How to Express Love to Your Cat

Your cat is an independent creature and prefers to be by himself. No, in reality, your cat wants and needs expressions of your love on his own terms. This means that he knows how much affection and loving human contact he can tolerate. It̵7;s up to you and the rest of the humans in your home to learn how to read your cat̵7;s body language as you show love to him.

  1. Make Contact With Your Cat

    • Your cat rubs against you when you come home. He kneads his paws against you when he jumps onto your body. When he does this, he̵7;s saying that he̵7;s content and happy. When he butts his head against you, he̵7;s telling you that he likes you.

      Reciprocate in kind. When he̵7;s stretched out next to you on the couch, half-asleep, massage him lightly. Rub your hands and fingers lightly over his head, back and sides. He may begin to purr, telling you that he̵7;s even happier now that you̵7;re pampering him. As you massage him, talk to him in a soft, loving tone of voice, letting him know that you love him.

    Communicate With Your Cat

    • Your cat has a variety of ways to communicate with you, other cats and animals in your household. When he purrs, he may be feeling pleasure or contentment. You don̵7;t need to purr back to him. Instead, position your face so he can see you and speak slowly to him in a soft voice.

      He may also purr when he̵7;s scared, overstimulated or upset. Again, let him know you hear what he̵7;s saying and assure him that the scary or painful time will soon be over.

    Play Games

    • When you walk in the door at the end of a long work day, your cat may pounce at your ankles, seeming to attack them. He̵7;s not really attacking you. Instead, he̵7;s playing with you. Get a fishing wand toy with a large feather attached and allow him to stalk his prey. Buy a laser pointer, and being careful not to shine it directly into his eyes, have him play ̶0;chase the red dot.̶1; Buy some inexpensive plastic balls with bells inside and play catch with your cat. This allows you to express your feelings for him as you play and help him work off his energy.

    Brush Your Cat̵7;s Fur

    • Your cat marks you when he rubs his face against you. He may also be asking for your attention, so take out a soft brush and groom his fur. Brushing his fur not only brushes loose fur off and helps him to relax -- it helps you express your love for him.

    Give Your Cat a Belly Rub

    • Your cat just rolled over on his back with all four limbs in the air. He̵7;s telling you, in his own way, that he trusts you. Return that trust and give him a soft belly rub. Watch him closely, though. If he begins to get overstimulated, he might sink his teeth into your hand. Stop the belly rub when you see his tail twitching.