Scritching?

[Hayaikawa]

I'm very intrigued with the socializing and psychological aspect of scritching or any other forms of friendly furry affection, as well as some of the more physical responses.

For example, several furry friends of mine say it feels really nice, and some even say there body respond in special ways, from the feeling of shaking there leg like a dog, a sort of need to stretch their legs out, and even a feeling of wanting to wag an imaginary tail. All of which are animal responses to this.

I have as of yet not had any one, "scratch me behind the ears" or "pet me on the head" or anything like that so my understanding of this is a lot of hearsay.

But there are things that may be related to this, A long time ago when I had hair cuts they would use the trimmer (the thing that goes BZZZZZZ) and when they cut the hair around my ears i would get a strange feeling around where I would have a tail and I would want to stretch my legs out.
Same thing for when im trying to sleep and my cat would sleep next to my head and sometimes try "bathing(cat grooming or what ever its called) my head (shes super affectionate like that) and I would get the same feeling.  And it wasn't necessarily a bad feeling, and i kind if liked it.

But I'm super unsure of this, and have been wondering if this is similar to the feeling of being "scritched or petted" and what animals feel.

[Aleya Lunara]

I know what you mean, I occasionally get scritched as a joke, and when I do, I do stretch my legs, and sometimes get this awkward feeling at my tailbone area. I think that it might be an animal instinct, for humans even. I'm not sure if this helps, but this is what I feel. Razors don't seem to do this for me though, just getting scratched behind my ears.

[Hayaikawa]

I know what you mean, I occasionally get scritched as a joke, and when I do, I do stretch my legs, and sometimes get this awkward feeling at my tailbone area. I think that it might be an animal instinct, for humans even. I'm not sure if this helps, but this is what I feel. Razors don't seem to do this for me though, just getting scratched behind my ears. 

ya, its that feeling near the tail bone that intrigues me the most, like it might be some long left over instinct to stretch or wag the tail while being scritched.
and I think that the trimmer would just be something very similar to getting scratched behind the ears since it gave me such a strong feeling near my tailbone.

[Kaiyoki]

I was moody after a bad day and listening to the teacher preach about urbanisation, a classmate petted me during the same class and I kind of zoned out for a while from the warm feeling. I told him about being a furry around a fortnight after that and he was good with it, still pets me when people aren't looking.

[Aurora]

mmmmmmmmmmmmm, scritching feels good.

but yeah when some one pets my head i get a tingle down my spine, a good one and sometimes, uhhh, well

[Landrav]

Getting head scratches is probably the most relaxing thing I can think of.  However, as far as being a furry socialization method, I don't want anyone to do it unless I really know them well.

Never got the "phantom tail" while this is going on, though.  I have, however, got the urge to stretch my legs.

[Cadman]

When someone pets he on the head or scratches me behind the ears I just become totaly relaxed, and people have told me some times I give off the sound there pet makes when there getting petted. But I've never notest it.

[Hayaikawa]

These are very interesting, and it just makes me wonder more, if this is a more learned habit kinda of thing, or something that every animal has to help with forming bond with people and getting stronger relationships and is a more evolutionary response.
But maybe I'm just getting to deep into this 

But the things that really intrigue me are the urge to stretch the legs and the feeling at the base of the spine. Cause these sound more like biological responses and not just learned habits(so to speak).

[Kaseiko]

This is totally what my brother does. He loves when people rub his head. Hes not a furry or anything like that but when you rub his head he gets that look on his face and gets totally relaxed. He even falls asleep after a while. Interesting topic.

[Kobuk]

I generally don't like scritching.  Simply because some people scritch too hard and/or their fingernails are sharp. 

I also won't allow anybody to scritch me while I'm wearing my fursuit.  If a person scritches too hard or too much, then they'll end up pulling fur out.

[prettylilpup]

I love to have my head petted. 

[Leon the Coyote]

I love to be scritched or head-patted. When someone does i just kinda zone out and feel happy for a bit. That's one of those things that makes my mental tail wag .

