Have you ever wondered: does my cat love me or not? We often believe that our feline pets love us as much as we adore them. But, how can we be sure if they are affectionate or prefer to stay aloof?
Cats have a reputation for being less affectionate than dogs. They are often dubbed as cold and aloof creatures compared to their canine counterparts, as humans find it difficult to understand their cat’s emotions.
Though they sometimes behave like they don’t care about your presence, you will find them giving many signals that they adore you if you pay close attention. Felines have their unique way of displaying their love and affection. Let’s find out the various signs that indicate how much your kitty cares about you.
Signs That Indicate Your Cat Loves You
Here are some surprising behavioral signs that show your kitty loves you.
1. Blinking slowly:
Cat’s parents are familiar with the slow blinking of the feline eyes. This charming way of expressing love is otherwise known as eye kiss or cat kiss. Through this trance-like kitty gaze, they communicate their affection, happiness, and trust towards their owners. By looking at your cat and blinking back slowly, you will be able to demonstrate to them that the feeling of affection is mutual.
Also, encouraging this emotional behavior will help you strengthen the human-feline bond, giving them a feeling of trust and happy approval. This is quite evident when you have other cats at home. You will notice your feline pet slow blinking more often. They are trying to give signals to the other cats that they are happy.
2. Shows you the belly:
Feline creatures don’t show their tummies to anyone, as it happens to be their most vulnerable spot. If your cat rolls on the floor or lies down with the tummy up, it shows that they are comfortable enough to remain vulnerable and unguarded around you. They usually lie down in this position only when they feel safe. This sign happens to be an indication of ultimate trust!
Feline creatures usually show their tummies only when they feel extremely loved and protected. They know that humans find it hard to avoid petting the belly of a fluffy furball. However, be on guard as cats are unpredictable and capricious by nature. At times, tummy rubs can become violent without any prior notice, and you may end up getting some light scratches. You need to pay close attention to any sudden change in behavior to avoid getting hurt.
3. Follows you everywhere:
Cats usually may not enjoy cuddling close to you on the couch as much as their canine friends do. At times, they may not even be interested in head butts or belly rubs either. They are very particular when it comes to the amount of physical affection they tolerate. Though they may not be extremely affectionate, you will frequently find them hanging out in the same room or your space, keeping an eye on you from afar. If you go to another room, it’s not a surprise you will find your kitty buddy keeping close behind and following you constantly.
Cats always prefer to stay close to their favorite humans. Irrespective of being independent by nature, these creatures still want to spend time with their owners. If your kitty hops onto your bed or sits on the table and watches you eat, it shows that you interest them greatly.
4. Making biscuits or kneading:
When cats feel happy and content, they display a positive behavior known as kneading. This involves a rhythmic movement of the front paws and is usually associated with young kittens. Kittens practice this habit by rubbing their paws on their mother’s side to stimulate milk production. Even as they grow older, the adult cats show the same habit to indicate that they accept their human owners as parents.
If your feline buddy is keen on kneading, placing a thick blanket between their paws and your skin will be helpful. Some animal experts say this behavior is another method to leave their body scent on their favorite people to claim them as their own. Enjoy the special massage from your feline buddy, as it is an indication of trust and happiness.
5. Head butts and Cheek rubs to express love:
When your kitty approaches you with their head cocked up, be ready for a good head butt. Head butts are like cat hugs, where they deposit the scent from their face onto your body to create a strong bond. They do this to make their territory and claim their property.
If your feline buddy has a habit of head-butting you more often, it is to let other cats know you are more special to them. Some felines gently nozzle their faces onto their owners, whereas others may butt quite forcefully. Whichever method they choose to leave their scents, it’s a privilege to know you are their favorite person.
Cheek rubs are quite similar to head butts. You may notice cats rubbing their cheeks onto the owner’s legs or hands. By rubbing their face on your body, they’re marking you as their close friend.
6. Gives Love Bites:
Most feline creatures display their affection for their owners using gentle love bites. Based on how hard they bite, you will find the difference between love bites and aggressive bites. If it hurts badly, you need to watch out and instruct them not to repeat the same behavior. However, a playful bite that tickles is the way how your feline buddy shows that they adore you. Nibbling onto your arms or toes indicates they want to play with their favorite human.
Gets you gifts:
Another way of showing their appreciation is by bringing you generous gifts. If your cat gifts you with a dead bird or mouse they caught, it shows that they are thinking about you while picking up their gifts. Felines being natural hunters, may consider you as their best friend and want to share their latest hunting spoils with you.
Presenting you with the prey they caught is also an act of teaching the young ones how to hunt. As she has never seen you hunt for food, she might consider you a family member who needs to be taught. By sharing their spoil, they are happy to know you are well fed. As you feed them their food daily, they come with gifts to return the favor.
However, these gifts can be quite disgusting, but never chastise or show ugly faces when they leave you with presents. Just like any other gift, it’s the thought that matters! So make sure to accept it with gratitude, as it is a sign of their esteem towards you.
Final Thoughts
Decoding your cat’s love language is possible by looking out for signals that indicate your feline buddy is totally in love with you. Despite what most pet owners think, cats do have a lot of affection for their owners. Just that it happens to be quite different from how dogs express their feelings, humans find it quite challenging to read their emotions, as they express their feline affection in a downright subtle manner.
If your kitty exhibits any of the above common emotional behaviors, you know for sure they love you.
