Cats are wonderful animals. But their independence and often elusive nature means is not always easy for us to determine if this pet has accepted us as family (as part of its clowder). The natural instincts of cats still remain despite centuries of domestication. These natural instincts can seem as alien to us as our finger clicking and kissing sounds might seem to them. If my cat can't use English to show they love me, we have to see what other signs they use to show us love. Even if their behavior might seem odd to us, cats have many signs that show they love us. This article on the 10 signs that my cat loves me from oneHOWTO shows us what all the licks, belly rolls and head butts actually mean.
The cat rubs its head against you
One of the more obvious signs that your cat loves you is that normally when you get home or when you and your cat are together, your furry friend comes running to greet you and rubs its head against your legs or any other part of your body. This gesture is not only heart-warming as the physical contact clearly shows, but in doing so the cat leaves pheromones on your body demonstrating that they feel safe with you and that they trust you. These pheromones are found in glands around their mouth, chin, forehead and cheeks. However, it is not all about head rubbing. Not all of them will do it, but it is common for some cats to give you a head butt. This is sometimes to get your attention, but it is also a common one to show that they love you and give you affection. It's your initiation into the pussy pack.
The cat purrs when you give them affection
Discovering why cats purr will help you understand the behavior of your pussy cat. You should know that if this is the response to your affection, you should honored because this kind of purr means that your cat is happy and pleased. Your cat likes receiving your attention and proves it with this significant sound. The same goes for a meow. It is an amazing little known fact that adult cats do not meow at each other, only kittens mew for attention from their mother. This shows us that if your cat is meowing at you, even if it is because they are hungry, it is likely because they love you like a parent. Even if it's annoying at 3 am, meowing (or miawoing) shows they care enough to think you're family.
The cat gives you small bites
In those moments when you're stroking your feline friend or showing them your love, you might get a little nibble. It might seem like a tickle, but you should know that this is one of the signs that your cat loves you. Although not common in all cats, this is a clear gesture of affection.
Has your cat even put your finger in its mouth and started sucking on it? Don't be afraid, as this reminds them of when their mother was breastfeeding them so, lucky you, you're mother figure status is confirmed.
Do not confuse these kind of bites with the one your cat gives you when you play with your fingers. Then it is not so much a cat showing they love you, but using your fingers as prey or lures. The play bites are violent, painful and not as tender. To get your pet to stop this habit, read our article on how to keep my cat from biting me.
The cat sees you and raises its tail
A clear way to know how your cat feels about you is to learn to interpret the movements of its tail. You will see when your little friend is relaxed, scared or keeping an eye on a given situation. If every time you come home or your cat approaches you, it has its tail raised straight up or with a curved tip, you should feel very good, because it means that the animal is happy and pleased to see you.
No doubt that with the tail in this shape, kitty is trying to tell you that they are very comfortable with you. Cats do have many signals used with the tail and are even more sensitive than dog's tails. It may not be simply affection, but you will start to tell the difference when your cat waves its tail to tell you they love you.
Your cat occasionally kneads you
When the cats are little baby kittens, they instinctively knead the belly of the mother cat. This is so they can encourage the production of milk and thus to feed themselves adequately. Adult cats occasionally do this on your stomach or on your legs. It is a gesture that serves to reflect that feeling of being comfortable with your presence which somehow evokes their kitten stage. It means they love you, that you make them feel both comfortable and secure. This is one of the Signs that your cat loves you because you put your cat at ease. It is also a sign that your cat feels mothered by you. But what happens if your cat kneads and bites you at the same time? Find out in this other oneHOWTO article!
A little lick to tell you how much your cat loves you
If your cat gives you a cheeky little lick, you should feel honored. Your little furry friend is licking your face or your hair to show some affection. In their clowders (the collective word for a group of cats), cats lick each other to preen one another. They do this because of the papillae (the hard spines on a cat's tongue) which act like hairbrushes to collect loose fur. It is still a form of demonstrated affection and respect. It is something common to many animals, including humans, when family will preen each other. So, if your cat licks you, you should feel very special as you are considered as part of their pack, an honor that not everyone can boast.
The cat shows you their tummy to tell you that it trusts you
Not all cats let people stroke their bellies nor do they expose themselves to anyone just like that. If your pet does flaunt its belly and also allows you to caress or cuddle them, there's no doubt that you've got one of the signs that your cat loves you. This indicates that the cat fully trusts you and your furry friend knows that you will not do them any harm. And in the feline world, confidence it is everything, so congratulations for this honor! It can also show that they want to play with you, but they will only play with you if they love and trust you, so even if that get a little trigger happy with the claws, your cat still shows it loves you.
The cat loves to sleep by your side!
Do you ever wonder why your cat likes to sleep on top of you? It is clear that our heat attracts them and we give them the protection they would like, but if your cat likes to sleep curled up with you then it's also a sign that your cat loves you and who likes to be near you. It is their way of telling you that they enjoy your company, even during the time of rest. Cats are at their most vulnerable when they are sleeping. So, if they seek you out to sleep near you it is because they love and trust you enough to do so.
The cat surprises you with a little present
Cats love to hunt. It is something instinctive, even though cats are domesticated animals, they will never let go of their inner hunter. So if you ever your pet surprise you with a gory prey item or hunting prize, instead of going crazy because of the blood all over the bed-sheets, pet your cat and reward the little fellow for their effort. In the feline world, this means that your cat has hunted something specially for you, you are part of the crew and the cat does care about you.
There are two main schools of thought as to why cats present gifts to you, but they both show they love you. One is that they treat you like a kitten and are trying to show you how to hunt or what sort of food to look for. The other is that cats present gifts to cats in their clowder who are high ranking and dominant in the group. This shows that they love you, that you are one of them. Whether or not you're at the top or the bottom of the pile is maybe a little unsure.
The cat protects you when you are sick
One of the most important signs that your cat loves you is when the cat shows loyalty and protection. Whenever you've been sick, depressed or if something important has happened to you on a physical or mental level, your cat has been accompanying you, sitting by your side. It's like a sixth sense will indicate to them that something is wrong with you. The cat knows you need care and affection. What better way than to keep you company. Hopefully you'll do the same when the tables are turned.
Cats are simply wonderful, and when we notice any of these signs immediately we should feel honored and loved by our furry friends.
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