Cats are territorial animals. They use the scent of their body to portray their control. Glands in their chin and cheeks release a particular type of scents. It sticks to your body when a cat is rubbing their face. Cat is trying to make you their friends.
What Does It Mean When a Cat Rubs your face?
Cat has been part of the wild nature for quite some time. Rubbing the body or face on the other species is how animals communicate. Face rub is a sign of a friendly gesture.
It means the cat is trying to build an emotional bond with you. She is making love and wants you to stay calm. Rubbing the face on the other species is only takes place when cats are 100% sure about the safety.
They cannot risk their life by throwing themselves near the other species. The neck is the primary target when the preditor attacks small animals.
If your cat is taking her head close to you and rubbing it on your skin means they have now started trusting you. In some cases, the behavior takes months or even years to develop.
Kittens develop a sense of closeness with their parents at an early age. If you sit with them and treat the kitten with love, they will see you as a caretaker who will protect them in difficult situations.
Such behavior can be developed when you spend more time with your cat playing and offering them food.
These are some of the reasons why cat showcases such bonding with you.
1) Welcoming
Cat love to spend time with their owners. The cat will miss you when you are away and become more concerned about you. After you come home and start spending time with them, they will try to showcase their love for you.
Once a strong bond is established between you and your pet, the cat will start rubbing their head to your face. The gentle touch makes them feel comfortable. Similar behavior can be seen when the mother tries to calm their kittens.
The cat’s body language will tell you that they welcome you after a long break. Cat appreciates your love for them. Observe the signals such as eye blinking, looking into your eye, tail movement, and rubbing body to your face and legs.
Animals communicate with others using physical interaction. It is a way to make the other animal relax and build a strong connection.
2) Setting a claim
Like any other wild animal, the cat also develops their territory. Every object cat touches or uses in the house will become part of their territory. She will not allow other animals to use those objects.
Rubbing the body is the process of applying the scent to an object. They keep marking the scent on the object. Once the cat decides the thing is theirs, she will use the rubbing method to apply the scent and tell other species in the room that it belongs to them.
Rubbing their face on your face is part of the process of showcasing that you belong to them. The scent is the sign that you are already taken. No other animals are allowed to come close to you.
Rubbing a body is also the process of building affiliation with the person. Cat has accepted you the way you are, and now she wants you to stay close to them. She feels safe and calm when you are around.
3) Gathering information
Cat tries to mitigate the threat and stay safe in the house. The smell on the person’s body, feelings, and reaction tell them how friendly you are with them. Rubbing the body or face is also a method of gathering information about the person or object.
Once your cat has sufficient information, she becomes open to having close interaction with you.
Until then, the cat will keep a safe distance from you. She wants humans who are friendly and protective. Anyone who tries to harm them will be removed from their friend list. Cat is collecting information about you.
Thus, do not confuse with the familiar gesture at the beginning. Developing a close bonding takes time, so do not force the cat to be on your side all the time. She will build comfort slowly and become part of your life.
Why does my cat rub his face on my phone?
Cat uses her body scent to expand their territory. The phone is the object that its owner most frequently uses. She observes all your movements and tries to keep an eye on each element you interact with.
When she sees the phone is an integral part of your life, she starts rubbing her face on the phone to apply the scent. The other animal who comes close to your phone will get the smell of her scent, and they back off from the object.
It is the way how wild animals define their territory. A cat might have found its way out from the jungle, but its brain function still works like a wild animal.
Additionally, the scent on the object disappears after some time. Thus, the cat has to apply it again to keep the claim alive.
Why does my cat rub his face on me in the morning?
After the 8 hours of fasting, your cat is hungry; she wants to eat something. The morning is the time when all the communication starts with their partners.
Cat with the kittens grooms their children in the early morning. She might want something, or it is just a way to wake you up in the morning. Once the cat develops a strong bond with you, it will use the rubbing method to showcase its love.
Why does my cat rub his face on my computer?
Cat observes all your activities and the kinds of stuff you carry all day. Like the pet toys, the computer also seems a toy to the cat that you play with every day—rubbing a face on the computer is how to claim the object their own.
Once the cat has developed a close relationship with you, they will consider all your stuff as their own. Whenever you are not near the object, she will ensure the staff is protected from other animals. A cat will use her body scent to claim the thing and not allow other species to come close to it.
How do you tell if a cat loves you?
There are many ways to tell that your cat loves you and likes when you are around. Here are some of the actions that cats take to show their love for you.
- Rubbing their body on your leg or face.
- Sleeping on your bed.
- Welcome you when you come home.
- Show a desire to play with you.
- Produce purr sound showcase she is happy around you.
- Cat brings stuff she found in the home or around the house for you.
- Follows you around all the time.
- Cat licks your hair and hand.
These activities are every day in cats when they want to show their love for someone.
