13 Things Your Cat Does That Show How Much They Love You

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1. They Give You the Slow Blink

Here’s the thing about cats: they don’t kiss with their lips. They kiss with their eyes. It sounds poetic, and honestly, it kind of is.

Cats will often make eye contact with lowered eyelids and steady, slow blinks. This is considered a feline version of a kiss, and you can even try slow blinking to show love back to cats.

Research suggests slow blinks are associated with a positive emotional state and can be a sign of trust, contentment and affection, similar to a human smile. If you wish to return the compliment, blink and your cat might blink back. This is a nice way to bond with your cat if they aren’t keen on being touched.

A slow blink is one of the most intimate ways a cat shows love, often called a “cat kiss.” This cat behavior may be easily missed or simply mistaken for your cat being sleepy, but when your cat looks at you deliberately and softly closes and opens their eyes, they are communicating that they feel safe and at ease with you.

2. They Headbutt You Like You’re Family

Does your cat ever walk up and bonk their little head right into your forehead? That’s not an accident. That’s love. Pure, feline, slightly aggressive love.

Your cat may bump their head against you or rub their cheeks against you to show affection. This is a social behavior formed in kittenhood through headbutting other kittens and their mother. Headbutting is often an attempt to mark you with their scent to claim you as one of their own. It helps cats bond and is offered to their humans to show love.

The feline version of a high-five, the head bump is usually saved for a cat’s closest feline friends and most trusted humans. Think of that the next time your cat bonks you out of nowhere. You’ve been promoted to inner circle.

3. They Purr When You’re Around

That deep, rhythmic rumble from your cat’s chest is probably one of the most comforting sounds in the world. And yes, it very much means they love you.

Cats often purr to show contentment when they are resting near you or when you’re petting them. It’s their whole body saying “I’m good here. You’re good. We’re good.”

Feline behaviorists have found that cats purr for a variety of reasons, but they believe that purring first starts as a form of communication and bonding mechanism between kittens and their mothers. So when your grown cat purrs on your lap, they’re essentially treating you the way they once treated the one being in the world who kept them safe. That’s not nothing.

Cats purr at a frequency that ranges from 25 to 100Hz, which correlates with known healing frequencies that humans use in therapy. I know it sounds crazy, but your cat might literally be good for your health.

4. They Follow You Everywhere (Including the Bathroom)

Let’s be real. There is no privacy when you have a cat. None. That bathroom door means absolutely nothing to them.

Cats who receive lots of affection from their humans associate them with positive interactions and may follow them from room to room (including the bathroom) in pursuit of more.

Cats also show their love by following you from room to room, sometimes zipping between your legs as you walk. If your cat does this, rest assured they’re not trying to trip you up – they just need to be as involved in your daily goings-on as much as possible.

Think of it like having a tiny, fur-covered shadow who adores you. Annoying? Sometimes. Flattering? Always.

5. They Knead You Like Bread Dough

The behavior is called “making biscuits” and it might look silly, but it is one of the most heartwarming things a cat can do. Those little paws pressing rhythmically into your lap? That’s pure emotion right there.

This behavior, colloquially known as “making biscuits,” is a relic of your cat’s kittenhood, when they would massage at their mother’s teat to help expel more milk. While your cat may never expect your elbow to spontaneously lactate, this self-soothing behavior is a telltale sign that your cat sees you as their parent.

Relaxed cats that knead are showing contentment. They will often knead when you gently pet or stroke them. It’s one of those behaviors that is so ancient and instinctual that when your cat does it to you, you know it comes from somewhere deep.

6. They Groom You

A cat licking your hair or your hand might feel a little rough around the edges, given that sandpaper tongue. Yet this is one of their highest expressions of connection. Honestly, it’s an honor.

Grooming only happens between cats with a warm relationship, so licking your hand or face can be a show of endearment, even though those barbed tongues may not feel all that gentle.

Cats groom each other as a bonding ritual, so when they lick your hair, hands or face, it means your cat considers you as part of its tribe. In short, it’s a way cats show attachment to their owner.

Another possibility ties back to social grooming, which is practiced by free-roaming cat colonies as a means of bonding and reinforcing social hierarchies. In this case, you’re part of a select group that your cat is willing to groom. You’ve been accepted into the colony. Congratulations.

7. They Show You Their Belly

Do not be fooled. A cat rolling over to reveal their belly is not an invitation for a tummy rub. It’s something far more meaningful than that.

A cat’s most vulnerable position is lying on their back and presenting their stomach to the world. In the wild, cats would never voluntarily expose this delicate part of their anatomy. If your cat rolls over and shows you their stomach, it’s a sure sign that they feel comfortable and, more importantly, safe around you.

The belly is a particularly vulnerable area on a cat’s body. In fact, cats possess a primordial pouch that is theorized to protect their sensitive lower belly during fights with predators and other cats. When your cat bears this vulnerable area to you, they’re displaying their trust and security in you.

So admire it. Appreciate it. Just maybe don’t go in for the pet unless you know your cat very well.

8. They Greet You at the Door

Not all cats do this. The ones that do? They’ve absolutely bonded with you on a level most people don’t fully appreciate.

