elevator butt

noun

The raising of a domestic cat's hindquarters in response to being petted, scratched, or otherwise stimulated, usually at the base of the tail.

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Meanings

nounelevator butt (countable and uncountable, plural elevator butts)

plural elevator butts

  1. InternetcountablehumorousuncountableThe raising of a domestic cat's hindquarters in response to being petted, scratched, or otherwise stimulated, usually at the base of the tail.

    You *must* scratch me there! Yes, above my tail! Behold, elevator butt.

    1999, “Cat Haiku”, in Lodestar Shepherds, archived from the original on 14 Sep 2013
    2 more examples

    Elevator butt is what happens when you’re petting your kitty and they assume a chest lowered, hiney-raised position.

    2021 September 30, Zibby Wilder, “Why Do Cats Raise Their Butts When Scratched?”, in Rover, archived from the original on 30 Sep 2021

    A viral video captured the moment a crocodile did an "elevator butt" just like domestic house cats.

    2022 April 25, Robyn White, “Crocodile Does Elevator Butt Just Like Cat in Viral Video”, in Newsweek, archived from the original on 25 Apr 2022
Cite this entry
APA

elevator butt. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elevator%20butt

MLA

“elevator butt.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elevator%20butt. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “elevator butt,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elevator%20butt.

Source: elevator butt on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.