Love Signals

Love is in the air in February… But is your love reciprocated?

If you are new to owning a cat, you may have a pre-conceived notion that cats are aloof or less friendly than other pets. However, cats are sociable in their own ways, and like other pets, they can share a special bond with their owners.

Can’t tell if your cat loves you as much as you love it? Here are four signs to tell you that the affection is mutual!

Maybe you’ve been hard at work, or busy eating. Suddenly you look up, only to find your feline friend staring right back at you. Unnerving?

f your cat is staring at you while sitting all nice and relaxed, it is probably a sign that it trusts you! Check the position of its ears – if they are in a normal position, your cat is probably in a great mood and it is probably staring as it wants something from you. Or it is just watching over you.

If you cat is slowly blinking at you, well done! Cats only close their eyes around those who make them feel safe. Practice slowly blinking at your cat to show that you love it and see if it blinks back!

Besides its ears, our feline friends have plenty of other body language signs to let you know how they feel.

For example, when a cat is happy and comfortable, its mouth is usually closed. And when a relaxed cat is standing, it often keeps its tail up, but with the end curled. Learn to read your pet’s body language to understand what it is feeling.

Humans have our own ways of showing affection – we use words or we hug and kiss. Cats also have their own ‘vocabulary’.

If a cat is kneading you like dough, a behaviour used by kittens towards their mothers, it is likely showing that it adores you. Grooming or licking as well as bunting (rubbing its head against you) are also behaviours shown towards other cats that they have a good relationship with.

Even if you are not a cat owner, you might be familiar with the ‘cat belly trap’ where the adorable animal rolls over, stretches and shows someone its belly. But it reacts badly when you reach down to give it a good belly rub!

Remember that this may not be an invitation for you to give your cat a belly rub, as most cats do not enjoy it, but when a cat shows you its belly, exposing a vulnerable area where vital organs are located, this could be a sign that the cat is comfortable in your presence.

Learning More
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Text adapted from AnimalBuzzSG