After a long day’s work, you unlock the door to your home. “OH SPOT!”. A parade of doggy paws come raining down the stairs. You are then greeted by lots of slobbery kisses and barking. You can read Spot’s mind. “Owner you were gone…forever, I counted!”
Meanwhile, you peer over to the couch where Fluffy the cat is sleeping, unphased by your great return home, “feed me!” Unlike dogs, cats don’t always show their affection so obviously. Sometimes, their ways of affection can even surprise us:
- Bringing you presents.
- Cats will bring you presents such as mice, squirrels, birds and leaves. They don’t want you to starve! This is due to the natural instinct of hunting and feeding their young. They are simply acting out their roles as teachers. You represent their surrogate family and family needs food to survive.
- Rubbing against you.
- Cats who want to mark you as your own will rub their face against you. Cats have special glands that secrete a scent to let others know you are theirs and theirs only. If they love you, they will keep you.
- Staring into your eyes.
- Cats who stare into your eyes and blink slowly are trusting of you. When they do this, they are showing affection and are relaxed around you.
- Tail dancing.
- The tail of a cat can tell us when they are happy, stressed, or upset. When a cat is happy, the tail will stand up straight and curve and quiver at the tip.
- Following you around the house.
- Cats don’t necessarily need to be in your lap to show love. Most cats like to follow their owner around the house. Now you know why your cat scratches on the bathroom door!
- Exposing their belly.
- Cats that lay around you and let you rub their bellies are very trusting of you. They are literally putting themselves in a vulnerable position knowing they are safe with you.
- Laying on your things.
- Cats love to lay on anything you are occupying your time with. Books, computers, paperwork and tablets to name a few. Cats love attention; they do this to get attention. Why would you want to do work when you could be snuggling a ball of fur with cute little claws?
- Sleeping on your chest.
- Cats enjoy the warmth and heartbeat you provide when you snuggle. They enjoy being with you and knowing exactly where you will be when they awake.
- Making biscuits.
- Cats who knead into the laps of their owners are very happy and content. This trait is learned from kittenhood to get milk from their mothers.
- Playfully attacking you.
- Cats love to practice their method of attack. Hunting is in their blood, passed down from kitty to kitty. Of course, it would be hard to turn down a striped sock walking down the hallway. Where is that foot going? It must be caught. When a cat plays with you, it is true happiness!
How Do Cats Show Affection? 7 Cat Affection Signs
Your Cat Can Pick up on How You Are Feeling
25 Cat Behaviors That Seem Random, but Really Aren’t
Written by Adora Wesson, Veterinary Assistant