So you are lucky enough to be the proud parent of a cat. Or two. Or three. Or however
many (no judgment here as long as they are all safe, happy, and cared for). You are enamored
with their cute little faces, the whiskers that tickle when they come to push your head off of your
own pillow, their plaintive little meows when they are buttering you up for a treat or to play with
them, but is the feeling mutual? How can you tell for sure if your kitty who can be as standoffish
one day as s/he is seemingly affectionate the next truly care for you as much as you do for it?
Here are some likely signs that you have won a special spot in your cat’s heart.
- If your cat truly trusts and loves you they will give you a “cat kiss”. Unlike a doggy kiss
– which is just as special – this thankfully doesn’t involve rawhide bone breath or
unfortunate slobber all over your face. A cat kiss consists of your cat gazing into your
eyes, slowly closing them, and then slowly reopening them. This is your cat’s way of
showing you how much you mean to them and how safe they feel with you. Don’t
believe me? Do it yourself. I do this to my cat Bugsy and he responds by gazing lovingly
at me and flipping over for a belly rub. Cutest. Thing. Ever. - Kneading aka “making biscuits” which is when a cat will rhythmically move their front
feet on you while purring like the Indy 500 is another surefire clue that the kitty thinks
that you are the bee’s knees. Cats learn this behavior as kittens when their kneading on
their mother’s body stimulates milk flow. It is an action they associate with safety,
comfort and love. If you cat is doing this, s/he loves you and is super-duper happy to be
yours. - Sharing sleepy time. Yes, cats can be bed hogs and also pillow thieves. And yes, they can
decide that it’s play or mealtime at the worst moments, like when you are in the middle of
a particularly good dream at 2 a.m. However, if a kitty has decided to sleep next to you,
take it as the compliment that it is because you have a smitten kitten for sure. Your kitty
is wanting to be close to you during its most vulnerable moment – enjoy!
Regardless of how a cat shows its love, there is no beating the feeling of knowing that one of
these special independent animals has chosen you as a pet parent and accepted you as a beloved
companion to boot.