Pet owners are being urged not to dismiss their cats when they lift their bottoms into the air, as the behaviour reveals something rather unexpected. While many may assume cats are merely greeting them when they seek affection and elevate their rear ends, there’s actually a rather endearing explanation behind the action.
According to a viral video, cats raise their bottoms as a touching gesture towards their owners, demonstrating just how much affection they hold for them.
The video explains that when a cat performs this gesture, it’s a display of fondness and effectively conveys ‘I like you’ and ‘I trust you’.
The video said: “You’re petting your cat nicely along their back, and suddenly their butt goes straight up like an elevator, tail pointing to the sky.
“Most people laugh and think it’s just funny or weird, but you should never ignore this behaviour. The elevator butt is actually one of the biggest compliments your cat can give you.
“It means they feel safe, relaxed, and completely trust you. When a cat raises their butt, they’re presenting the scent glands at the base of their tail.
“In cat language, this is a friendly greeting and a sign of affection. They’re basically saying, I like you, I trust you. Mother cats do this with their kittens, and cats do it with other cats they really like.
“When your cat does it with you, they’re treating you like family. It also just feels really good for them. That area has lots of sensitive nerve endings, so the natural reaction is to lift their butt higher.”
Dr Joanna Woodnutt, MRCVS, founder of Petlearnia, shed further light on the behaviour, noting that it is more prevalent amongst female cats.
She said: “The behaviour tends to be more common in females, especially if they had one or more seasons before they were spayed. It’s likely there’s some accidental reinforcement going on.
“They stick their bums up, we stroke them a bit harder-ta dah! They’re more likely to respond this way next time. Some cats might also enjoy the negative reaction they get when they leap up and shove their bums in human faces.
“We tend to squeal, a noise which many cats find interesting. They’ll repeat the behaviour to see if it has the same effect.”