Decoding How Cats Show Affection
Published August 26, 2011
Getty Images: Cat Affection
How do cats show affection? Head butting is just one answer!
I am totally amazed when people ask me how cats show affection. Most do not know the signs and consider kitties to be aloof, which is definitely not the case.
Cat affection can be displayed in very subtle ways. Totally different from dogs, who express love through tail-wagging and wet sloppy kisses, felines show their adoration and trust using body language that might can easy to miss.
Here are some common signs of cat affection:
- Eye blinks: When a cat meets a stranger for the first time, they give them an unblinking stare. They are wary. Cats that feel trust and affection for a human often blink at them. Now you may wonder why that is a positive sign. While it is not exactly the "wink" that humans use to express affection, (although it makes a lot of sense that may be the origin of that very commonly-used method of "flirting" between people), it is a gesture of trust and acceptance. So if your cat presents you with half-closed eyes, and blinks at you, you have received a kitty "kiss".
- Grooming: When your cat allows you to groom him, this is another sure sign that he trusts you and feels cat affection for you. Not only are cats cleaning each other when they indulge in one of their favorite pastimes, they also usegrooming as a stress-reliever and a way to build mutual bonds. If your cat offers to groom you, you have actually been accepted as part of his feline "family."
- Head Rubbing: When a cat rubs her face on a human, she is using scent glands on her cheeks to mark her territory. this can both mean affection, and that she is claiming the human in question as her "property." Cats also rub their faces on a wide variety of objects around the house, so it is fun to see which possessions are favorites. Head "butting" is yet another common display of loving.
- Belly Display: This sign of cat affection is one of the most profound acts of trust a cat can bestow on a human. This vulnerable act is one that needs to be truly appreciated and respected. However, it is not necessarily an invitation for a belly rub, so please approach a cat in this position very cautiously.
- Kneading: A cat kneading against your body is an act of sheer contentment, trust and true adoration. Often this is accompanied by drooling, which is the ultimate display of pleasure. This behavior originates when cats are newly born kittens, and helps stimulate milk flow from their mother. Highly regressive and instinctual, when your cat kneads you it is a supreme expression of delight and love.
Have I neglected any other signs of cat affection? Leave a comment and add to the list.
Jo Singer
Shortly after retiring as a social worker and psychotherapist, I discovered my "writer's voice"…
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Comments (30)
When my dear cat sees me coming, her tail immediately goes straight up like a flag. I believe it a sign of her happiness to see me.
My big hairy black cat (looks like a Maine Coon) is into major head butting. He always loves to be kissed ALL OVER his face, eyes, nose, you can squeeze him, hold him for ever, he purrs and purrs. One thing he does at times is in the morning, if I sleep in, he'll sometimes nuzzle DEEPLY into the crook of my arm. Just sticks his face in the crook as hard as he can and lays still. it's sooo cute
I am 20, When I was younger we always had animals. I lived on a dirt rode always finding strays and bringing them home. Luckily my mom loved cats, so she always love it when i brute them home. When I lived with mom we always had 3 to 4 cats in the house and i loved how when i walked in the door they would come out of the wood works to great me and crawl up my pant legs to get to my shoulder. I have been living with my bf for over a year now and he finally let me get a kitten 4 days ago. I name her yesterday, Baby cause she loves to be treated like one. She does all the things above plus more! She will flow me around the house talking to me the whole time, she will jump on the bed and lie down next to me, Dont try to sleep around her cause if your feet so much as moves a little bit she will attack them. But the funniest thing she does is when you call her you cant call her by name or she wont come you have to meow for her to come. lol She always sleeps with me and dont really much like my bf. She will let him pick her up and pet her but thats about it. And we found out last night that fish is like a drug to her she cant get enough and she gets energized when she eats it. She loves to play with her food b4 she eats it. And she loves eggs, she will steal them off of my plate when i eat them. And is it ok for cats to get food like potatoes, hamburger, chicken, and other foods that we normally eat?
My girls give me the blink & 1/2 closed eyes. One girl puts her paw on the side of my face. My other girl swats me whenever I walk by or (as I like to say) yells at me when she wants my attention. My boys drool & one lays (on me) on his side & puts his paw across me & lays his head on my chest (just like a human hug). The other boy gives me kitty kisses & one time he scratched at my bedroom door & when I opened it he ran down the hall (I was in bed trying to go to sleep). Needless to say, he did this 3 times in a row, each time making me get out of bed. The last time I opened the door & he was still there. I said, "Hey, you're supposed to..." and he took off down the hall (as if he suddenly remembered that we were playing a game). They all give me the headbutts, the kneading, belly display, grooming, & whine when I am in another room w/the door closed. I can't sit down for 5 mins w/o one or more ending up on my lap. Even my boy birdies scream when I get home. I cannot fathom my life w/o them. When someone passes it leaves a huge hole in my heart. But, right now, with them, life just can't get any better. They are my gift from GOD.
Cats rule. My cat, Cleo, is the most precious thing on this planet. I got her when she was just a 5 month old stray; I was a fourth grader and let me tell, I was elated when Daddy said we could take her home. I didn't leave her side for the first two days while she adjusted to her new surroundings - - ten years later and she continues to return the favor. My cat is an amazing and affectionate companion. Through physical and vocal cues I am constantly being reminded of how much she loves me and I never hesitate to reciprocate it. I don't predict there ever being a time in my life when I don't have cat, 'cause like I said, cats rule.