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Cats are reputed to be quite independent and detached animals with people, but how true is that statement? The truth is that the vast majority of people who have lived with cats throughout their lives categorically deny that their cats are not affectionate, or at least know that some cats are more affectionate than others.
Knowing your pet is vitally important to positively interact with it and live in harmony, without misunderstandings or false expectations, which can actually be harmful to your furry. For that reason, if you are interested in knowing if cats are affectionate, read this article by PeritoAnimal in which we tell you how cats love and show affection.
cats love their guardians
When we compare a dog to a cat, it is obvious how overwhelmingly dogs show affection compared to cats. It seems that dogs cannot hide their joy when they see us: they wag their tails, they jump from one side to the other, they lick us... Cats, on the other hand, seem like more introverted animals, which don't make big parties when they show their affection, but that doesn't mean they don't love you or that cats don't have feelings.
The main difference between a dog and a cat is the way they have learned to relate to us over time, and since dogs were domesticated longer ago, they distanced themselves from their ancestors, wolves, to adapt to us, becoming much more expressive and winning the hearts of many.
On the other hand, the way cats behave and express themselves is much more instinctive, and didn't evolve so much with human contact. This is not to say that cats don't love their owners, but that their way of expressing it hasn't evolved according to us and, therefore, we humans adapt to them.
For your cat, you are the reference figure and attachment, as she offers care and protection, just like his mother. For this reason, cats raised from childhood with people often express themselves as kittens to show their needs. Hence the belief that cats are selfish animals, but nothing is further from reality, as this fact does nothing more than reflect how much your cat trusts you and how important you are to him.
How do cats express affection?
Cats also have their own way of expressing their emotions towards us, and some can be very clear signs of affection, while others are a little more subtle. Understanding your cat is critical to getting along with it, so let's see the various ways to express affection that cats have:
- Purr: without a doubt, this is the main way that cats have to express that they feel happy and at ease. For this reason, when you are with your cat, he is unable not to purr.
- rub against you: when a cat rubs itself against a person or object, whether with its head, side of the body, etc., it is leaving its scent. They do this because they want to make sure they make it clear to other cats that this is their family and their territory. Therefore, rubbing yourself against yourself or others shows belonging to the group and acceptance.
- lick you: mutual cleaning is part of the usual behavior in cats that belong to the same group. It's their way of leaving their distinctive scent and taking care of each other.
- follow you everywhere: It is common for a cat that has a deep attachment to its human guardian constantly follows you through every room in the house. In some cases, some owners even comment on how surprised they are that their cats call to them when they lock themselves in the bathroom.
- stare at you: a cat staring at the other can mean an aggression, but if your cat looks at you placidly, it's the opposite, because he doesn't feel threatened by you and is curious about what you are doing. Also, he might be trying to get your attention.
- He comes to greet you when you get home: it's not strange that your cat comes to welcome you at home when you arrive, because he misses you when you're not there.
- show you the belly: When your cat shows you his belly, it's usually because he wants you to pay attention to him, but it's also a clear indication that he trusts you, because the belly is a very vulnerable area for him.
- Sleeping with you and/or on top of you: when a cat sleeps soundly with its guardian, it does so because it feels comfortable and safe from threats by its side, since when sleeping, it is completely unprotected.
- meow at you: When a cat wants to draw attention to get something from you, it usually resorts to meowing. He doesn't just do this because he wants you to fill his food bowl, he might also want you to spend some time with him, petting or playing, for example.
- Brings you "gifts": while it may not be the most pleasing show of love for the owners, it is undoubtedly the intention that counts, as it is common for cats to bring their freshly hunted prey (insects, rats, birds...) to their owners as a offer.
You might also be interested in this other article on 10 signs that your cat loves you.
affectionate cat breeds
Just like people, each individual is a world. For this reason, we cannot fall into the expectation that all cats behave the same and are equally loving. There will be some more friendly and expressive, and others who prefer to show their affection from a distance and little by little. Now, two main factors influence whether a cat is more or less affectionate: its genetics and the environment.
We understand genetics as the innate biological predisposition in the animal. In many cases, this is determined by race (or races, if you are mestizo), as there are races known to be very affectionate due to the way they were selected over time for their personality, such as:
- Siamese cat.
- Ragdoll.x
- Maine Coon.
- Exotic cat.
- Sacred Burma.
- Bombay cat.
- Havana.
- Persian cat.
- Scottish fold cat.
- Common European cat.
Per environment, we mean the way the animal was raised, that is, its environment and learning. For this reason, a cat that, as a kitten, was properly socialized and kept in touch with people, he will be much more gentle and affectionate than someone who did not grow up in a family environment. Likewise, a cat that had bad past experiences, or whose tutors do not know very well how to properly relate to him (for example, if they are overly affectionate and do not respect his individual space), will be more reluctant to contact and generally aloof.
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