Ever wonder if your cat actually likes you? You’re not alone. Cats have this reputation for being aloof, mysterious creatures who couldn’t care less about us mere humans. While dogs wear their hearts on their sleeves, cats prefer to play it cool. They’ve mastered the art of indifference, or so it seems.
Here’s the thing though. Your cat probably adores you, but they’re just terrible at showing it in ways we expect. They’re not going to jump up and down when you come home or follow commands to prove their devotion. Instead, feline affection comes wrapped in subtlety and mystery. Once you crack the code, you’ll realize your seemingly standoffish kitty has been declaring their love all along.
They Give You Slow, Sleepy Blinks
When your cat makes eye contact with you and offers slow, deliberate blinks with lowered eyelids, they’re essentially giving you a feline kiss. This isn’t some random eye movement or a sign they’re getting drowsy. It’s a deliberate gesture of trust and deep affection.
If a cat blinks slowly at you, it means they trust and love you. Think about it from their perspective. In the wild, closing your eyes around potential threats would be a terrible survival strategy. When your cat slowly blinks at you, they’re telling you they feel completely safe in your presence. This behavior may be easily missed or mistaken for sleepiness, but when your cat looks at you deliberately and softly closes and opens their eyes, they’re communicating they feel safe and at ease with you. You can even return the gesture by slowly blinking back at them to strengthen your bond.
They Knead You Like Fresh Dough
Does your cat ever do that weird thing where they push their paws in and out against you, sometimes with their claws out? This behavior begins in kittenhood and is associated with nursing on their mother, and kneading is believed to bring comfort by releasing endorphins to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
When your cat kneads you, they’re being very clear that you make them feel loved and comfortable. It’s honestly one of the sweetest things about cat behavior. They’re reverting back to being a tiny kitten, feeling that same contentment they experienced when nursing. Sure, the claws can be uncomfortable, but try to appreciate what they’re really saying. When they knead you, the action allows them to mark you using their scent glands. You’re not just their favorite person; you’re family.
They Follow You Everywhere (Yes, Even the Bathroom)
Many pet parents might find it odd that their cats follow them everywhere they go, even into the bathroom, but this just means your cat wants to spend more time with you and enjoys your company. If you can’t even use the toilet without a furry supervisor, congratulations. Your cat is obsessed with you.
If your cat follows you from room to room, this is a sign they consider you a special companion, and they simply enjoy being around you and watching what you’re up to. Let’s be real, this can get annoying when you’re trying to get work done or need five minutes of privacy. Still, it’s actually a huge compliment in the feline world. They could be napping anywhere in the house, yet they choose to shadow your every move because being near you matters to them.
They Headbutt You With Enthusiasm
Headbutting and cheek rubbing are social behaviors learnt throughout kitten-hood and are ways cats build bonds and affection with other animals and the humans they do it to. When your cat deliberately bonks their head against your face, hand, or leg, they’re doing something incredibly special.
Cats have scent glands in their foreheads, lips and cheeks that only other cats can smell, so when they rub against their owners, they’re marking whatever they rub against as their property and picking up your scent in a show of scent-sharing. You might not realize it, but your cat is essentially claiming you as theirs and mixing your scents together. It’s deeply personal in the cat world. When a cat bumps their head against you, it’s a gesture of bonding, marking you as part of their territory.
They Show You Their Belly
Rolling onto their back and exposing their belly is a signal of trust. The belly is the most vulnerable part of a cat’s body, packed with vital organs and thin skin. In the wild, exposing this area would be incredibly dangerous.
Rolling over is how cats show affection on your return home and means excitement in cat language, and exposing the vulnerable area of their belly is a sign that a cat both trusts and loves you. Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Just because they show you their belly doesn’t necessarily mean they want you to touch it. Many cats will absolutely attack your hand if you try to rub that fluffy tummy. The belly display itself is the compliment, not an invitation for pets. They’re showing you they trust you enough to be vulnerable around you.
They Bring You “Gifts”
Cats are natural hunters, so when your kitty brings you freshly caught prey, they’re actually offering you a delicious meal, and though you don’t want to touch it, they mean well and this behavior is a sign they care deeply for you. Yeah, it’s gross. Finding a dead mouse on your doorstep or a mangled bug on your pillow isn’t exactly pleasant.
Even indoor cats may catch flying insects and present them as gifts to their owners, and while this might not delight the recipient, it’s actually a sign of love and pride, and cats may substitute toys as gifts when live prey isn’t available. Female cats are most likely to partake in this behavior, especially if they’ve been spayed and don’t have young of their own, as their instinct to mother and care for their family doesn’t go away. They’re trying to feed you and teach you because they care. It’s twisted, but it’s love.
They Groom You With Their Tongue
A lick from your cat often means you’re being claimed as the closest of friends, as kittens are cleaned by their mother’s tongue and then use their own to groom each other as a sign of affection. That sandpaper tongue on your skin might not feel great, but it’s actually a major honor.
Cats groom each other as a display of affection and this behavior extends to humans when trust is built, with licking similar to the grooming cats perform on their feline friends, allowing them to mark each other and build their bond. When your cat licks your skin or hair, they’re performing allogrooming, a social bonding behavior typically reserved for other cats in their colony. Basically, your cat sees you as part of their inner circle. They’re not just tolerating you; they’re treating you like cherished family.
They Sleep On or Near You
If your cat hops into bed with you every night and snuggles against you, it’s a clear sign they enjoy physical closeness, and even cats who are nervous or don’t enjoy physical affection will often sleep near their people since they feel safest when their human is lying down. Sleep is when animals are at their most vulnerable.
Cats that choose to sleep on or near their owners are showing trust and affection, and even if a cat simply naps in their owner’s vicinity, it signals they feel safe and secure. The fact that your cat chooses to spend those defenseless hours curled up against you or in the same room speaks volumes. They could sleep anywhere, yet they pick you. It’s hard to say for sure, but I think that means you’ve become their safe place, their home base in a sometimes unpredictable world.
The Bottom Line on Feline Affection
Cats express love differently than dogs or even humans. They’re subtle, sometimes confusing, and they’ll never beg for your approval. The signs are there though, hidden in slow blinks, gentle headbutts, and yes, even those unwanted dead mice.
Your cat doesn’t need to wag their tail or bounce around to show they care. They demonstrate their affection in quieter, more meaningful ways that require you to pay attention. Once you understand their secret language, you’ll realize your cat has been shouting their love from the rooftops all along. They just happen to do it in whispers.
What’s your cat’s favorite way of showing affection? Tell us in the comments.
