A gray and white cat with half closed eyes sitting upright on a cream sofa with a woven throw blanket behind it

October 13, 2026 Aaron Seminoff

How To Tell If Your Cat Loves You

Cats Protection lists five ways cats show they love their humans: slow blinking, showing their tummy, head bumps, kneading, and a tail pointing up. Here are cat body language signals that cat care groups and two university studies describe, with what each source says about each sign and what it does not say.

An orange tabby cat with its tail held straight up and its cheek pressed against a wooden chair leg, eyes half closed

Does A Slow Blink Mean My Cat Loves Me?

Cats Protection says that if your cat looks at you and slowly closes and opens its eyes, this is a slow blink, and it shows the cat is feeling relaxed and happy in your presence. On its page about signs your cat loves you, it says a slow blink means the cat trusts you enough that it does not need to keep a watchful eye on you at all times. International Cat Care says cats “will aim this non-physical interaction at people they feel comfortable and relaxed around.”

A 2020 study in Scientific Reports tested what happens when a person slow blinks at a cat. Tasmin Humphrey, Leanne Proops, Jemma Forman, Rebecca Spooner, and Karen McComb of the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth ran two experiments. In the first, 21 cats from 14 households were tested in their own homes, and the final analysis counted 18 cat and person pairs. The cats gave more eye narrowing movements when their person slow blinked at them than when the person was in the room and not blinking at them. In the second, 24 more cats were tested, and the final analysis counted 18 of them. An unfamiliar researcher either slow blinked or kept a neutral face. The cats gave more half blinks and eye narrowing movements after the slow blink, and they were more likely to approach the researcher’s outstretched hand.

The paper’s own summary is cautious about what that shows. It says “the slow blink sequence appears to be an indicator of positive emotion in cats.” The University of Sussex release says the study “shows that this slow blinking technique can provide a form of positive communication between cats and humans.” Karen McComb of the University of Sussex says to “try narrowing your eyes at them as you would in a relaxed smile, followed by closing your eyes for a couple of seconds.” The study measured how cats responded to a slow blink. It did not measure love.

Two cautions come from cat care groups. Cats Protection says the most important thing to remember is not to stare at your cat: “They can see this as a threat.” International Cat Care says slow blinking “can occur in cats that feel vulnerable, possibly to communicate friendly intentions and prevent conflict,” and that although it is “generally viewed as positive, it isn’t necessarily an invitation for you to touch or stroke your cat.”

Why Does My Cat Butt Its Forehead Against Me?

Cats Protection says a cat that rubs its head or cheek on you leaves its own scent from glands on its skin, and that by rubbing their scent on you, cats are marking you as safe and trustworthy. On its page about signs your cat loves you, Cats Protection calls head butts, bumps, and boops “the cat version of a hug.”

International Cat Care names the head rubbing “bunting.” It says bunting “often happens in the ‘core’ area of their territory and seems to be associated with comfort, reassurance and friendly social interactions.” It also says that “When your cat rubs around your legs to greet you, they are doing the same as they would in greeting another cat by mutual rubbing of the face and body.” International Cat Care lists the skin areas rich in scent glands: under the chin, the sides of the mouth and cheeks, the sides of the forehead, the base of the tail, and along the tail. Afterward the cat grooms itself and checks out your scent.

What Does A Tail Held Straight Up Mean?

International Cat Care says the “tail up” position, “where the tail is held vertically in the air, at a right angle to the ground,” signals “friendly intent when a cat approaches another cat, animal or person.” Cats Protection says a cat that approaches with its tail up in the air and a slight curve at the tip is showing it is happy to see you. On its page about signs your cat loves you, Cats Protection says a tail pointing up might also be accompanied by a little hop up onto the back legs, and that the best response is to let the cat sniff your hand and give it a bit of a fuss.

The same groups describe tails that mean something else. International Cat Care says a tail tucked between the back legs is often a sign that a cat is anxious or fearful, and a tail held out and moving slowly side to side across the body may signal frustration. Cats Protection says a tail that is low to the ground and swishing from side to side means a cat is feeling worried or indecisive, and a puffed up tail likely means the cat is scared or stressed.

What Does It Mean When A Cat Lies Upside Down?

