Unlike dogs, cats live for themselves, which means that they rarely show their emotions. Let’s see how do cats show affection.
As a cat owner, you may find it difficult to understand if your cat has feelings for you because they know pretty well how to hide their emotions.
However, this article will help you decipher the hidden signals sent by your cat, to better understand if your cat loves you or not.
How Do You Know If Your Cat Loves You?
Cats prefer to show their feelings in many different ways such as: purring, chasing you, staring at you, blinking while staring at you, pressing their body against you, bringing you presents, keeping their head close to your body or face, coming or running at you when you arrive home, jumping on your desk when you work on your computer, playing with you and nibbling on your skin, etc.
Let’s see them in detail.
1. Purring
If your cat starts purring when you touch her, and prefers to stay next to you most of the time (even during the night) and purring loudly, this is a clear sign that your cat loves you.
A cat that wants to spend time close to you is a clear sign that it feels something for you.
Scientists say that cats purr when they are happy, but they can also purr when they are scared or stressed.
However, if your cat prefers to lie peacefully next to you and purr, it is a clear sign that wants to show you affection.
2. Chasing you
Another sign of affection is when your cat wants to chase you no matter whether you go (even if you go to the bathroom).
Of course that your cat might chase you if you go in the kitchen to grab some food because it thinks that you will feed her.
However, if your cat starts chasing you in the house all over the place, it is a clear sign that wants to be around you all the time, and this is a clear sign of love.
3. Staring at you
Have you noticed that your cat stares at you from time to time? Well, this is happening because your cat thinks that you are interesting, and it likes you.
Some people feel uncomfortable when their cat is staring at them all the time, but I would say that they should consider themselves lucky because cats do this only when they truly love you.
Be happy that your cat is interested in you, because there are owners that are almost completely ignored by their felines.
4. Blinking while staring at you
If your cat is also slowly blinking while staring at you, that’s a clear sign that it likes you, and feels comfortable around you.
The fact that she slowly closes one eye while sitting near or in front of you, is a sign that she feels safe around you because you are friends, so she doesn’t have to be vigilant all the time.
5. Pressing their body against you
Another sign of love from your cat is when she sneaks around your legs and presses her body against you. She does this even if it makes you stumble when walking or you stay still.
Girl hugging her cat, image source: pixabay.com
Being very possessive and jealous, cats are trying to show this way that they belong to you.
6. Bringing you presents
When your cat tries to show you that she loves and cares for you, she might bring you presents.
These could be: mice, rats, birds, insects or even toys. This way your cat is trying to make you happy because she thinks that you will eat the prey and you’ll be pleased.
7. Keeping their head close to your body or face
When your cat keeps her head close to your body or face is a very good sign that your cat accepts and likes you.
Cats that want to be around you most of the time, will lay their head and body near your body or face. This way they are trying to show you that they are happy spending time and being in close touch with you.
If they like to sleep near or on your body, this is another sign that you belong to them and they love and trust you.
This also shows that your cat has a special relationship with you as her owner.
8. Coming or running at you when you arrive home
If your cat waits patiently near the door for you to return to the room from where you left, or she starts running at you when you come back home, it is a good sign that your cat missed you, and now is happy because you are back.
This is another clear sign of love between you and your cat because she is happy when it sees you returning home to stay with her.
9. Jumping on your desk when you work
When your cat jumps on your desk to sit in front of your computer screen or tries to squeeze her body between you and your book, is a sign that she’s trying to attract your attention.
At the same time, she wants to stay with you even if you work because she loves you and can’t stand to stay away from you.
10. Nibbling on your skin while playing with you
When your cat nibbles on your skin, you don’t have to worry that much because she is not trying to bite you. Your cat does this only when you play with her, and this behavior is similar to mother cats that also nibble on their kitten’s fur to clean it.
This is definitely a sign that your cat has feelings for you because she is trying to groom you.
Do Cats Feel Love When You Kiss Them?
Domestic cats generally don’t like to be kissed, neither to wrap your hands around them for a hug.
Your cat may feel constrained and vulnerable when you are trying to kiss her, image source: pixabay.com
If you try to hug your cat and then kiss her, she might have a feeling of imprisonment because you are locking your huge hands around her tiny body. She might feel vulnerable like when you are trying to touch her belly.
However, cats that like to stay close to your body or face might feel pleasure when you touch and kiss them. During these moments of tenderness your cat will start purring to show you how great she feels.
A cat that accepts your kisses has a very strong bond with you, and the relationship between you two must be a very deep one.
Do Cats Have A Favorite Person?
If you wonder why your cat seems to prefer a different person in the house despite the fact that you are the owner, you might be shocked when you will find out the answer.
In homes occupied by couples or by entire families, you may see that the cat prefers a specific person in the house, even if that person is not the owner of the cat.
You might be the person that takes care of the cat (you feed her, trim her, etc.), but she still prefers another person living under the same roof with you.
Well, this is happening exactly like in the case of people, some of them will become best friends, even if they are in a circle of other friends.
The bond that forms between your cat and the other member of the family might be stronger than the bond formed between you and your cat.
How To Make Your Cat Return To You?
If you want to change that, just watch closely the interaction between the other person and your cat.
You have to see what the other person is doing to please the cat, and you can try to do the same.
Maybe your cat feels in a certain way when the other person is petting her or the petting session is different than in your case. Some individuals are more sensitive than others.
Exactly like people, your cat may feel different when is touched by the other person. You can’t change this, but if you watch them closely, I’m sure that you will find the reason why your cat is happier with the other person.
You also have to pay attention to the position where the other person sits in the house because your cat might choose that person for that specific place in the house.
Try to occpy that space yourself to see if the cat comes to you to sit in your lap. If she does this, the reason of the problem might be created by that place in the house and not by the other person.
Final thoughts
You have to know that cats are not permanent in the way they deal with certain people in the house, so if they like a person today, that could change in the future.
