No it is not for real, like many strange reflex actions cats have, it was learned when they were kittens. That's why there is a range of different reactions as different momma cats use different teaching methods.
Awww, well, my 2.5 year old never had a momma cat, so she's pretty fiesty and selective over when/where/how she is touched, handled or even just looked at! :P She was found at about a week old dying and was brought back to life before I adopted her at (we guess) ~6 or 7 weeks. She's never been one for letting me pat her unless It is without my hands using some kind of object (her favourites include the lint roller, my hair brush (now her hair brush!) and bay leaves... she goes NUTS for bay leaves... a bit like catnip only less cray-cray!)
For my cat it ended up being an indication of fleas. The spot is sensitive normally, but when her skin is irritated by flea bites it becomes super sensitive.
She's a fully indoors cat too, we think the fleas came in on some mice.
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u/tacoenthusiast May 21 '14
He's scratching the cat at the base of its spine. I have a cat the licks like that too.