How Do Cats Say, "I Love You"?

Let’s face it. Cats are quite different than dogs. Dogs express their affection exuberantly. With a dog, you never have to wonder if you are loved; they let you know it all the time by their constant shadowing of your every move and unending barrage of sloppy, wet kisses. But cats play things a little more cool. In fact, sometimes you may even wonder if your cat knows you’re alive. But the truth is your favorite furry feline does love and appreciate you, they just show it in more subtle ways. Just how does a cat say I love you?

The Top Eight Ways Cats Say I Love You

Cats have a unique language that they employ to express their emotions. Unfortunately, we humans are often not skilled at understanding the message our fave furry friends are trying to convey. Here is a list of the top eight ways cats say I love you:

• Digging at your legs
• If your cat has a habit of climbing in your lap and pushing against your legs, you can rest assured that your kitty is trying to communicate his affection for you. This action often occurs when a cat is already contentedly snuggling in his owner’s lap and wants to express his contentment and love. Though the pawing motion is not unpleasant, sometimes cats don’t limit the action to their paws; instead choosing to dig their nails in, causing their owner pain.
• If you enjoy your cat’s affection but not so much the pain of his nails, you can have your cake and eat it too by placing a thick blanket or cushion over your legs.
• Gift giving
• You have heard that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Well, your cat thinks so too. The downside to this act of affection is what you think is a nice gift and what your cat does are two entirely different things.
• As a sign of love for their person, cats will often give them gifts such as toys, food items, and yes, dead animals; particularly rodents. Though our reaction to a dead rat or bird is not typically joy, it is important to praise your cat for his thoughtful gifts as the motivation behind the gift giving is adoration for you.
• Headbutting
• While having a hard surface bonked against your head hardly seems like a way to express affection, your cat views things differently. Since cats possess glands in their cheeks and heads, the act of rubbing their heads against their favorite person is a means of transferring their scent onto you. In essence, the head butting is the easiest method of marking you as belonging to your cat. When viewed from this perspective, it really is quite an honor and a sign that your kitty views you as his family.
• Hypnotic staring
• If you find your cat staring at you a little unnerving, you are not alone. However, you can mean you no harm when he engages in this behavior. In fact, it is quite the opposite! Gazing in your eyes and blinking at a very slow rate is your cat’s way of letting you know he thinks you’re the bomb. Staring and blinking communicate both trust and affection when displayed by your cat.
• Belly baring
• Since the belly of a cat is an extremely vulnerable area, they will not reveal it to just anyone. If your cat rolls over on his back and gives you a flash of his belly, he is communicating to you that he trusts you.
• Giving love bites
• Though no one appreciates being bitten, your cat giving you a little nip is his version of saying, “I love you.” Since cats often interact with each other in this same fashion, this is an extension of their language into their relationship with their owner. Since your cat doesn’t know his own strength, sometimes his affectionate little nips hurt though they are always intended as an expression of his devotion.
• Leg rubbing
• It is quite common for two cats to show affection by rubbing against each other. Much as with head butting, your cat rubbing against your legs is his way of marking you with his scent and establishing that you belong to him.
• Purring
• Though purring can indicate many different moods in a cat, a love purr is difficult to mistake for anything else. Cats that purr in your presence are extremely contented and expressing their joy at basking by the side of their favorite person.

Though cats express themselves in a language that is entirely different from dogs, they have their own unique ways of communicating love for their people. Next time your cat engages in seemingly unusual behavior, remember it just might be his way of letting you know he cares!