Scritching?

[Arbutus]

Huh. Yeah, that is interesting... especially since you'd think there would be much more of a taboo against doing that with a pet than with another person. But there isn't. I've seen perfectly normal pet-owners playing with their dogs in a manner that was like one step down from french-kissing. XD

Perhaps one of the reasons people love their pets so much is that they allow us to let out our emotions without judging us the way humans do. You can lavish love and physical affection on a pet in ways that would seem really weird between two humans (unless they're mates, of course).

[Hayaikawa]

Perhaps one of the reasons people love their pets so much is that they allow us to let out our emotions without judging us the way humans do. You can lavish love and physical affection on a pet in ways that would seem really weird between two humans (unless they're mates, of course).

ya, that's a very good point.

People see any sort of affection to any one else as Love affection, like between mates.

Lets say you have 2 people who are mates and a 3rd person that is very very close friends with one of the first 2 people, and if the 2 very close friends show any affection towards each other, the 3rd person automatically assumes cheating or something very similar. and any one on the outside of this triangle will also see it as possible cheating of some sort.

But yet you see tons of affection all around in the animal world between animals that are not mattes and just friends. And its seen as totally normal, and no one gives it a second though.

[Alexandre]

Lets say you have 2 people who are mates and a 3rd person that is very very close friends with one of the first 2 people, and if the 2 very close friends show any affection towards each other, the 3rd person automatically assumes cheating or something very similar. and any one on the outside of this triangle will also see it as possible cheating of some sort.

But yet you see tons of affection all around in the animal world between animals that are not mattes and just friends. And its seen as totally normal, and no one gives it a second though.

This is totally true.  However, this has a large part of what people think.  Any sign of affection given by humans tends to be seen as romantic affection; very few things (like a hug or a kiss on the cheek) are seen as things between friends.  If someone sits somewhere and scratches my head, others will always, always, always think that we like each other (or that at least the scratcher likes the scratchee).

Pets don't judge like that, and since people rarely are seen as having romantic affection towards animals, any close activity like that is seen as something between master and pet (or, at the closest, friends). 

[Ricco92]

I've never told anyone this but  i love being scartched behind the ear, it tickles me and i do get a funny feeling down at the tail bone area.

and when i'm with a lass (alone) i like my stomach stroked, which i don't believe is completly normal lol but it relaxes me.

[promagnum]

When I've gotten petted on the head, it doesn't really do anything. It's like, "Oh yeah you're touching my head now. K thanks. :S" so....yeah.....doesn't really do anything for me.

[Lava]

Meep, I love being scritched and petted! Especially behind my ear; it feels so nice ^.=.^
I get all happy and sleepy and want to wag a tail and make a funny purring sound 
Coincidentally, this is almost the exact same reaction that my cat has to being scritched. Weird, huh?

[WhiteLion]

Meep, I love being scritched and petted! Especially behind my ear; it feels so nice ^.=.^
I get all happy and sleepy and want to wag a tail and make a funny purring sound 
Coincidentally, this is almost the exact same reaction that my cat has to being scritched. Weird, huh?

I believe humans have animal instincts - But some notice it more than others.
Its quite a intresting topic to investigate.

I mean when we think about it, we are very similar to animals.

The idea of investigating animal instincts , Sounds crazy to most - But to Furtopian's I think not

Hmmm who knows

[Tyla]

Meep, I love being scritched and petted! Especially behind my ear; it feels so nice ^.=.^

Yay! I do the same.

People call me wierd for it though. I don't mind, I like being wierd and different. I've been told I'm a bit of a therian too with the way I behave.

[ArcanumWolf]

Well, I do like how it feels to be scritched on the back or pet on the head, but due to the social standards I've been exposed to, I've also become rather defensive about being touched in any sort of way. I feel a very strong urge to yell at a people (even if they're good friends) to lay off even for something friendly like placing a hand over my shoulder. I guess it's just another example of a defense mechanism becoming a little over-protective. =/

[Ziel]

Lots of interesting points and thoughts here. 

Add me in with those who love having their head rubbed/patted/scritched.  It is sooooo calming.  A friend sat there rubbing my head for a while, when we were watching TV... Think I might have gone in-and-out of consciousness a couple times from it.

