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[spoiler][size=5]SIGNS THAT YOUR CAT LOVES YOU
1. FOLLOWS YOU AROUND
This is a clear sign your cat likes you — or at least knows you are the source of their food. Cats who receive lots of affection from their humans associate them with positive interactions and may follow them from room to room (including the bathroom) in pursuit of more.

2. SLEEPS NEAR OR WITH YOU
Even cats who are nervous around humans or don’t enjoy physical affection will often sleep near their people, since they may feel safest when their human is lying down and don’t pose as much of a threat.

3. SLOW BLINKING
Though eye contact can sometimes be read as a threat, happy cats will make steady eye contact with lowered lids and squeeze their eyes shut to express contentment. Try “slow blinking” back at your cat to return the gesture.

4. KNEADING
This behavior has many names: “making biscuits,” “kneading bread” and “happy paws” are just a few. The behavior is carried over from kittenhood, when kittens knead their mothers’ abdomens to stimulate milk flow.

5. MEOWING, PURRING & TRILLING
Did you know that cats only meow to communicate with humans? Cats have little need to communicate with each other verbally, but many cats learn that meowing at humans triggers a response, whether that’s food, treats, a pat or an open door.

6. SHOWING THEIR BELLY
Their stomach is a cat’s most vulnerable spot, so if they’re comfortable exposing their belly around you, that means they feel safe. Sometimes, if they’re feeling frisky, a cat might roll over and expose its belly during playtime (the classic “cat trap” maneuver) — but be careful of their claws!

7. TAIL TIP TWITCHING & WRAPPING TAIL AROUND YOU
If a cat runs toward you or weaves around you with a high, twitching tail, it generally means they’re very happy to see you. They may also wave their tail back and forth in wide, curving motions as an extra show of excitement.When seated or lying next to their human, a cat may wrap its tail around their person’s closest body part in a show of warmth and affection.

8. HEADBUTTING & RUBBING AGAINST YOU
Cats have scent glands in their foreheads, lips and cheeks that only other cats can smell, so they are essentially marking whatever they rub against as their property. When they rub against their owners, they may also be picking up your scent in a show of “scent-sharing,” a common behavior among cats who are close.

9. GROOMING
Cats are experts at cleaning themselves and rarely need help. Grooming and fur-licking between cats, therefore, is a sign of affection and comfort, since it can remind them of when they were kittens. If a cat is licking you, be aware if they get a wild look in their eye — licking may lead to biting (see #11), which is another odd, if painful, way to express attachment.

10. BRINGS YOU PRESENTS
Cats are natural hunters, and some unfortunate side effects of this instinctual behavior are the bodies of mice and birds that might end up on your front steps. Outdoor cats will attempt to bring their humans freshly killed “presents” as a sign of goodwill and pride — they are both showing you what they can do and trying to feed you. Indoor cats sometimes mimic this behavior by “hunting” and depositing their toys in front of their humans.

11. LOVE BITES
As we mentioned above, sometimes a cat’s affection can become a little too intense. Cats have naturally sharp teeth and claws, and they are not always aware of the pain these can cause their people. When a cat rubs its face against you repeatedly, watch that they don’t transition to inflicting “love bites.” Even though these bites are softer than a defensive bite, they still have the capacity to leave marks and are a behavior that should be gently discouraged.
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