There is a lot of confusion among people associated with their behaviors when it come to love.
I have seen many people that say,”oh, cats don’t know how to love, all they know is how to boss you around”
On the other side of the spectrum, I have seen many people say who disagree with that and say,”cats are as loving if not more than dogs”.
Hmm, so what is it?
What is my relationship with my cat? Is it all just give and take? Or is there something more than that?
In order to resolve this conflict we will have to first understand what love is?
Yikes.
I know what you are thinking, I just wanted to know 10 ways to love my cat.
Not love advise from some random guy on the internet.
Lol.
I am not a love guru, and I don’t want to be one. 😛
I am just a very careful observer of the life around me and have this inherent capacity, just like you, to learn how things are.
While love and compassion is a common denominator among all creatures that we are surrounded with.
Here is where people go wrong.
Not every creature expresses it the way “we expect them to express“.
The quoted phrase is very important here.
Every single one of us is conditioned in a different way depending on where he or she is born, the culture they have been a part of, the socal situation, education, etc.
You get the point, right?
That is why every person seems to have a different perspective about every thing.
Unfortunately, this conditioning also penetrates in our understanding of these common denominators like love, compassion, intelligence, beauty, power etc.
So extrapolating this understanding on animals, a cat may not express her love the way “you think” it should.
That doesn’t mean cats don’t love.
And it take a lot of intelligence to catch these subtle signs of love your cat throws at you.
But this post isn’t about subtle signs of love that cats throw at you.
This post is about the subtle signs of love you can throw at your cats to let them know how much you love them.
Here are top 10 ways with which you can express your love for your cat or cats.
1.Learn What Different Cat Sounds Mean
Start simple.
If you really want to come close to your cat, you must first learn what is it they are trying to communicate.
To make things simple for you I already created a comprehensive guide on cat sounds and what they mean for you to refer.
Now the catch here is that even though two cats may be making the same sounds, they may be expressing different things.
Every cat is unique, but with the knowledge base you will get from this post, you can definitely make an educated guess that tells you what exactly your cat is trying to say to you.
2.Understand Your Cat’s Body Language
This is again a big one and it will take some time and experience to decode your cat’s body language but here are a few pointers.
A collective look at the cat’s ears and tail will tell you what your cat might be expressing.
Rapidly maneuvering ears and a fairly still tail tells you that your cat is very aware of her surrounding and is possibly scouting for probable threat points.
A behavior you will observe when she spots a dog, another cat or some unidentified element in her territory.
A swaying tail may mean that she is irritated and its probably best for you to leave her alone.
Pulled back ears and an aggressive sound like a howl or a hiss most definitely means you need to back off.
Because she is angry, fearful and will most prbably attack if provoked further.
A trilling or meowing cat with her head held high, tail standing vertical means she is in a happy mood and is open for affection from you.
A cat that is exposing her belly to you is a direct indication that she trusts you.
But with cats trust has levels too. Just because a cat has exposed her belly to you doesn’t mean you can get in and give the cat belly scratches.
Do that before earning the highest amount of trust and you might end up getting scratched or bitten.
Nevertheless, an exposed belly is a great sign that you are doing well in establishing trust and good communication between the two of you.
3. The Slow Blink
In the beginning of this post, we discussed how love is the common denominator among all beings but the expression in all of these beings vary.
One of the best ways a cat expresses her love for you which you can reciprocate as well is by slow blinking her eyes.
For you it may not seem much it is a big gesture from your cat given the fact that cats do not close their eyes in front of animals and people she doesn’t trust.
So if you want to express your affection towards her just try and catch a glimpse and slow blink at them.
Trust me you will experience incredible excahnge of compassion. of compassion.
4. Respect Your Cat’s Territory
One thing that becomes clear as a crystal when you adopt a cat is their strong territorial behavior.
Owing to their territorial behavior coupled with a strong personality you need to be aware about respecting their boundaries.
What do I mean by that?
Because of the aforementioned qualities cats have a very strong sense of likes and dislikes.
While you may have seen videos on YouTube of cats cuddling away with their owners, that just may not be what you can expect from your cat.
I mean I am not saying, that is how she will be always.
What I am saying is if she doesn’t like to get all cuddly, snuggly don’t force it.
Do other aspects that we are discussing here and with time she may just open her doors for more affection.
How much?
It will entirely depend on the cat.
That is why you need to respect her boundaries to eventually probably dissolve them.
5. Create A Cat Sensitive Ecosystem
Now this is true for all pets.
Once you include them in your life, make no mistake, they are your children now.
And in order for these children to grow up well, they need an ecosystem that supports their proper growth and evolution.
Talking about cats specifically, if you look at the behavioral patterns of their ancestors, they lived in wild environments with lush green covers and trees that they can climb, scratch, sharpen their claws and use as vantage points.
Well, of course you can’t replicate the wilderness exactly and you don’t even need to.
But providing necessary hiding, climbing and scratching areas is an absolute must for your cats to properly grow in a domesticated environment.
For just this purpose I created a post on how to choose the best scratching post for cats that you most definitely must go through.
I also urge to look into these important posts that will help you put in the necessary elements in your cat’s ecosystem.
- Choose the best water fountain for your cats.
- Homemade cat food recipes for senior cats.
- Why do cats scratch?
- 20 tips before you adopt a cat.
- DIY cat toys that you can make using daily household materials.
Ensure that your cat has sufficient hiding and resting places across the house where she can rest in ease without every little sound bothering her.
To give her a sense of a vantage point in the wild, give her a cat cave bed like this one from where she can observe different activities of the house without being seen.