I also like a good back-scratching now and then. 

And I will agree with the whole end-of-spine feeling as well.  Not necessarily just from behind the ears, but my whole head makes it happen to an extent. 

I myself do tend to pat my friends on the head.  Probably just in hopes that they would do the same back...

*scritches for all who want them*

[Warfy]

*raises hand meekly* Toss me into this group, as well.

I hadn't really questioned before finding out about furry culture; I just thought that I really liked having my head scratched.  Having tested myself, I feel that same base-of-the-spine tingle (although it is rather mild) and am slightly surprised I hadn't drawn some sort of 'phantom tail' hypothesis. How did I not notice this before? 

An interesting note: At my first convention, I walked down a nice couch-studded hallway, and there were several groups of people lounging around chatting, with at least a half-dozen of these people getting scritched. I still remember the shock and amusement I felt upon seeing this, and was quite glad to find that other people felt the same way as me about the whole thing.

Heh, I kinda feel that way again now.  Yay.

[AlexTheSane]

I rather enjoy what might be called "grooming behavior", like if someone brushed my hair or something it feels very good, but only if they're a close friend or relative (not someone who's cutting it or something).  I also really like hugs and tickling, but the latter tends to weird most people out if I just do it randomly so I contain myself.  Not sure how much of all that counts as "scritching" technically but seems similar to me.

[Magical_HATz]

Scritching is awesome. Feels nice!
I get the tail wagging syndrome as well as the leg stretching thing.

My favorite kind of scritch is when I go to the haircuttery and they wash my hair! Haircutters give the best scalp massages! MMmmurrr

[Aenn]

people petting my head relaxes me, (either that or...) hehe, i tend to fall asleep (even if im standing up, which is odd) but i have to say the whole phantom tail thing hasn't ever really happened to me.

[Captain Furvert]

Heh heh, if anyone pets me or scratches my head, I will immediately and reflexively go flaccid. It's even better than getting hugged, and I LOVE hugs. The best ones start off as petting, turn into gentle rubbing, and round off with a good scratching. I've never had the phantom tail thing, but boy, do I know how to stretch out wherever I'm at and be instantly comfortable. Especially while being petted. 

[Aenn]

ive actually fallen out of a few chairs (or off the couch) from someone petting/scratching my head 

[Sanguine Foxxe]

Haha, I knew I couldn't be the only like this!

The main difference between myself and many of these posts is that I actually stretch my legs, and occasionally start to "thump" with one, the same as a dog will. It's become a joke between many who know me because I do it without really thinking about it.

Anyway, I have felt the "phantom tail" feeling before, but it's less common than most of my reactions to being pet or scritched behind the ears.

[Moonfire Electra]

Before I was a furry, I was interested in this one guy. We flirted for awhile, and one time, while I was talking to him, he reached his hand up into my hair and scritched the back of my head. I froze, quit talking, and my eyes sort of closed. It was the first time anything like that had happened to me.
But anyway, most people have sensitive scalps. You notice that when people kiss, they'll run their partner's hair through their fingers. This is simply because it feels good. I also think there may be an element of comfort in having your head cradled and touched because it brings back infantile feelings of being mothered, and as my own mother says, "Adults are nothing but grown children." Everyone, regardless of their age, likes to be babied, more or less, by their mate.

[Shim]

Lots of interesting points and thoughts here. 

Add me in with those who love having their head rubbed/patted/scritched.  It is sooooo calming.  A friend sat there rubbing my head for a while, when we were watching TV... Think I might have gone in-and-out of consciousness a couple times from it.

I also like a good back-scratching now and then. 

And I will agree with the whole end-of-spine feeling as well.  Not necessarily just from behind the ears, but my whole head makes it happen to an extent. 

I myself do tend to pat my friends on the head.  Probably just in hopes that they would do the same back...

*scritches for all who want them*

My thoughts exactly.  I'm a really open, outgoing person, but I wish I could resist a bit more xD, I'm not a very secretive person.  I love being scritched. 

[Kobuk]

Closed as the topic is past the 6 month gravedig rule.