A cat on its back is often saying hello. Cats Protection says the behavior is “often used after a period of separation,” and that the cat is communicating that it feels relaxed in your presence, enough to expose such a vulnerable area. International Cat Care calls it the social roll and says it “is usually carried out as a friendly greeting, showing that the cat is relaxed and comfortable or is in a playful mood.”

Both groups say it is not a request for a belly rub. Cats Protection says that “as a general rule, many cats don’t like to be touched there,” and that a simple fuss on the head will be a welcome response. International Cat Care says a social roll “is not an invitation for a belly rub.” Cats Protection also says that a cat that shows its tummy and then gets it touched will “likely” scratch in response. Read more about signs your cat missed you.

Why Does My Cat Knead And Purr On Me?

Cats Protection says kneading, also called “pawing” or “making biscuits,” is a behaviour cats perform as kittens to stimulate the flow of milk from their mum at feeding time, and that many cats continue doing it well into adulthood. It says it is thought they do this because it feels good and is a sign of contentment. On its page about happy cats it says that although claws digging into your lap may not feel very relaxing for you, it is actually a sign of cat contentment.

Purring often goes along with kneading. Cats Protection says the gentle rumble of a cat’s purr usually signals that the cat is feeling relaxed and happy. International Cat Care says that later in life purring “is generally used as a greeting.” Purring is not always a sign of a happy cat. Cats Protection says the happy reading is “only true if their body language is relaxed,” and that cats can also sometimes purr if they are in pain or in stressful situations, such as going to the vet. Read more about cat purring.

Does My Cat Following Me Mean It Loves Me?

International Cat Care lists jumping on your lap, face and body rubbing, and a high “question mark” tail when approaching among the signs that a cat may want to interact. Following is different. Cats Protection gives four reasons a cat follows you: it wants attention, it wants food, it wants company, or it is bored. On company, it says a cat with a strong bond with you may follow you around because it wants to be near to you and see what you are up to. On food, it says this is particularly likely just before the cat’s normal mealtimes, or at dawn or dusk.

Cats Protection says it is more common for older cats to follow people around, and that younger cats are often too busy exploring or playing. It also says to speak to your vet if your cat becomes a lot more clingy than usual.

Is A Dead Mouse At The Door A Gift?

Cats Protection says it is not: “When cats bring mice, birds and other prey home, they’re not bringing you a gift.” It gives the reason that a cat’s home is where it feels safe and secure, so a cat may bring prey back to its core territory, where it can eat the prey undisturbed or store it for later. It then adds that although it is not a gift or present for you, it can still be considered a sign of love, because it shows the cat feels safe with you. Cats Protection also says not to punish your cat for catching wildlife or bringing its prey home.

Do Cats Form Bonds With People?

A 2019 study in Current Biology by Kristyn Vitale, Alexandra Behnke, and Monique Udell of Oregon State University tested attachment in cats. In its “secure base test,” a cat spends two minutes in a new room with its caregiver, two minutes alone, and then two minutes reunited with the caregiver. Behavior experts watched recordings of the tests and classified each cat’s actions with criteria used for infants and dogs. Of the 70 kittens that could be classified, 64.3% were securely attached and 35.7% were insecurely attached. Of 38 cats aged 1 year or older, 65.8% were secure and 34.2% were insecure. The Oregon State release notes that “In humans, 65% of infants are securely attached to their caregiver.”

Vitale says: “Our study indicates that when cats live in a state of dependency with a human, that attachment behavior is flexible and the majority of cats use humans as a source of comfort.” She also says “Cats that are insecure can be likely to run and hide or seem to act aloof.” The study measured attachment behavior in a test with a caregiver leaving and returning. It did not test the signs listed above.

What If My Cat Does Not Do These Things?

Cats Protection’s clinical animal behaviourist Nicky Trevorrow says “each cat is an individual,” and that some cats take longer than others to build a relationship, so you should not be too disappointed if you do not become best friends straight away. International Cat Care says “we should not simply interact with them or touch them because we feel like it, but rather let them begin the interactions, and decide how and how long that handling continues.” Its list of ways to interact includes talking quietly, blinking slowly, moving predictably, approaching from the side, crouching down to the cat’s level and letting the cat come to you.

International Cat Care also says that “Any changes in behaviour are significant, as they could be an indication that your cat has a health condition,” and to speak to your veterinary team if you think your cat’s behaviour has changed in any way.

Sources

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