Cats are picky about who they trust, and therefore, showing them lots of affection is the best way to earn that bond. But how do I show love to my cat while ensuring not to annoy her?
The most effective way to let your cat feel loved is to ensure it feels safe around you. Next, you can enhance that affection through activities and rewarding the cat. Read on for more helpful tips in this area!
9 Ways to Show Affection to your Cat
Cats give us so much company and love it’s only natural to want to reciprocate that to them. When you’ve had a rough day, sometimes the thing that helps to get through it is your furball kitty.
They have their ways of showing us their love, but how can we do the same? How can we show affection to cats?
#1 Be there for your kitty!
The first way to show your cat that you love them is by being there for them. You can’t bond with your cat if you aren’t there for him or her!
Being around your cat more often will help strengthen your bond with them. If your cat is more familiar with you, they can trust you and allow you to get closer to them.
You can do this just by sitting with your cat! You can also have your cat join you as you do things around the house.
#2 Let your cat scent-mark you
Another tip to help show your affection to your cat is to let them scent-mark you. Don’t worry, though; scent-marking won’t leave you smelling like a cat.
Your cat has probably done it before. Cats scent mark by rubbing against things. Typically you will see your cat come and rub against your legs and may even headbutt you in the process.
When cats do this, it is a form of acceptance from them. Cats scent-mark you so that you smell like them and become part of their “pack”.
You can encourage that behavior by petting your cat or giving them treats when they come up to rub against you.
#3 Pet your cat
One way to show your affection is to pet your way into your cat’s heart! It may sound weird to some since some cats don’t love to be touched. However, when done right, a cat may actually enjoy being petted.
Many cats prefer to be scratched under the chin and cheek area. You’ll know they enjoy the scratch if they close their eyes!
Always pet cats in the direction of their fur and not against it! Petting your cat against the direction of their fur might seriously irritate your cat and could leave you with a scratch or two.
You can also pet or massage your cat across its entire body, starting from the head and ending at the tail. Cats are sure to love it!
#4 Play with your cat
Playing with your cat helps to increase the bond that you share. A lot of indoor cats become lazy and snooze the day away. However, just because they like sleep doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy playing with some toys!
Playing with your cat allows you to have one-on-one time with your cat. Sometimes there’s some trial and error to find the suitable toy for your cat. Getting an inactive cat to do some activity may be a little challenging initially.
However, it’s just a matter of finding the right toy! A lot of cats like toys they can run and chase after. Cats also like toys that resemble their hunting process.
Toys that will help flex their natural instincts are great entertainment.
#5 Groom your cat!
Cats love to be pampered, and it’s apparent by how much they groom themselves. Brushing your cat’s fur can help them out immensely. Brushing and combing your cat’s fur will help you bond with your kitty.
When you brush your cat’s fur, it cleans the skin underneath, removes loose hair, and detangles the matting of the fur. Grooming your cat benefits them and you!
Not only is grooming your cat keeping them clean, but it prevents unwanted hairballs and extra fur on clothes and furniture! It’s a win-win!
#6 Feed your furry friend
It sounds obvious but feeding your friend shows them that you care and love them. If you just adopted a cat, one of the quickest ways to get him or her to trust you is to feed them.
Giving your cat quality food shows affection and will help them remain healthy. A tip is to take note of what flavor of cat food your cat prefers.
You can feed them more often, and your cat will get even more excited about grub time!
#7 Treat your cat!
Treating your cat is a great way to show them that you care. Lucky for cat owners, there are various cat treats to choose from. Rewarding your cat with treats will help them understand that you love them.
Treating your cat could be more than just treats. You can reward them with new toys, a warm bed, or even catnip.
Catnip is a type of treatment that many cats go crazy for. It is safe and something that they absolutely love!
#8 Fulfill your cat’s needs
By fulfilling your cat’s other needs, you will allow them to be as comfortable as possible! Giving your cat scratching posts and cat towers will help them relieve some stress.
If you can’t afford a fancy cat tower, that’s fine! You can always fulfill your cat in other ways. For example, giving your cat their own special spot or area that’s just for them.
Cats like to be alone sometimes, and giving them a place to do that will make them feel loved.
#9 Learn cat language
Another way to show your cat affection is to learn their language! If you can learn some cat lingo, you can just tell your cat you love them yourself!
Cats tell you how they are feeling through their body language! More specifically, through the eyes.
Have you ever seen your cat blink slowly at you? They aren’t doing that because they’re tired; they are trying to say they love you.
In the wild, cats are acclimated to always staying alert and practically sleeping with one eye open. They don’t let their guard down unless they know they are safe and can close their eyes.
When cats blink slowly, they express their trust and affection for you. Reciprocating this slow blink shows your cat that you love them. Oftentimes if you do this to your cat, they will mirror the action!
How is my cat showing affection?
Despite stereotypes of cats being cold and distant, they’re pretty affectionate creatures. Here are some of the ways cats are showing you affection!
Cuddling
One of the ways cats will show you that they care for you is by cuddling with you! If a cat doesn’t like you, you definitely won’t see them cuddling by you.
If your cat sleeps by you, this is a sign that they have a deep trust in you. If a cat lets its guard down enough to cuddle by you for the night, it means they love you.
When cats cuddle, they might start kneading on you. Kneading is a practice that cats do when being nursed by their mother.
If your cat does this to you, they view you as a mother figure!
Grooming
Cats love to groom themselves; if they groom you, it’s an intimate experience. If they love you enough, they will express this by cleaning you!
Grooming is a way that cats bond with the ones that they love. When cats groom their owner, their scent ends up on them.
Cats enjoy sharing scents with their loved ones so they can smell like part of the same family.
Bunting
Scent-marking is the process of sharing and exchanging scents. Although cats do this for claiming purposes, bunting is a much more intimate way of doing so.
Bunting is when the cat rubs against objects or people with its head. It usually looks like a headbutt.
When cats do this, it is a big deal. Cats only headbutt people they trust closely and have a deep bond with.
It’s a very affectionate way of marking you as their family!
Conclusion
Cats are amazing creatures, and they provide the best companionship. Being so amazing, it’s only natural that we want to communicate our love to them.
You can show your cat affection by giving them proper care, learning their language, and following some of the handy tips discussed above. Despite popular belief, cats can show affection and often do to the ones they trust.
Making sure your cat feels that love is something every cat owner strives to do. So spread that love to your cat. Just make sure not to spoil them!