My last cat was like this too. She didn’t like having her paws touched, but she loved belly rubs, and would literally come over and flop at my feet as a request for attention.
Some cats dont mind it and some either really dont like it, or prefer not to it depends on the cat really I'm adamant. I mean for some cats its too over stimulating I have heard, plus they're exposing their most vulnerable part of their body as well.
Cats really just sleep very lightly, so if seemingly (even though its not the case sometimes with us) to them we're having a really deep long sleep they get anxious about it, be why he's doing that lol (they even sleep with their eyes open but their pupils will be closed.
He's such a cutie! <3 What happened to son oreille gauche? It looks like it has been clipped a little, does he get into scraps with other cats outside?
