How Do Cats Say I Love You?

We tend to look at cats as slightly arrogant and self centred. But even if you have realized that your cat is a loving being you might still have the stigma in the back of your head. Because of this, it might be hard for you to tell which signs mean that your cat loves you.

Before reading these tips from Household Pets UK website, just a fair warning: all cats are different and they have different signs of affection. They are unique just like we are, so your cat’s love language might vary to that on this list. But that will not make it any less valid than any of these others.

Pet ownership is a good way to improve your own mood, especially if they give you companionship, warmth and love.

So, how does your cat say that it loves you?

Kisses

If you kiss your cat regularly then they will eventually realize that it’s a sign of affection and love. If they love you there is a good chance that they will start to mimic this behavior and try to kiss you back. This can mean a single lick, shoving their nose in your face, or even light biting. There is a chance that they will pick up on this too well they might start the day by pushing their face in front of yours and demanding the same once you get home from work. Speaking from experience, try to avoid this if you want to keep your sanity.

Hard biting might happen too if you have a little kitten since they can’t control it very well just yet and they might go overboard with the biting. If this happens try to redirect them and make sure to make a small yelp, so that they know they are hurting you, just like they do with their littermates.

Pawing at you

You might see your cat randomly pawing at your face or your limbs throughout the day. If you don’t smell like food and they aren’t trying to play then there is a good chance that they are just trying to pet you back and tell you that they love you.

This kind of behavior is a bit rare and can be annoying if your cat paws at your face, but they just want to make sure you feel as loved as they do.

Sleeping on you

If you try to look up why your cat might be sleeping on you, then you will likely get the answer that they are doing it for warmth. Let’s be clear about this: it might be partly true, but if they were only doing it to warm themselves up they would snuggle up beneath your blanket and lay by your side.

But no. If your cat sleeps on you it means that they are listening to your heartbeat, and your breathing, they are trying to stay close to you. When cats are just kittens they tend to sleep together in a so-called cuddle puddle where they can stay warm together, but it also helps them bond and keep each other safe. Even kittens who don’t have siblings have a need for this, since it’s very likely that their mom did the same with them.

This is the way your cat says that they love you, by treating you like their own family.

Spending time near you

Some cats just aren’t physically affectionate and that is completely okay! Cats have love languages just like we do and they are completely valid. Your pet might show their love by sitting near you, no matter where you are in the house.

At first, you might not even notice it or write it off as either a coincidence or that they just want food. They are just simply everywhere, they get up from their rest to follow you to the toilet, they walk you out of the house when you leave and they sit by you while you watch Netflix. If you pay attention you will see that cats say I love you by just being near you too.

Leaving their scent on you

Cats have scent glands all over their body. In between their toes, around their face, and on top of their head. By rubbing these parts on you they are essentially marking you as their territory and claiming you as part of their family too. If you have their scent on them, because they willingly rubbed it on you, then that cat loves you.

Licking

This one is different from trying to mimic kissing. Grooming is part of a cat’s nature and it makes up a huge part of their day, so it’s not a surprise that they do it to other cats and humans too. It’s an important ritual, that keeps them clean and healthy, however, it can also be used to display affection.

If your cat licks you constantly it’s a really good sign, since they are trying to groom you and thus, saying they love you. Either this or you really need a shower.

Meowing

Cats don’t meow at other adult cats. They only do it while they are kittens to communicate with their mom, so it’s no wonder that stray cats who aren’t around humans don’t tend to meow or chirp.

They did learn to meow around humans though since we pick up on these vocal signs much more than their body language. This can either signal that your cat views you just like it viewed its mother, or that it finds you good enough to communicate with.

Purring

This is the most commonly known sign of affection in cats. They purr when they are content and happy, so if they start purring whenever you pet them then it is a sure way to know that they love you. If you don’t even need to touch them, they are just simply around you and they are purring, then consider yourself lucky.

However, be aware of cats purring too much. They purr when they or others are sick since the vibration can aid healing. Pay attention to other details and you might find out that your cat has an illness before anything serious happens.

Having a cat has also been shown to be good for your mental health. So make sure to give your cat plenty of kisses and cuddles! It’s good for you 😉