"Seriously? So there are cats who *don't* enjoy being stroked under the chin, huh..."

There are many videos and photos of cats looking pleased when their chins are stroked. However, some cats don't get dreamy-eyed from chin-scratching... It was only after I met my own cats that I learned some cats simply go "blank" when their chins are stroked.

I was surprised to discover that some cats are immune to the "ultimate chin scratch"!

My family's cat loved it, so I thought all cats must enjoy having their chins stroked. I mean, if you've mastered how to scratch a cat's chin, isn't it pretty easy to make them purr with delight? ...To my embarrassment, when I was younger, I held this rather arrogant view.

The cat gods must have wanted to scold me for such a flippant attitude. Two out of the three cats that came to live with me were not fans of chin-scratching.

顎の下を気持ちがってくれる子多いのに、うちの猫の心には響かない pic.twitter.com/3flTzH4pvs

— ゆあ＠ライター (@yunc24291) October 3, 2020

The first time I was surprised to realize that some cats aren't enchanted by chin-scratching was when we welcomed "Jiji," the oldest cat in our household.

I wanted to bond with this adorable creature as quickly as possible and be all lovey-dovey. So, I tried the "ultimate chin scratch" on Jiji, which I believed was my secret weapon.

I thought this would instantly bring us closer. She'd surely think, "This servant has magical hands!" I scratched her chin with a smug look on my face, but Jiji's reaction was the complete opposite. She looked at me with a disgruntled expression, as if to say, "Excuse me, but your hand is a bit in the way."

...Huh? This is my ultimate move, you know...? You don't like it...? Really?? Maybe I was touching the wrong spot. Or maybe I was so excited my hands were sweaty...!?

After coming up with various excuses and washing my hands, I tried my ultimate technique again. But Jiji was still displeased. Far from being enchanted, she glared at me as if to say, "You touched me in a weird spot twice, you better be prepared for the consequences..."

There are cats who dislike having their chins touched...! Jiji's reaction was the first time I learned this fact, and I deeply realized the profound nature of cats.

By the way, Jiji's favorite spot is her belly. I was so surprised by this discovery that the ramen I was eating fell out of my mouth, as I had been bound by the common belief that "a cat's belly is their weakness, touch it and you'll get bitten!"

Finding the "sweet spot" that makes your beloved cat happy is surely the first major challenge given to any cat owner.

The frustration of my chin scratches having no effect

We also have a cat who goes "blank" when I scratch his chin. That's Leon, the tabby.

Leon is the youngest cat, the last to join our family. Having learned from Jiji's Spartan training that some cats are impervious to chin-scratching, when I first stroked Leon's chin after bringing him home and saw his blissful expression, I thought, "Oh! Chin-scratching works on this one!" and did a joyful dance in the kitchen.

However, after my partner moved in, Leon's reaction began to change... I suppose my partner's way of stroking cats, as if they were fragile, must have really resonated with Leon.

Before I knew it, Leon would get dreamy-eyed from my partner's chin scratches, but when I stroked him, he would just go "blank."

"This won't do. I'm the primary servant, I can't lose face!" I thought. So, I once tried to subtly steal my partner's technique by asking, "Hey, what kind of pressure do you use when you scratch his chin? ...No! I was just curious! You know, everyone has different strengths, right?" It was a transparent excuse.

But even when I stroked him the same way as my partner, Leon inexplicably remained "blank" only for me. And after my partner's bath, he would rush to the bathroom as if to ask, "Hey! You didn't drown, did you? Are you okay!?" but he stopped coming to me after my baths. It's so sad...

Feeling frustrated that Leon's affection seemed to have been completely stolen, I spend my days researching how to improve our physical interactions.

The tabby, Kotarou, who is the only one who accepts my "chin scratches" and makes my heart melt

Kotarou, the tabby, comforts my wounded heart. Kotarou is very cautious but also a spoiled cat who only allows me to touch him. For a cat owner, this is the most irresistible personality.

Although he has gradually opened up to my partner now, when we first met, he would bite hands if someone tried to touch him, showing his wild side.

Kotarou is the only one who gets dreamy-eyed from my chin scratches. So, when I'm with him, my self-esteem increases. Really, thank you, Kota.

Perhaps because the other two are a bit less "cat-like," when I see Kotarou tilt his head slightly upward and narrow his eyes when I touch his chin, I can't help but exclaim, "Wow, he's such a cat!" (Afterward, the other two glare at me.)

However, Kotarou's meow is unique. To me, who tells him, "You're a shining star to me," Kotarou always replies with un-cat-like sounds like "Woof! Woof!" or "Nipa." When I hear those sounds, I wonder if this one is even a cat. (He also has a zipper on his belly, you know.)

Life with cats brings many unexpected discoveries. I want to continue deciphering the "sweet spots" that make my beloved feline overlords even happier!