There’s nothing like burying your entire face into a fuzzy purr machine and letting the rest of the world melt away. That’s right, it’s Cat Tummy Time. The most sacred time of day. You’ve come home from a long day of emotionally processing everything from the last episode of The Haunting Of Hill House, and you walk through the door and your cat rolls on his back, presenting you with his belly. At least, that’s what my boy Danger used to do, and oh my god was it just the best. But have you ever wondered why your cat rolls on their back? It’s like, does he know that this is my most favorite thing in the entire universe? Or is there something else going on here?
The Belly Dance
Let us first consider The Belly Dance. If you’ve ever owned a cat, you know exactly what this is. He is sitting there, cool as a cucumber, and all of a sudden your cat rolls over onto his back and goes nuts. What’s the deal? Well, for one, he could be employing the tried and true Baloo method of scratching that pesky itch on his back. Or, there could be some catnip afoot. Something about that good kitty kush drives cats into another dimension, where they can’t help but roll around like crazy. Scientifically speaking, of course, what’s really going on is that the receptors in their lil’ kitty brains are reacting to the catnip, causing them to respond in a bunch of wacky ways.
All of these factors could be at play here, but could it be that it’s also a form of communication?
They See Me Rollin
Cats might appear to be stoic beings who are satisfied with solitude, and there are a few who might be. But just like humans, no two cats are alike. For instance, my cat Danger had a habit of, as I said, literally throwing himself at my feet. On purpose. He would make sure I was watching and paying attention to him, and then catapult (or should I say, “CAT-apult”, hehehe, got ‘em) himself onto the floor right in front of me, and then employ that seductive belly dance we all know so well.
So, was this for my benefit? Was he rolling around to get my attention? We all know that cats love attention, even when they’re acting like they’re too cool for school. Whether we realize it or not, our pets are always trying to communicate to us, and rolling around and showing us their tummy is just another way of doing that.
The Tummy Trap
What is the purpose of tummy time? Well, one need only to think it through logically. The most vulnerable part of a cat is her midsection, since that’s where all her vital organs are. When a cat rolls over to show you her tummy in an inviting manner, it means she’s giving you an offering of trust and submitting to you fully.
But here comes the bad news: while this appears to be an invitation to have a snuggle party, it’s uh… not. I know, I know. That one hit you like a ton of bricks, didn’t it? But it’s okay, there is a silver lining. You see, in your cat’s little kitty noggin, the agreement is as follows: I’m gonna roll over and show her my belly, and she’s gonna be cool about it, and not tickle my sacred tummy. But I mean, HOW CAN YOU NOT? It’s just… THERE, and it’s so FLUFFY! That’s where the good news comes in. Like I said, not all cats are alike. Some are like, “wow RUDE, this is NOT what I asked for”, and some are like, “cool! She’s rubbing my belly! That’s fun!” Additionally, it’s important to note that if your cat rolls over in an defensive stance (baring her claws and teeth, drawing her ears back, etc.), that means that she’s definitely not having fun and is 100% ready to throw down if things go sour.
What it really comes down to is the individuality of the cat in question. Some kitties are trying to communicate their love for you, some enjoy the attention that rolling around yields from their owners, some are coasting on that catnip high, and some others are just trying to scratch that itch. And on top of all of that, heck, sometimes cats roll around on their back because it just feels good, man! Cats are creatures of comfort – all about the finer things in life. And if rolling around on their backs and showing their tummy offers a simple pleasure, why not go for it?
