Arm-Licking Syndrome

[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!