Your cat is trying to show you that they missed you when they greet you at the door. This is often followed by walking in between your legs and curling their tail around your legs. Sometimes it’s also accompanied by meowing and “rattle-tail” behavior, where your cat will shake their tail quickly. This is your cat’s way of welcoming you home.

One of the most obvious signs that your beloved pet is fond of you is the way that your cat greets you. When cats greet members of their social group they show signals to indicate friendship and a desire to move closer. Cats also show these signals to humans. A tail held in the upright flagpole position shows a friendly intention, indicating familiarity, trust, and affection.

9. They Sleep on You or Right Beside You

Sleep is serious business for a cat. They’re at their most vulnerable when they’re sleeping, and they choose their spots very carefully. If they choose you, that tells you everything.

Curling up on your lap for a nap is a sign of deep trust. Simple as that. It’s not about warmth or convenience. It’s about who they feel safe enough to close their eyes around.

If your cat hops into bed with you every night and snuggles against you, it’s a clear sign they enjoy physical closeness. Even cats who are nervous around humans or don’t enjoy physical affection will often sleep near their people, since they may feel safest when their human is lying down.

10. They Bring You “Gifts”

Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room. Or rather, the dead mouse on the doorstep. Finding a small creature deposited at your feet is alarming. It is also, believe it or not, deeply touching.

Cats are natural hunters, and some unfortunate side effects of this instinctual behavior are the bodies of mice and birds that might end up on your front steps. Outdoor cats will attempt to bring their humans freshly killed “presents” as a sign of goodwill and pride. Indoor cats sometimes mimic this behavior by “hunting” and depositing their toys in front of their humans.

Whether it’s a favorite toy left carefully outside your bedroom door or a real-life “catch of the day” like a mouse or small animal, your kitty is proudly sharing their hunting success with you. Cat behavior experts say this is a classic sign your cat has bonded with you.

It’s a little like a child proudly showing you a drawing they made. The intention is pure, even if the execution is horrifying.

11. They Rub Their Face and Body Against You

When your cat slinks alongside your leg and rubs their whole body against you, that is not random wandering. That is a deliberate, intentional act of claiming and affection rolled into one.

This behavior is essentially a cat “claiming” you. It is more than a territorial action, in that a cat will rub against you as a form of scent marking. Scent marking is when the cat deposits pheromones and oils from the scent glands located on his forehead, cheeks, and chin.

Does your cat rub its head or side against your legs? The soft sensation you feel against your calves is actually your cat identifying you as a friend and is a huge compliment.

Cats will only carry out this behavior with other cats that they feel confident and happy around, so if they’re doing the same to you, it means they feel safe and secure in your presence. Cats also have scent glands on their faces, including on their cheeks near the base of their ears. By rubbing you with these areas, they’re transferring their scent markers and effectively marking you as part of their territory.

12. They Give You Love Bites

You’re sitting there, peacefully petting your cat, and suddenly – a gentle nibble on your hand. Not a scratch, not a hiss. Just a little bite. Confusing? Yes. Aggressive? Not quite.

If a gentle bite is accompanied by lots of head butting and rubbing, it’s a “love bite”: your cat is expressing affection and marking you as their territory.

The biting may also be followed by, or alternate with, licking you. This sign of “love” usually indicates your cat is overexcited. Think of it like a puppy that doesn’t quite know its own strength. The intent is warmth. The execution just needs a little refining.

Still, if the bites are getting too firm or frequent, it’s always worth redirecting their energy to a toy. Love bites are sweet. Actual bites are not.

13. They Seek You Out When You’re Sad or Still

This one might surprise you. Cats are often painted as self-centered creatures who only show up when they want something. Yet there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting they pay much closer attention to their humans than we give them credit for.

Recent research on feline recognition of emotion has found that cats can recognize human gestures and expressions, and they behave differently to these emotions.

A depressive owner initiates fewer interactions with the cat, but when the cat approaches that person, they accept the intent of the cat to interact, which affects the human’s mood. The cat also changes its behavior in response to the depressiveness of the human when close to the person, vocalizing more frequently and head and flank-rubbing more often.

So when you’re having a rough day and your cat suddenly materializes and curls up next to you, that’s not coincidence. They noticed something. They came anyway. That, more than any purr or slow blink, feels like love to me.

Conclusion: Your Cat Loves You More Than You Know

Cats are much more subtle in showing their love, though that doesn’t mean that the shared bond between cats and humans is any less than with dogs. It just means that you’ll need to work harder to understand your cat’s love language and boundaries to build trust.

Animal behavior researchers have observed an uptick of oxytocin, the feel-good “cuddle hormone,” in both humans and their cats during interactions. This is the same hormone that stimulates bonding between parents and their human babies. So that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when your cat curls up on your lap? It’s completely mutual and scientifically backed.

The next time your cat slow-blinks at you from across the room, or drops a toy mouse at your feet at 2am, or simply chooses to sleep beside your head, remember this: they didn’t have to. Cats are fiercely independent. The fact that yours chooses you, day after day, is about as clear a declaration of love as the animal kingdom gets.

Had you ever realized your cat was saying “I love you” all along? What do you think about it? Tell us in the comments.

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Worried about unexpected vet bills?

Pet insurance can cover thousands in unexpected vet costs. Get a free quote from Lemonade in under 2 minutes.

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