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Why do cats lie on their backs down in front of each other2007-11-25 12:31:42

My mom's cat often lies down on his back in front of my cat. Sometimes my cat will lie down in front of my mom's. It obviously isn't a submissive pose like it is in dogs because the cat that is lying down stares aggressively and the other cat growls and complains about it. Is it supposed to be some kind of insult or something?

Answers:

Sometimes cats will lie on their backs because they like a good tummy rub from their owners.

This is not the case here. A cat lying on its back has four paws and ten claws with which to protect itself from or to attack another cat. It seems to me that that is the situation here.

A submissive cat will present its head to be licked by the more dominant cat.

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cats showing their stomach means that they trust you

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Why don't you ask them? My guess was going to be that it was submissive behavior but you obviously have a better command of the language. Maybe its an invite to catwrestle and the other doesn't want to.

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It's not supposed to be an insult. Usually, when cats lay on their backs it is a submissive pose and that means they really trust you. If the two cats are growling then they probably just get along and maybe they are warning one another to keep their distance while they are vulnerable.