” his belly. The cashier was aghast at the multiple trickles of blood running down my arm. A paper towel and I was good. A veteran cat petter.
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jonas
Too…fat…to…resist…tummy….tickles. Curses!
Yarrow
That is one big cat.
Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)
We don’t have a cat any more. Smedley can eat random things he finds in the floor and then retch them back up onto my feet though. He just did that a few minutes ago with one of the girls’ mini dolls’ heads. If the girls bothered to keep track of their Disney dolls, they’d have already picked up that there’s some doll killing fiend loose in the house.
Mary G
He looks more like a small bear cub than a cat.
sfinny
Well the cat I have visiting with me is very lean, but likes to lick plastic bags and stick his head under the running faucet. He is going home tomorrow after a 2 month stay. Will actually be able to get the dishes done. Mr. Muffin was a great guest cat, though.
Roger Moore
Actually, my cat is pretty good at doing that.
sfinny
Except for the fact that he is now sitting on the keyboard and mouse.
Yarrow
I love the name of the video.
sfinny
And pushing all of them off the desk.
EricNNY
My Chester lover belly script chest from ANYBODY. Including atrangers, stray dogs and my goats.
rikyrah
Steve!!
That is one scary ?, but, he is also sweet ?
EricNNY
@EricNNY: loves belly scritches. Ugh, can’t comment from Android correctly.
Yutsano
BITE HIM STEVE!!!
Proper authoritahs shall be alerted.
Yarrow
One of my neighbor’s cats that I was taking care of got to where he’d roll over and want me to rub his belly. I’d do it and he’d seem totally happy for a minute or so and then he’d start batting at me with his paws and end up scratching me with his claws. I could never figure out if he wanted me to stop or it was part of some game. I didn’t like getting scratched, so I’d quit.
That was okay because one of the other cats wanted attention too and was all, “Me, me, me! Pet MEEEEEE!” so I’d have to go back and forth anyway.
Mnemosyne
We have an ongoing territorial alignment happening right now — Charlotte has finally decided that it’s okay for Keaton to hang out in the bedroom, which has been her exclusive territory up until now.
But I think poor Annie is getting a little lonely hanging out all by herself in the living room when she used to have Keaton to keep her company. ?
danielx
Yes, Boris can. And also race through the house at full tilt for any reason or none, which he and Natasha are doing right this very moment. Amazing the amount of noise two cats can make going up and down the stairs at high speed.
Mnemosyne
@Yarrow:
In general, cats aren’t too fond of having their bellies rubbed, so it’s usually an invitation to a wrestling match with tooth and claw, as you discovered.
There are exceptions — our shy cat Annie won’t sit in laps but LOVES to have her belly rubbed. Keaton will let me gently pet his belly, but bites Gerard if he tries to do it.
sfinny
@Yarrow: Mr. Muffin is the same in that I would pet him and all of a sudden he would start to try and bite me. Then he would seem to be playing, then would bite. But he is going home to my sister-in-laws tomorrow, so not my problem anymore.
Yarrow
@Mnemosyne: Like WereBear always says, the solution is more cats!
Yarrow
@Mnemosyne: It seemed like he really wanted me to rub his belly because he’d roll over on his back and get mad at me if I didn’t rub his belly. If I did, then he’d purr and purr and look totally happy and content…until he decided to bat at me with his paw. He’s kind of an odd kitty with a (diagnosed by vet) neurological issue so I’m not sure if that’s part of it or not. My neighbor says he loves having his belly rubbed.
westyny
I was owned by a female half Maine coon for 20 years. Longest and best relationship of my life. People in the neighborhood knew her and would leave gifts and cards (yes, cards) for her on my steps. She never went outside, but she was a celebrity. People allergic to cats would sneeze and tear up on the outside sidewalk, even when I was brushing her twice a day. She radiated catness. Anyway, Steve reminds me of her.
Amir Khalid
My Bianca gives me tongue baths to my head, several times a day. She loves to nuzzle me, and loves it when I nuzzle her. She’s not that keen on belly scritches, though.
Amir Khalid
@Yarrow:
So how often do you rub your neighbour’s belly?
Debg
Several of my seven cats can do this. It’s less impressive on the skinny ones, but most of them are plump.
Suzanne
My dearly departed Nico, who was a Maine Coon-Persian mix, would do this. Loved the tummeh rubz.
FYI, a Maine Coon-Persian mix makes one helluva floofy cat.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Amir Khalid: Sounds a bit personal, Amir.
Anne Laurie
@danielx:
THUNDER BUNNIES!!!
Mike S
When our oldest was that fat she’d roll up next to me in bed and make me rub her belly until she fell asleep. She’d poke me in the neck
with one nail if I fell asleep first.She was the best pet I ever had. Sadly her 17 year run of making me happy ended Sunday.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Anne Laurie: I just sent you an email about a proposed meetup in Sacramento next week, let me know if you got it.
