Cats usually express their love and affection for their humans in a subtle way and it is very different from the way their furry counterparts, i.e. dogs, demonstrate their affection. Cats are usually believed to be nonchalant towards the demonstration of affection by their human companions. But, they do love their parents back nonetheless. How do you find out whether your feline is happy, content, and is showing love to you? Here is the answer.

In this blog, we will list down some of the most common behaviours cats display while expressing their affection for you to help you understand your furball’s love for you.

Decoding cat affection

Pet lovers and pet parents many times ask the question: are cats affectionate? The answer is a big yes. When your furry companion is expressing their love for you, they will display one or more of the following signs:

• The body language

  If you find your feline’s tail straight up with a slight curl at the top, it means that they are happy to see you. If they run towards you and throw themselves on the ground and start rolling or show their belly, this shows that they are greeting you and longing for your attention. When your furry friend sits close to you in such a way that their tail will touch you when they swing it, this is also a display of their affection for you.

• Vocal expressions

  Sure cats cannot ‘talk’ like humans, but they have different vocal expressions to say ‘I Love You’ to their parents. Purring is the most common expression for showing contentment. When your catto meows continuously on seeing you, this means they are interacting with you out of love. Trilling or chirping, on the other hand, means that your fur baby trusts you and wants your undivided attention.

• Kneading

  Kitties knead against their mothers’ breasts while feeding on their milk when they are babies to induce milk release. They repeat his behaviour in adulthood to show that they are relaxed and feel loved. So if your cat is kneading while sitting on your lap or when you pet them, feel lucky as they are expressing their love for you.

• Eye blinks

  Cats make eye contact only with people they trust completely. When your cat makes eye contact with you or blinks slowly and continuously with half-closed eyes, they are displaying their affection for you. Eye blinking by cats is also known as ‘cat kiss’ and is one of the highest levels of expression of love by cats. To strengthen your bond with your furry friend, you can also try kissing them back with eye blinks.

• Bunting

  Rubbing their head or cheeks with your cheeks or bumping their forehead with your head means that your cat is leaving their scent on you and marking their territory. Bunting is your feline’s way of saying: ‘You are mine’. Cats practice bunting only with humans or other animals they love and like to spend time with.

• Biting

  Though generally considered an aggressive expression, biting by cats is different. When they nibble you playfully, it is to show their love for you and not to harm you. These gentle bites are ‘love bites’ and are not done with the intention of causing hurt to you.

• Following you

  Cats can be extremely clingy to their favourite human. One of the ways to express their love and trust in you, your cat will follow you wherever you go, sometimes in the bathroom too if not stopped. They may also weave around your legs. It is their way of reminding you that they want your complete attention and that nothing else should be more important to you.

• Gifting bounty

  However domesticated, cats are natural hunters and like to satisfy their instincts by pouncing on mice, insects or their toys. Being immensely territorial, cats do not like to share their bounty with anyone. It is thus a pure expression of love when they gift you their prey or whatever they have collected by hunting. This way, they are offering food and showing that they care for you.

Parting notes

Cats are often misunderstood for not loving back their parents. But in reality, they are equally affectionate for their human companions as dogs. However, their love language is remarkably different. Pay attention to the love signs your cat displays to understand their love and affection for you and reciprocate their love wholeheartedly to ensure their happiness and contentment. For any queries, Ask a vet.