To add to my last post about touching your cats bellies. They don’t especially like their toes touched either. But I have had more than one cat who had a claw that did not grow properly and ended up possibly growing into their foot pads. If I wasn’t able to touch and massage their toes this would have escaped my notice and could have become very painful to them. As it was, I could keep on top of it and have his errant claw trimmed before it got too close to his toe pad.
Touch your kitties all over and all the time. Make it pleasurable for them so when the vet does it then it’s ok. Your cats will thank you for it and you will love the feeling as well as your furry friend will be purring the whole time if you are doing it right.
Purrincess Patzy’s Place 
If only I could…will let me touch her paws but I can’t trim her claws….so going to take her to vet for a mani/pedi in November. As she is 6 years old there is ALOT I don’t know about her. So it is baby steps stroking & touching her. And it is only 61 days we’ve been together so I’ve all the time in the world.
Good article Juliea!
((hugs)) Sherri-Ellen & **purrsss** BellaDharma
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It can definitely take time. All cats love their chin scratches, so slowly work down to her chest and then briefly to her belly. Praise her and tell her how beautiful, soft, perfect she is and just keep on cooing at her while you look into her eyes. This is kind of like the slow-blinking game where you get her to slow blink back at you.
Taking her to a vet before she is ready to have those parts of her touched and manipulated may make every vet visit hard. I know she’s 6 years old so she has some old fears to overcome. But she is with you every day and you are doing great at getting her trust in you. Just take it slow and you will see what great strides you can accomplish before taking her to get her claws trimmed. Keep in mind that she thinks scratching you is playing and you cannot let her think that. Just stop and hold your hands still and tell her no very gently. If you don’t pull away she will stop after a bit. She can’t really hurt you. But if you flinch, then the game is on and she will keep doing it.
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Yes, you have time and she’s letting you touch her toes! That’s a good start. You will be able to trim them someday. And for their bellies, start with the chin and then a little on her chest until she starts liking that. Then you can go a little further down and within a few months, maybe even weeks, she will like that too! Don’t rush her though or it will take twice as long for her to like it. You got this!
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We luv to be touched. Mommy starts it the furst day and she never stops. Big hugs
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
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Great to hear this! Spread the word. We should not be afraid to show our cats the same affections we show our dogs. Why are the shelters saying not to try at all? They are just too old fashioned in their thinking?
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We don’t know any shelters sayin’ that. This is all new to us. Althoo’ general petting is another thing. But again, we’re not hearing peep say not too. We do recommend against certain aeas fur general petting in our posts. But again, we luv touchin’ and mommy wouldn’t know what to do without it. big hugs
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
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They must not train their volunteers very well around here. They wouldn’t even let me sit on her lap at the shelter I came from. Mommy just knew we had a connection.
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I, Marvelous, do not like my belly or toes touchd but I have been letting my Mom touch them …but not for very long. We are woring on it!
Purrs
Marv
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You will start to like it, especially if it means less trips to the v.e.t.! Like clipping your nails, brushing out your loose furs so you don’t get hair balls. Just keep practicing. I sometimes still grab mommy when she plays with my belly (and I don’t mean just petting it, but playing gently) but I don’t use my claws or teeths except sometimes barely. I only leave marks on her if I get scared and forget. She always smiles and tells me what a good girl I am!🥰
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