Cat Love: 7 Ways That Cats Show Affection
Adam Rifkin stashed this in #love
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I'm missing Beavis, my cat and friend of 19.5 years who died on Monday, December 30.
This article from And My Cat reminds me of him:
Aside from purring and rubbing against you, here are some other ways that felines say “I love you”:
- Love Bites - Cats nip each other all the time to show affection, and they often do the same to us – though our skin isn’t as tough as theirs. Gentle nips can be taken as signs of affection – but if the bite gets too aggressive or your cat is biting down hard on your skin, it might be a sign that kitty is overstimulated and needs some alone time.
- Headbutting - We’ve written about this before – click here to read the entire article – but it’s one of the more quirky ways that cats let us know they love us.
- Slow Blinks - Eye contact means a lot to cats – intense staring is a way that some felines establish dominance over other felines, but gently breaking that eye contact by slowly blinking sends a totally different message. Many theorize that the slow blink is like a “cat kiss,” and you can return the favor with a slow blink back!The slow blink is also a good way to show a cat that you aren’t threatening, in case a cat is staring with a little intensity.
- Little Gifts - You might not have mice, birds, or spiders on your wish list, but these are the kind of gifts that cats love to give. Felines are natural hunters, so catching prey is no surprise – but that kitty wants to share that prey with you is a true sign of affection. Once, our cat even gently dropped a housefly at our feet as a gift!
- Peeing on the Bed - Though it might seem like kitty is acting out by urinating on your bed, if this typically happens while you’re away, it could just be your cat’s way of saying “I miss you.” When felines are stressed, their own scent can be comforting – and since your smell is also comforting, they might urinate on the things that most smell like you (your bed, your clothes) to ease their own anxiety.Of course, it’s very important to look at other avenues if your cat isn’t urinating in the litter box – medical conditions like urinary tract infections also cause kitties to miss the litter box, so definitely double check with a vet to make sure it’s nothing serious.
- Licking Your Skin or Hair - You’ve probably seen cats groom other cats before, and typically it’s only other cats that they know pretty well. Grooming is a sign of friendship, so if your cat tries to lick your skin or hair, it probably means that kitty considers you a best friend.
- Sleeping Next to You - Cuddling might seem like an obvious one, but cats take sleeping very seriously – their predatory instincts make them anxious sleepers, often picking unusual places to sleep so they feel safe and secure (in the wild, they’d be afraid of getting attacked). If fact, kitties often sleep sitting up so they are on alert – another symptom of their inner hunter.Because sleeping makes them feel vulnerable, it’s a sign of immense trust when they’ll snooze right next to you.
Beavis did all seven of these things, all of which I miss, except for him peeing on the bed.
But yeah, licking me, headbutting me, slowly blinking, sleeping next to me -- I miss all of those!
11:22 AM Jan 02 2014