11 surprising signs your cat actually likes you

cat human leg

They're more affectionate than y'all might think.
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  • Cats have a reputation for being difficult to read but at that place are several ways they can evidence their affection.
  • Preparation behaviors such as licking the hair or ears signals that a cat trusts that person.
  • Subtle signs like a wearisome blink likewise signal a cat'due south honey for a human.
  • Visit INSIDER'south dwelling house folio for more stories.

With their inscrutable faces and reputation for interim indifferent to their human keepers, cats can be hard to r ead.

Sure, they might not show their beloved with wagging tails and slobbery kisses like dogs. But that's because felines have their own ways of communicating their amore.

Hither are a few behaviors that show a cat actually likes you.

1. Your true cat headbutts you lot out of dear.

They're marking you lot as their buddy.
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If a human rammed their head into your side, y'all probably wouldn't consider it a token of affection. For cats, all the same, headbutting is a sign of love.

"Butting is a cat's communication method of showing affection for others. By rubbing this trunk part confronting ane of yours, she is identifying you as ane of her friends ," pet beliefs researcher Gayle Hickman writes on Petful.

Additionally, a cat might use head bunting to mark their territory . Felines have scent glands on their chins, cheeks, forehead, and lips. By rubbing its face on you, your true cat is spreading a unique scent on you and mark you as a buddy.

2. Its tail is always twitching at the tip or curled around your leg.

It could mean they're happy to be in your presence.
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A cat'south tail reveals a lot almost its mood. Though a bushy tail, upright pilus, and arched back is a point that a cat feels threatened, an erect and swishy tail tin mean that information technology feels confident and happy in your presence , according to WebMD.

A tail curled around your leg or arm is also a sign of friendship and affection.

three. It shows you lot its tummy.

It means they trust yous.
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There are few things cuter than a fluffy cat belly, and getting to see one ways that you've earned that true cat'south trust.

Cats usually show their bellies voluntarily to creatures that they trust. According to WebMD, it shows that they feel safe and are comfortable being vulnerable . If your true cat stretches out on the floor abreast you and rolls around, you can bet its feeling affectionate.

That said, cats may also betrayal their tummies every bit a submissive or defensive act when they feel cornered. If you don't know the true cat well (e.g. it'southward a stray or an acquaintance's pet), be wary of trying to stroke their belly, as this may cause the cat to take a swipe at you.

4. Purring means your cat is happy in your presence.

Information technology'due south a good indication they're happy you're effectually.
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As y'all might take suspected, purring is a good indication that your cat likes having you effectually.

In fact, Nicky Trevorrow, behavior manager for Cats Protection, tells Cosmopolitan that cats reserve their purrs exclusively for humans they adore. They don't purr for other cats, except their own kittens.

5. Your true cat brings you "gifts."

At that place's a reason they bring you their favorite toys and the objects they notice.
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Though they might not exist the sort of things you'd put on your wishlist, your cat may bring yous gifts — like expressionless mice, frogs, bugs, or trash — because they feel at home with yous.

"Many people think that these 'gifts' are for the possessor, merely cats actually bring them home to where they experience secure. Information technology's a sign that they feel safety with you ," Trevorrow explains to Cosmopolitan.

vi. Your true cat nibbles you a lot.

There's a departure between a loving nibble and an aggressive bite.
Flickr/Evan Bench

One less common sign of a cat'due south fondness is habitual nibbling or soft biting.

Co-ordinate to Care2, a cat will sometimes evangelize a gentle, tickling bite to those information technology loves . This is definitely distinguishable from a real bite, equally one hurts and the other doesn't. If your cat is using y'all as a chew toy, it could exist a sign that yous guys are best buddies.

7. It gurgles all the time.

Information technology ways they're feeling friendly.
Flickr/Jennifer C.

Though it might audio strange to people who don't own cats, some felines make a distinctive high-pitched gurgling or "chatting" sounds when they're feeling friendly and sociable, according to WebMD.

These sounds are singled-out from the typical meowing sound and might exist made by a conversation that's in a particularly cheerful or excited mood. If your cat is a gurgler, you're probably keeping them in proficient spirits.

8. It follows you around constantly.

They want to exist with yous.
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If your feline insists on hopping into bed with y'all, sneaking into the bathroom when you're showering, and watching yous swallow, you're probably a large interest of theirs.

Being followed around even when it's close to mealtime is also a large indicator that you lot're popular with your feline, co-ordinate to Cosmopolitan.

9. Your cat licks your hair or ears.

They're grooming you.
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You probably know that some animals groom each other every bit displays of intendance and affection, and cats are no different.

Preparation behaviors such as licking a human's hair or ears signals that a cat trusts that human and considers it a close companion , according to Care2. It's a sign of friendship and shows that your hirsuite friend cares about you lot.

10. Your cat kneads you lot with its paws.

When they're "making biscuits" on your chest, it could exist a sign they like you lot.
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Kittens knead their female parent to stimulate milk catamenia, but adult cats also apply kneading equally a mode to cozy upwardly to their keepers.

"This behavior has a habit of sticking around as a source of comfort and relaxation, and it may even exist a sign of affection and bonding with yous . A cat may exhibit this behavior considering it sees you lot as its female parent, authorisation effigy or it's the cat's manner of saying, 'I trust yous,'" writes pet behavior researcher Gayle Hickman on Petful.

Odour glands in the paws are likewise activated past kneading, so your cat may also be trying to marking you as its own.

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