- "ORIGINAL" CURIOUS CAT CUBE by MidWest | Stylish cat cube in neutral brown faux suede & synthetic sheepskin top | Cat cube measures 15.5"W x 15.5"L x 16.5"H when assembled
- CONVENIENT DESIGN | Strong / sturdy construction, cat hide-out is fast to assemble & collapses flat when not in use for easy storage & travel
- PEACEFUL HIDEOUT FOR YOUR PET |Provides a private den for your cat or small dog (entry-way measures 7.3W x 10H inches) & includes a comfortable cushioned top to promote relaxation for your pet
- ENGAGES YOUR CAT'S PLAYFUL NATURE | Cat cube includes plush hanging ball w/ "hide & seek" cut-outs to promote play
- EASY TO ASSEMBLE | No tools required & includes 1 year MidWest Quality Guarantee Manufacturer's Warranty
6. Head But Your Cat
If you have been a cat owner for a little while you probably must know that among other things head rubs and head butts (also known as head bunting) are other small things cat do to show their affection.
So don’t hold back.
Go in there and head butt your cat to reciprocate the affection.
But feel the air before you do that alright.
When your cat sits on your laptop when you are working is probably a good time.
When she is half asleep, umm, yeah maybe.
Don’t go in there when you know she is annoyed. Those scratches will be on you then.
7. Indulge In A Lot Of Playtime.
This is probably one of the reasons why you got a cat in the first place right?
Cats by nature are agile creatures. In the wilderness they are always active, agile and in hunt mode.
So in order for her playful nature to keep its momentum you need to invest some time, effort and maybe money to ensure she has sufficient accessories for her to remain active and agile.
One way I can help keep your cost to the minimum is by guiding you to create your own cat toys using household items.
You can probably also use your iphone to engage with your cat playfully.
Check out these awesome apps for your cat’s playtime.
Ensuring a rigorous playtime will ensure that the bond between you and your fur baby remains strong and more importantly;
It will ensure that your cat gets sufficiently tired at the end of the day so that she doesn’t freak out in the middle of the night and run around when you are fast asleep making you freak out in the process.
Every cat is different and thus will have a different choice in toys too.
But you most probably will be alright with any of these cat toys.
No products found.
- Size - 25 inch long stick with colorful feather and a melody sliver bell, not only a wand toy, also you can use these pretty sticks to decorate your house and a magic stick during dress-up party.
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- Safe material - The furry colorful feathers made of Safe and Eco-friendly natural material. The cat wand use new material with higher elasticity and hardness to protect your cat during playing
- Interactive playing - Swing this feathers magic wand to make your cats excited, rouse the hunt instinct inside every cat, driving your cats running and jumping with this stick!
- Cat Dancer Interactive Cat Toys: The Rainbow cat treat toy wand is a great way to attract your cat’s attention and make it active It's an Irresistible lure for your cat and your cat will love this string toy
- Premium Quality: The cat wand toy is made from polycarbonate wand and rainbow fleece Both materials are non-toxic and safe for your cats
- Perfect Cat Exerciser: Interact with your cats and make your cats feel relax and happy The cat toy is a suitable tool for your beloved cats which stay at home lonely
- Beneficial For Your Cat's Health: Say goodbye to the lazy and boring time for your cat with the Cat Dancer cat toys This cat toy helps your cat keep active and do more exercise Try these interactive cat toys, let's help increase your cat's movement and keep fit and healthy, releasing their extra energy and stabilizing their nervous emotion
- Ideal Gift: This cat wand is a perfect gift for a pet lover or your cat Go and bring more fun to your cats and cat lovers
8. Get Some Catnip Into Them
I am yet to find a cat owner that doesn’t enjoy their cat go bonkers on some good catnip trip.
We discussed in-depth as to what does catnip do to cats in this post right here, that I think you must check out.
Using catnip directly or catnip toys are an excellent way to keep your cat active and make her “feel good”.
And she will love you for it.
Fair warning though, know that not all cats react to catnip.
Many cats including kittens turn their nose up on catnip and move away as if it was nothing.
So don’t be disappointed if your cat doesn’t go all crazy on catnip.
It’s her, not you. 🙂
9. “Treat” Her Right.
Treats are a sureshot way to a cat’s heart.
Treats can very well make you, your cat’s favorite person.
Nothing pleases a cat more than seeing her favorite treat and if you use the treats the right way, she will take these gestures a sign of affection towards her.
When I say the right way, what I mean is her demanding looks towards treats can very well lead you to overfeed your kitty.
Make sure you offer her treats when she expresses good behavior so that she doesn’t hardens negative behavioral patterns within herself and you know “train you” instead.
10. Its Not About You, Its About Your Cat.
Now what I am going to say is going to pinch a little bit.
Pets and animals in general are simple sentient beings.
As long as their fundamental requirements of surviving, procreation and playfulness is met they will be good pets.
And most of the time if a cat or a dog for that matter is not behaving properly, is being overly aggressive, biting etc., its because its ecosystem which involves us is somewhere somehow not letting her be a “cat” or a “dog”.
Its so funny, I was just watching a video by Jackson Galaxy and he said, “Cat are not placed in this universe to please us, when you let them be what they wish to be their natural healthy, playful expression is their I Love You to us.”
Hope his words touch home.
With that we are at the end of this post on how you can express your love towards your cats.
I hope you enjoyed the post as much as I enjoyed writing it.
If there is anything at all that you want to share regarding the post, about cats, any queries that you might have.
Don’t hold back from expressing them in the comments section below.
Take care of yourselves and your cat and I will see you in the next one!.
Bye.
