Love Your Pet Day – Especially Your Cat!
February 20 is Love Your Pet Day, and as a sanctuary for kitties, we celebrate not just the day, but all the love and support our feline friends provide us. Cats don’t get enough credit for how great of a companion they can be. With many depictions in popular culture showing them as indifferent or cold, that couldn’t be further from the truth!
Some cats might be timid or skittish, but that’s typically only around humans they don’t know or trust yet. As any cat owner can testify, their kitties get to know the people in their home and learn to trust them implicitly. The same cat who bolts towards the basement when company arrives likely also curls up on the lap or chest of their favourite human to take a nap.
Cats show their affection for the people in their lives in many different ways, and in the name of Love Your Pet Day, let’s take a deeper look at them!
Headbutts
Lots of cats love a good headbutt. While it might seem like confusing behaviour to humans, we have to consider that cats don’t have the luxury of using their arms as we do. Quadrupeds (animals who walk and stand on four legs) almost always need to keep their feet on the ground. That means their faces take over a lot of their expression and affection.
Head butts are a simple means to an end. When your cat feels particularly warm or loving, they might come by and rub their forehead on yours. Some cats get really excited and will butt their head into yours with vigor, but that is still just them trying to say, “I love you!”
Cheek Rubs
Similarly to headbutting, cheek rubs are a common means of expression for cats. This serves not just as a way for them to physically interact with their humans and show their affection, but they also have scent glands in their cheeks that they use to mark things. When a cat rubs their face on you, they aren’t just saying that they love you, but they are saying you belong to them!
Leg Rubs
Have you ever stood in your home and had your cat run up and rub their body against your legs? This is no mistake. Cats use this behaviour to show their bond with the people in their lives, or to show someone they seem trustworthy. A particularly friendly cat might run up to a visitor and rub up against their legs too! It’s a sign that they like you and as the recipient, you should be flattered. It means you have a good vibe!
Sitting on Your Keyboard
Have you ever tried to use your computer only for your cat to jump up and try to plop themselves down on your workspace? It might be a nuisance, but instead of getting frustrated, embrace it for what it is. Your cat wants to spend time with you! They see you focusing on something that makes interesting sounds, they hop up to investigate, and then they stick around to spend time with you! Give them some pets, a kiss on the forehead, then gently move them over so you can keep working!
Watching You Work
Cats like to be involved. You are the most important living creature in their lives and as such, they want to spend time with you. Similarly to how they jump on your computer keyboard, whenever you have a bunch of papers spread out on the table or floor, or perhaps while you are preparing dinner, it’s not uncommon to glance over and see your cat sitting there watching you.
Final Thoughts
With everything mentioned above, on this Love Your Pet Day, take some time to embrace the quirky ways your cats show their love for you. Give them lots of hugs, cuddles and treats, and when they inevitably sit on your keyboard and give you a headbutt, you can laugh and rest assured they’re doing their best to make you feel good!