Love story

We all know we love our cats but how do we know our cats love us? Below are a few signs that the feeling is mutual. But even if you suspect it isn’t, that’s part of the attraction of cats – they are not needy!

Greetings

If your cat greets you as you come through your front door with its tail up, it is happy to see you! Acknowledging that greeting with a pat on the head will be very much appreciated by your cat.

The same applies if your cat rubs around your legs, although that’s mainly because it is trying to scent mark you so you no longer smell of the outside. But give kitty a pat on the head anyway.

If your cat collapses on the ground in front of you and shows his or her tummy, that’s another greeting and a sign that they are happy and relaxed to see you. Contrary to what most of us do, it isn’t considered top cat etiquette to rub their tummy. They’d prefer you gave them a gentle rub around the head instead.

The slow blink

If a cat stares at you, that’s because it trusts you. Once you have locked eyes, give your cat a slow blink and follow it up by slowly turning your head to the side. Hopefully, kitty will respond in a similar way.

Gifts from nature’s larder

Although it isn’t always welcome, being brought the odd bit of wildlife from the great outdoors is a gift from your cat and a sign of affection. Cats can read body language so try not to look too aghast. Thank kitty for the gift and dispose of it appropriately. If your cat doesn’t want to give up its trophy, try distracting it with a treat or a toy. Then you can remove the offending gift.

Purring

This is one of the nicest sounds you’ll ever hear. Purring is a sign of happiness or attention seeking (particularly around dinner time). In some cases, it can indicate that your cat is in pain, so make sure you check out whether there are any other signs of distress or injury in your cat.

Dribbling

If your cat purrs and dribbles at the same time it is one very happy little feline. The combination indicates the cat feels soothed and relaxed in your presence. However, if your cat is dribbling or drooling excessively, it might indicate there is a medical problem that needs to be investigated.

Kneading

This is also sometimes called ‘marking time’. Kneading is your cat’s way of showing love and happiness. It recalls a time when they were feeding as kittens, so if they knead you, that’s a great sign of love.