Arm-Licking Syndrome

[Null]

Greetings all--

I'm not sure if this is health-related or not, so apologies if this is the wrong area.

There are times when I'll pet my cat by running my hand along her back. She almost immediately starts licking her front leg very rapidly; she stops if I stop petting her. (She's ten years old, never had any health problems. No problems with weight, diet, behavior, energy level, etc.)

I noticed something similar with a friend's cat. If I would pet her, if my hand went further than the middle of her back, she would start biting the fur on her front leg--she doesn't seem to bit her skin at all. (She's about six years old, no health problems other than being overweight.)

Both cats seem perfectly healthy. Has anyone else observed this behavior, and does anyone know why they do this?

Thanks in advance!

[MoonandBean]

My cats both go into an almost frenzy if I gently pat them on the low part of their spine. They both seem to like it but I feel like it gets them wound up. Moon will turn his head and meow after a few seconds but, at the same time, he is purring. If I continue, he will bite my ankle (if he is laying on my legs) or turn to even bite my hand (like play biting but still). Bean sticks his butt up in the air. So...I'm wondering if your cat is also just acting "frenzy like"

[pomtzu]

I've never met a cat that didn't have some reaction to this - either licking (even in the air), nipping, and definitely butt in the air. I don't think you should be concerned with this action, as it seems perfectly normal.

[Taz_Zoee]

Yup, I think it is pretty normal. My RB Taz would do the funny licking face in the air when I scratched hear the base of his tail.
And when I was watching my friends cat for her when I scratched him near the base of his tail he would lick his front paw until I stopped.

I'd actually never heard of another cat doing the licking thing on the paw. But I knew it was normal for this particular cat. Nice to hear other kitties do it too.

[katladyd]

Ming does the air-licky thing, head straight up in the air, and the elevator butt. It is something to see! I'd say your kitty is completely normal. They all react in some way to petting there.

[TommyCat]

Hi,
It must be normal behavior as my Manx kitty seems to get stimulated and starts licking herself when I pet towards her tail (or stubble of a tail). Her back end goes upwards.

[Null]

Thanks everyone!

My friend's cat lives with three other cats, none of which do this kind of thing...on the other hand, the other three are males. I wonder if it's a "girl thing" that has something to do with mating? Perhaps being stimulated on the lower back has something males do when "courting" out in the wild.

Of course, all the cats have been spayed or neutered, but the behavior may still be a holdover before cats discovered their ideal servants (us).

[MoonandBean]

My two are males and they do it.

[smokey the elder]

Bubba definitely has a "lick spot" that starts halfway down his back. I think this might be a similar response as "strumming" in dogs when you scritch their bellies. I had a foster cat who used to "strum"; it was a hoot!