NotMax
@Anne Laurie
Indeed.
.
:)
Amir Khalid
@Mike S:
I’m so sorry to hear that. My condolences.
Yutsano
@Mike S: Oh no. Peace unto you.
afanasia
We don’t think our cat is awesome – we think she’s a dangerous lunatic. That said, we do spend a lot of time cuddling with her.
CaseyL
My cats love to go outside, find a nice patch of lawn or clean dirt, and roll in it like crazy. Side to side, over on their backs, top of their head rubbing against the ground, making swimming motions with their paws. Their bellies get exposed, but they don’t actually want to be touched when they’re doing this. They like me to be there, watching them, telling them how wonderful they are. But touching them interrupts their communion with Mother Earth, or something.
Mind you, they want LOTS of cuddles once we’re all indoors :)
Mike S
@Yutsano: @Amir Khalid:
Thank you. My wife and I are devastated. She was an amazing girl.
Amir Khalid
The BBC reports that Republican has-been Sarah Palin got pwned by Sacha Baron Cohen when he interviewed her for a new TV show he’s been shooting in secret.
NotMax
@Amir Khalid
Low hanging fruit. Peek-a-boo fools Palin.
However, this (from your link) is inspired.
Mary G
@Mike S: So sorry for your loss.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Amir Khalid: I saw that on the local news, half-term Governor Palin was very upset by this.
Keith P.
@Mnemosyne: Of all the cats I’ve ever had (about 10), I’ve found that cats only like belly rubs if they get them as kittens. Ditto for most things that aren’t head and base-of-tail scratches, such as holding them. My current kittens LOVE belly rubs, and they’re starting to be OK with being held for long periods.
SWMBO
@Mike S: So sorry to hear this. Peace and comfort to all of you.
celticdragonchick
We have two kittehs…Olivia and Tuxedo (Tux is a girl too)
Tux was taken from her mother far too early and she has severe socialization issues. I am the only one who can pick her up and pet her, and I never try to pet her tummy. Strictly verboten. She does like to pick out laps and cuddle, but it is strictly an affair of you wait for her to decide. She used to go torture spiders she would find about the house. I would see walking about with a half dead spider hanging from her mouth and its legs all broken and I would try to take it from her “Here, give me that sweetie. You broke your toy and it won’t play with you anymore”
Olivia is a street rescue from a rescue group, and she is possibly the sweetest and most loving cat I’ve ever had…unless you are a rodent.or rodent sized, in which case she is a fucking nightmare from the imagination of HP Lovecraft. Since she was a street kitteh she gets food aggressive and she does NOT leave gifts. Her kills are HERS GODDAMMIT AND IF YOU WANT A MOUSE YOU BETTER BY GOD FIND YOUR OWN MOUSE!!
Also watched her snatch a bat from out of mid air that had managed to get inside our townhouse and was trapped in the living room. She must jumped 6 vertical feet in the air and all of a sudden Mr. Bat was pinned to the floor and getting ready for hours of non step fun as his wings get pulled off.
I rescued Mr Bat and took both kittehs to the vet for shots the next day just in case.
Miss Olivia loves to curl around your head on your pillow at night and she gives nose kisses to any and everybody who wants a kiss. She gets nibbly when she is happy and will wash your face and chew on cheeks, noses and eyebrows in equal measure.
If she rolls on her back and wants you to rub her belly, that means the Cat God needs a blood sacrifice and you are the intended sacrificial target. Beware. She is purring, but you will bleed.
Mel
@celticdragonchick: My little Jane was once a bat catcher, as well! She is the sweetest, gentlest, most dainty little thing, but let some hapless rodent or bat dare to enter the house, and she morphs into Warrior Cat.
zhena gogolia
@Yarrow:
The belly rub — bliss — scratch is cat SOP.
I love you Steve, I want to rub your belly.
Matt McIrvin
Everyone’s cat is awesome.
RedDirtGirl
I remember an image I saw, years before social media was prevalent, of a BIG cat that looked like it had fallen over onto it’s back. The caption was:
Fat Cat Capsizes.
Manyakitty
@Mike S: What sad news. I’m so sorry. :’-(
TomatoQueen
Luca, my semi-feral tabby, will tolerate a massage of his upper chest. Any lower and well you didn’t want that hand anyway. I love Steve’s curly undercoat. The big floofy floof.
opiejeanne
@RedDirtGirl: There was a triptych photograph that was sold framed many years ago; it showed the cat tipping over. We have a copy of it somewhere.
Shell
Thinking of that Beatrix Potter book, “The Roly-Poly Pudding.”
SteverinoCT
I was at a bookstore, sitting with the resident cat, when we got into a friendly dispute over I was ”scritching” or “tickling” his belly. The cashier was aghast at the multiple trickles of blood running down my arm. A paper towel and I was good. A veteran cat petter.