[Bloodtooth]

mmmmmmmmmmmmm, scritching feels good.

but yeah when some one pets my head i get a tingle down my spine, a good one and sometimes, uhhh, well

Haha. I know your weakness :p

But Scritching is good. Scitch my back and im all yours. Feels nice. I guess all creatures enjoy it, really. Someone else grooming you. Think how many other creatures engage in such acts - most of them. Humanity built this silly set of taboos though.

Simply because some people scritch too hard

Impossible. I deny such implausible ideas.

[Melyn]

Even humans need affection! I love getting scratches..in the right places, like my side or behind the ears. Hugs are great. Er...getting my hair stroked makes me melt a little though.:> One time this random girl stroked my hair...and I had to press my legs together. Hehe. I'm way too sensitive of a person.

Celta.

[TCD]

I'm a very touchy person with people I know and have the right...I don't know, vibe with? Some of my close friends I'm happy lounging around on and other close friends I'm not so okay with it.

Also: I purr when scritched.

[Ickyrus]

I LOVE getting petted, scritched and anything like that. Not that I'd ever say so though..

[Hayaikawa]

Another thing i've been thinking about this, is maybe getting scritched is a lot like being tickeled.

I've tried to emulate the feeling at the base of my spine and scritching myself, but only got a very mild reaction.

Same thing for trying to tickle yourself, you can only usually get a very mild reaction to no reaction at all.

So this leads me to believe its based in a more instinctual origion.
To help strengthen bonds with the members in your social group. You see this all the time in animals.

Now I'm super curious as to whey this very pleasent thing has been "phased" out and is almost a taboo.

[Mianame]

Another thing i've been thinking about this, is maybe getting scritched is a lot like being tickeled.

I've tried to emulate the feeling at the base of my spine and scritching myself, but only got a very mild reaction.

Same thing for trying to tickle yourself, you can only usually get a very mild reaction to no reaction at all.

So this leads me to believe its based in a more instinctual origion.
To help strengthen bonds with the members in your social group. You see this all the time in animals.

Now I'm super curious as to whey this very pleasent thing has been "phased" out and is almost a taboo.

Yeah, I've always wondered about that. Not in terms of scritching really, I've never been scritched. But the tickling part always made me wonder. Instead of it being instinctual though I always thought maybe it had to do with the fact that your mind knew what was coming therefore you don't react as hard? Not sure, just guessing here.

[Zhono Veranhaut]

Scritching feels sosososososo nice... 

[McMajik]

Scritching feels sosososososo nice... 

QFT

[Wolflette]

I love gettin petted, when i was little my mom use to pat me on the head if i got good grades or other things like that so i always assumed that weird tingle and wanting to wag an imagianry tail was connected to that. My best friend scritches my back and shoulders if no one is paying attention to us, and ill do things like bump my head against his hand if he stops or purr if he gets a certain spot, and i always have that feeling of wanting to wag my tail... nevermind that i dont have a tail

[zyymurgy]

Scritching is lovely. XD I love to be petted and touched (when I'm expecting it, anyways) and my love interest knows just how to scratch around my face and ears...

[furtopia02]

I have had many non-furry friends pet on me before (in class, or wherever else), and it feels absolutely wonderful.  I feel super relaxed and just wanna curl up. Great whenever I've felt stressed as they've used it to calm me down. Mrr.. this is making me miss my friends since it is summer and classes are out. 

[Motor Mouth]

Never been scritched before. I don't really like people touching me because i'm EXTREMELY ticklish and jumpy, one time I even broke down into a asthma attack because of someone trying to tickle me . If it's a stranger it's a no-no, but if it's someone I know well then i'll just take the scritch/tickle in stride .

[Hayaikawa]

One thing i've been thinking about this is, The way I interact with my pets is always a very up close interaction, nuzzling them and petting them while being very close.

But I think about doing that with another person and it sounds very strange, and would be looked at as being very very strange.

Its wierd how the social taboo its acting that way with other people, but acting that way around animals is totally fine.