You’re a crazy cat person, but sometimes you just want your cats to know how much of a special place they hold in your heart. So how do you show your cats you love them?. Luckily, there are tons of ways to let your kitty know you adore her in their language. Cuddling and petting are traditional ways to show your cats love, but they are many more ways to show your affection.
15 Ways to Show Cats Love In Their Language
Here are 15 ways to show your cat that you love them —in cat language:
1- Playing games
This is one of the most important on this list, to show your cats love. Playtime is the easiest way to improve the relationship with your cat. Cats spend most of their time waiting for you to get back from school or work, so it’s only natural that they crave your attention and time once you walk through the door. You can snuggle together, talk to them, or choose the activity your cat likes best: playing games!
Figure out what activities your cat enjoys most and spend time every day playing together. Every cat has favorite games. Pick something that your kitty can’t get enough of, whether it’s a laser pointer they can chase or a toy with special smell. Some cats enjoy puzzle toys that you hide treats inside. Of course, you can always try something new and play a game of hide-and-seek together! This will build a beautiful connection between the two of you and keep your cat healthy too.
Most cats get bored easily too, so it won’t take that much of your time. But your cat will certainly feel the love and look forward to your next playing sesh together!
2- Slow blinking
Cats are just like people in a lot of ways – whenever they’re with someone they love, they let their guard down. Cats start to blink way slower when they feel relaxed, comfortable, and at peace to let you know that it’s all thanks to you. So you can slow eye blink back at your cat too, to show them that you feel the same way. Trust me, your cat will instantly get the message!
However, if you notice that your cat keeps squinting just one eye at you, it’s definitely not a sign of affection but of a possible eye infection. The best way you can show your cats love, in this case, is to get your pet to the vet ASAP!
3- Show your cats love: Training
Don’t let your pet wallow in boredom, cats need to exercise their bodies and their minds. No, learning tricks isn’t just for the dogs! contrary to what some people think, cats are very trainable too. Unlike dogs, cats aren’t really motivated by praise. However, they do respond to positive reinforcement in the form of soft foods like tuna or baby food or peace of chicken. Training will allow you to show affection as well as strengthen your bond together. What’s even better, they love a good mentally stimulating task!
Teaching your cat to do some new tricks will give it new interesting challenges, and those rewards will help your cat see you as a caring provider. This will help build your relationship.
Just make sure to start with simple commands, be patient, and never punish your kitty for not catching on.
4- Head bumping
If you have a couple of cats, you’ve probably seen cats bumping heads against one another. It’s a friendly greeting between the two of them. So they will come up and they will bump heads together, and it’s a happy greeting, like happy to see you.
So it’s actually a pretty happy behavior and they’re doing it to mark their territory as well as create a friendship between you. And if you do the same, your kitty will definitely appreciate it.
Also, if a cat bumps its head against you and then tucks it down or turns it to the other side, it simply wants your attention.
If the food or water bowl and litterbox look ok, then perhaps it’s playtime again?
5- Sleeping together
Cats are very vulnerable when they are sleeping, so they’ll never put themselves in a vulnerable position if they don’t trust a person.
And when cats sleep with their owner, they are confirming to you that they trust you and they see you as a protector.
Sleeping with you it is one of the ways your cat shows you affection. So next time you’re about to watch some TV or take a nap, lie down next to your kitty to show that you trust and love it too!
6- Turning the faucet on
Domestic kitties descend from bigger beasts like lions and tigers. your cat is still mostly driven by those natural instincts that helped its ancestors survive in the wild.
“Ok, but what does this have to do with leaving the faucet on?” In the wild, that is an instinct to drink running water as that is the safest water to consume. A cat’s instincts do not fall far from the ancestral tree. That’s why your cat looks so happy when it drinks water from the faucet and doesn’t seem too excited when you pour it into a bowl.
Turn on the faucet for your cat once in a while and let them drink from it. You will satisfy an underlying wild urge in them without all the danger and respect your kitty’s innate needs and wishes. Plus, some cats just like playing in the water!
