Do Cats Love Their Pet Parents?
Cats are social and affectionate
animals who will grow to love their pet parents. It's not always easy to win a cat's love, but there's often no better feeling of accomplishment than when a cat begins to show trust and adoration for you.
Cats are much more subtle when it comes to expressing their affection, but that doesn't mean cats and people share any less of a bond than dogs do. It just means you need to work harder to understand your cat's love language and boundaries in order to build trust.
What Signs Your Cat Loves You
So, how do cats show affection? Their body language, behavior, and vocalizations often tell us a lot about their level of trust and adoration. Acknowledging and understanding these behaviors can help build a strong, loving bond with your cat.

Here are some common signs that your cat loves you:
1. Slow Blinking
The eyes are the windows to the soul, and cats will show affection by making eye contact with their owners. Typically, cats will look directly into the eyes of someone they trust and love.
Cats will often lower their eyelids and blink slowly to make eye contact with their owners. This is considered the cat version of a kiss, and you can even try to show your cat affection with a slow blink.
2. Head-butting
Your cat may show affection by head-butting you or rubbing his cheek against you. This is a social behavior that was developed as a kitten by head-butting other kittens and their mothers.
Head-butting is often an attempt to mark you with their scent to declare you one of their own. It helps cats bond with their owners and show affection to their owners.
3. Grooming
Cats will groom each other to show affection, and this behavior extends to humans when trust is established. Cats will often lick their owners or allow their owners to groom them. Licking is similar to the grooming behavior that cats use with their feline friends, allowing them to mark each other and bond.
But watch for rapid tail wagging and listen for any growling or hissing, as grooming (especially grooming) can be overstimulating if done too vigorously or for too long.

4. Kneading
Cats often knead with their front paws. This behavior begins in kittenhood and is associated with nursing mothers. Kneading is thought to release endorphins to reduce stress and promote relaxation, which leads to a feeling of comfort.
Relaxed cats knead their fur to show contentment. They often knead their fur when you stroke or pet them gently. Sometimes cats knead their fur to create a softer sleeping spot, and it is thought to be an innate behavior.
5. Showing the Belly
This is often considered the ultimate sign of trust in cats. Only in their most relaxed state will cats lie on their backs and expose their bellies.
But this is not an invitation to stroke or rub your cat's belly! They are simply sending a message that they feel comfortable and safe enough to expose one of the most vulnerable parts of their body. Be careful if you are about to rub your cat's belly, as your cat may retaliate by biting or scratching.
6. Meowing
Cats often make short, quiet meowing sounds when we speak to them slowly and softly. If the meow becomes longer, longer, or turns into a hiss, this may be a sign that your cat has had enough interaction.
7. Purring
They often purr to show contentment when they are resting near you or when you pet them. They may also purr when they are nervous, but this is usually accompanied by different body language, such as pulling their ears back, lowering their head, wagging their tail quickly, or hiding.
8. Greeting You at the Door
When cats greet you at the door, they are trying to show you that they miss you. This is often accompanied by walking between your legs and wrapping their tail around your leg. Sometimes it is accompanied by meowing and "tail wagging" behavior, where the cat will quickly wag its tail.
This is your cat's way of welcoming you home. They may also be telling you something more important, such as they are ready to eat, they need fresh water, or their litter box needs to be cleaned, so be sure to check these things.

9. Following You
Cats often follow people they love and trust around the house. This is similar to greeting you at your door, where they follow behind you to keep you in sight. They may also walk around your legs.
10. Tail Language
Cats often use their tails to show affection to their pet parents. A contented cat will usually hold their tail upright with the tip of the tail in a C-shape or hook.
When they lie next to you, they may slowly wag their tail back and forth and allow it to touch you. Sometimes, when cats are very happy, they will even wag their tails to see you while walking. But if your cat wags and shakes its tail in front of a vertical surface, watch closely as this can also be a sign of urine marking.
11. Brings you gifts
Cats are natural hunters, and sometimes cats who have caught a mouse or insect will bring the remains back to their owners as a gift. While this may make you queasy, it is really a sign of love and pride. Your cat wants to return your affection.
12. Sleeps next to you
Cats who choose to sleep on you or close to you are showing their love and trust in you. Even if they choose to lie out of your reach, it means they feel safe and trust that you will protect them or that they will protect you when danger arises.