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!