With their inscrutable faces and reputation for acting indifferent to their human keepers, cats can be difficult to read.
Sure, they might not show their love with wagging tails and slobbery kisses like dogs. But that's because felines have their own ways of communicating their affection.
Here are a few behaviors that show a cat really likes you.
1. Your cat headbutts you out of love.
If a human rammed their head into your side, you probably wouldn't consider it a token of affection. For cats, however, headbutting is a sign of love.
"Butting is a cat's communication method of showing affection for others. By rubbing this body part against one of yours, she is identifying you as one of her friends," pet behavior researcher Gayle Hickman writes on Petful.
Additionally, a cat might use head bunting to mark their territory. Felines have scent glands on their chins, cheeks, forehead, and lips. By rubbing its face on you, your cat is spreading a unique scent on you and marking you as a buddy.
2. Its tail is always twitching at the tip or curled around your leg.
A cat's tail reveals a lot about its mood. Though a bushy tail, upright hair, and arched back is a signal that a cat feels threatened, an erect and swishy tail can mean that it feels confident and happy in your presence, according to WebMD.
A tail curled around your leg or arm is also a sign of friendship and affection.
3. It shows you its tummy.
If your cat stretches out on the floor beside you and rolls around, you can bet its feeling affectionate.
That said, cats may also expose their tummies as a submissive or defensive act when they feel cornered. If you don't know the cat well (e.g. it's a stray or an acquaintance's pet), be wary of trying to stroke their belly, as this may cause the cat to take a swipe at you.
4. Your cat brings you "gifts."
Though they might not be the sort of things you'd put on your wishlist, your cat may bring you gifts — like dead mice, frogs, bugs, or trash — because they feel at home with you.
"Many people think that these 'gifts' are for the owner, but cats actually bring them home to where they feel secure. It's a sign that they feel safe with you," Trevorrow explains to Cosmopolitan.
5. It blinks at you slowly.
Cat owners are probably familiar with the trance-like gaze felines can sometimes deliver. Turns out, they may actually be trying to communicate their affection.
"Slowly blinking at you is a sign of pure love, and it's often even referred to as a 'kitty kiss.' When other cats are around, you may see your cat slow blinking a lot. This is to let the other cats know that everything is cool," Hickman reports on Petful.
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