7- Voice mimicking
Experts claim that a cat’s meows and purrs are way more diverse than we think and can mean completely different things depending on their tone and pitch. So, one meow can mean “Come closer,” while another that sounds almost the same might translate as “Go away!”
However, there’s still something you can do whenever your kitty starts “talking” to you (especially if it’s in distress) – respond right back with something of the same tone and pitch. Or even better, sing to them! This will calm your cat down and make it feel like you genuinely want to communicate with it.
8- Showing the belly
Perplexed by a cat’s behavior, one way felines prefer to show affection is by showing their belly to you. They will lay on their back and expose their abdomens, this behavior is a green light for you to rub their bellies.
Animals tend to hide their stomachs away from others especially if they’re sleeping. They do this because their abdomen is one of the most vulnerable parts of their bodies.
So if a cat is exposing its stomach to you it means they trust you.
9- Nose-to-tail rubs
Ever wondered why your cats often rub themselves from nose to tail on your leg? Hey, they’re simply rubbing their scent off on you and claiming you as their personal property! You see, cats release special pheromones from glands in their cheeks and rub this scent on you to mark you.
Give them all the nose-to-tail rubs they want and show your cats that you see them as all yours too!
10- Saying your cat’s name
When you come home, greet your cat, say hello and say their name. You know how psychologists say that we trust people who say our name more? Well, the same goes for cats too! Make it a habit to greet your cat by name every time you come home, even if it doesn’t come to the door.
Whether or not they stick around in the room or go exploring somewhere else, they will feel the acknowledgment you sent their way and will appreciate it. Likewise, when they meow, try to mimic the sound they made. They will feel more comfortable around you.
This trick also works wonders when you need to explain to your cat that it did something bad. Your furry friend will listen way more carefully if you refer to it by name.
Hey, kinda like your mom did when you got in trouble as a kid, right?
11- Show your cats love: Letting it be
Cats really value their independence and often need to spend some time alone. So if your cat isn’t that playful and rarely comes to you for cuddles and kisses, don’t try to force it. Just let it be! Your cat is just an introvert who wants to protect its personal space.
When your kitty wants some affection, it’ll come to you for back rubs, petting, and games. Once your furry friend will know for sure that you understand its introverted ways and respect its space, it’ll fall in love with you even more!
12- Show your cats love: Holding hands
Cats are natural hunters with incredibly sharp tactile senses. That is, cats love to touch and like to grab things. Hold their furry little paws in your hand and rub your fingers on both the top and bottom of their pots. It will also soothe them knowing that you’re there. This is the ultimate sign of support, love, and affection that your cat will easily understand.
Sometimes cats make the first move by putting their paws on your hands, so definitely don’t miss your chance to respond accordingly!
13- Show your cats love: Leaning in
You ever tried to hug your kitty just for it to run away from your loving arms? Hey, don’t take it personally! Hugging just isn’t how cats show affection – it’s a human thing. As for cats, they see it as aggressive, kinda like a predator snatching them up. The cat equivalent to a hug is leaning in. But never initiate it first! Instead, next time your cat presses against you as you’re watching TV or something, press a tiny bit of your weight back into them.
Just be careful – you wanna show Whiskers the power of your love, not crush him with it!
14- Learning your cat’s language
Even though cat experts do their best to figure out everything they can about cat communication, every feline is different. Get to know how your cat communicates. And the earlier you understand how your cat expresses its emotions through body language and meows, the stronger your connection will be.
When we love someone, we wanna know everything about them and dig deeper into their personality, right? Well, your kitty deserves the same attention and effort. So spend time with your cat, try to find patterns in its communication, and your bond will know that your love is keeping them safe and happy.
15- Show your cats love: Gifting them catnip
Catnip provides felines somewhat of a high, but it is harmless for cats to consume or inhale. Catnip is an herb found in the mint family.
If a cat ingests catnip, they’ll likely fall asleep and if they inhale catnip, that’s when the world appears more elevated to them.
Either way, your cat is going to enjoy the gift very much.
