Let’s face it. Cats are nowhere near as obvious or overt in their expressions of love for us as their dog counterparts. How ridiculous would it feel anyway if our favorite feline raced up to us then got in our face and slobbered on us welcoming us home from work…? The image is laughable, right?  Agreed. 🙂  Our cat friends are all cool catness and cattitude -it’s part of what we love about them. So how exactly does a cat owner tell if their cat REALLY loves them, aside from being fed daily? This cat sitter in Chandler  is *so* glad you asked. Here goes:

1) Your cat sleeps near you, or better yet, snuggled right up against you, if not on top of you.  My Siamese cat, Willow, is always near me, no matter where I am in the house. And at night, she tucks herself behind my knees while I sleep.

2) Your cat comes when you call it. This is no easy feat – a cat does what it wants, when it wants. So if your furry buddy answers to you, it’s a sign of respect and love.

3) At random times your cat will do what I like to call, a drive-by. This is when she rubs against your legs for absolutely no reason, i.e. other than  it’s meal time or you’re making a tuna sandwich. It’s very endearing!

4) Kitty jumps up in your lap for a cuddle. Honestly we know most cats are not as openly affectionate as dogs, so that makes the times when your feline friend *does* jump up for some pets special; you can rest assured that’s a loud and clear, “I love you”.

5) The “Head Bonk“ – this is your cat’s version of a kiss or hug. If you put your head anywhere near theirs, they will bonk you with their head. A few of our cat clients will do this with us and we love it. They are marking you as THEIRS with the scent glands in their face.

6) The slow eye blink – This is a somewhat hard one to pick up on, but if you see your cat slow blinking at you, that’s cat speak for I love you. Try it. If you slow blink your eyes a few times at your buddy, chances are good they’ll respond in kind back. I can get 2 of my cats to do this.

7) Kitty lets you rub their belly. This is a hugely sensitive area for all cats and their most vulnerable spot.  Many cats do not like having the tummy area touched. If your cat lets you rub/touch/brush their belly you can rest assured your cat loves and *trusts* you very much! This Chandler cat sitter loves when a cat rolls over for  a belly rub. It’s a way we know we’re trusted with your furry friend.

8) Your cat brings you ‘presents’ – not the gift wrapped kind…but the it used to be a living breathing thing, kind of a present. Now we may not appreciate our kitty’s taste in gifts, but if your feline is leaving dead lizards, mice or other assorted formerly alive animals for you, it’s a sign of affection as he sees you as his family and is trying to ‘provide’ for  you in a surrogate sort of way. Awwww…..

9) Purrrrrrrring. If you cat loves you, then they will definitely purr when you pet them. One of my cats purrs like a motor when I get down on the floor with her. She just loves it and purring is her way of showing how happy she is I am doing this.

As Chandler cat sitters, we’re lucky and get to experience many of these behaviors with our client’s cats. Sometimes more than one from the same cat. We have a great job!

Which of these ways does your cat express it’s love for you?