Meet Them Where They Are
Nature and nurture play a huge role in most cats attitudes. There are some breeds that are by nature more anti-social however, the way a cat was treated early on in its life will certainly shape its personality. For example if a cat was abused, mistreated or neglected as a kitten, this lack of nurture can make it fearful and mistrusting of humans. If you have one of these cats, meet him where he is, understand hes not against you, just scared of the unknown. Patience is the key to earning this fellas affections. In addition, be aware of the needs of the senior cat. Sometimes with old age our cats can experience aches and pains and eyesight and hearing loss that we may not always be aware of. Give the later-in-years cat the comfortable atmosphere it craves and be sure to know and respect its limitations.
Ways To Show Extra Love To Your Dog
Now that you know your dog knows you love them, the next question you might have is What can I do when I want to tell my dog I love them?
There are several things you can do to communicate to your dog that you love them. Start with the ones below and see which one your dog responds to the most. Use the signs we talked about above to figure out which method below works best for your dog.
It Shows You Its Tummy
There are few things cuter than a fluffy cat belly, and getting to see one means that you’ve earned that cat’s trust.
Cats usually show their bellies voluntarily to creatures that they trust. According to WebMD, it shows that they feelsafe and are comfortable being vulnerable. If your cat stretches out on the floor beside you and rolls around, you can bet its feeling affectionate.
That said, cats may also expose their tummies as asubmissive or defensive act when they feel cornered. If you don’t know the cat well , be wary of trying to stroke their belly, as this may cause the cat to take a swipe at you.
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Why Keep Your Cat Entertained
Cats have a few strong instincts that govern their behavior. They’re inclined to chase, stalk, and scratch at objects that intrigue them.
And this is where cat toys can provide hours of stimulation while saving your furniture, curtains, and unwanted ”gifts” that might include small birds, rodents, and lizards. Not only can certain cat toys serve as stimulation, but many of them allow your cat to get in their daily exercise and encourage movement.
She Makes Biscuits On You
When cats are especially content, they exhibit a behavior called kneading, or making biscuits. This is when cats push their paws in and out on a soft surface, pulling lightly with their claws, in an alternating left/right pattern. This is likely a left-over behavior from kittenhood, when kittens use this motion to stimulate milk flow from their mother cat. Cats likely do this in the presence of their favorite humans because they see their humans as their parents.
Another theory of why cats make biscuits is that this is simply another way for cats to leave their scent on their favorite things and people to claim them as their own. Either way, if your cat kneads on you, it means they really need you!
Is there anything more adorable than a purring kitten?
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Place Your Cat In Your Lap Then Immediately Give A Treat To Reward Him/her For Being There
This is a more advanced step, and one that works really well if your cat is somewhat used to your touch, but doesnt like cuddling in your lap as much as cuddling when he or she is on a more firm, stable surface, like the bed, the floor or the couch.
Placing your cat in your lap then immediately giving a treat will help your cat begin to associate being in your lap with the potential of really good things coming his or her way, which should go a long way in helping your cat associate your lap with fond, happy memories.
How To Get Your Cat To Know And Love You
This article was co-authored by Brian Bourquin, DVM. Brian Bourquin, better known as Dr. B to his clients, is a Veterinarian and the Owner of Boston Veterinary Clinic, a pet health care and veterinary clinic with three locations, South End/Bay Village, the Seaport, and Brookline, Massachusetts. Boston Veterinary Clinic specializes in primary veterinary care, including wellness and preventative care, sick and emergency care, soft-tissue surgery, dentistry. The clinic also provides specialty services in behavior, nutrition, and alternative pain management therapies using acupuncture, and therapeutic laser treatments. Boston Veterinary Clinic is an AAHA accredited hospital and Bostons first Fear Free Certified Clinic. Brian has over 19 years of veterinary experience and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University.There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 13 testimonials and 83% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 278,189 times.
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Use Your Voice Carefully
You may have gotten an over-the-top positive reaction by doing a high-pitched squealing tone or talking in a baby voice to a dog but that doesnt fly with the felines. Keep your voice soft and reassuring. Cats dont react well to loud sounds so your tone of voice should be similar to what you would use to calm a nervous child.
So Do Cats Love Their Owners Important Research Conclusions
These points are quite relevant to finding out whether or not your cat loves you, because looking at the behavior in animals and researching, leads us to conclusions that may not have been realized before. Having said that, recent research performed on cats, and observation performed by cat behaviorists seems to indicate that cats do not actually love us like dogs do. Moreover, cats do not actually need us to survive was the point being made, yet there must be a type of bond between cat, and owner due to the fact that even cats that can wander off choose to stay.
One research performed by the University of Lincoln concluded that cats are much more independent than dogs, because they do not show any signs of separation anxiety when their owners leave the house, or room. Additionally, they seem to feel quite comfortable when left on their own for a while, making them excellent pets for those who have to work, whereas a dog may whine, or pine for his master until he comes home. Usually, one would expect if a pet is attached to their owner, they would show some signs of distress when the owner is not around, this wasnt the case with cats.
Owners conclusions in comparison
Do cats have feelings for us different to love?
To sum up and your response.
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Go For The Slow Blink
via flickr/comedynose
In cat language, a hard, direct stare is seen as a threat. On the other hand, a soft gaze and slow blink signal relaxation and safety. You can say I love you to your cat by looking at them with relaxed eyes and slowly lowering your eyelids. Your cat may offer a slow blink in return, letting you know they love you, too!
Surprising Ways To Say I Love You In Cat Language
Reviewed and updated for accuracy on June 15, 2018, by Katie Grzyb, DVM.
Most cat lovers dont need to be told that a steady supply of cuddles and cat treats will keep their feline friends happy. But what are some methods to show your cat signs of affection that go a little deeper? By learning more about innate cat behavior, you can enhance the bond you share. Here are eight fun ways to show your cat lovein cat language.
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Scratch Posts Are A Must
All cats need the luxury of having a scratch post . By nature these animals are inclined to reach up and scratch a rough surface, which provides them with an emotional outlet, as well as a way to leave their scent behind. By providing your furry pal with an appropriate post, he can use his claws in a safe and healthy manner and also get up high to survey his home. Your cat will love to look down on you from up above and will appreciate your loving gesture.
It Blinks At You Slowly
Cat owners are probably familiar with the trance-like gaze felines can sometimes deliver. Turns out, they may actually be trying to communicate their affection.
“Slowly blinking at you is a sign of pure love, and it’s often even referred to as a ‘kitty kiss.’ When other cats are around, you may see your cat slow blinking a lot. This is to let the other cats know that everything is cool,” Hickman reports on Petful.
- Read more:
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Pet Your Cat While He/she Is Sitting Down Calmly At The Window
The worst time to try to pet a cat is when he or she is stressed, anxious, wired, alert, in hunting mode, or just not in down-time mode essentially.
If your cat is sitting calmly and coolly at the window, on the sofa, or any other place really, thats the ideal time to try to go in for a gentle, non-threatening pet.
Do try to only pet once or twice, maybe three times, initially, to make sure you dont bother your cat and take him or her out of the calm and relaxed state of mind, but a small number of pets shouldnt be completely unwelcome if your cat is really calm.
Pet Your Cat Then Immediately Give Your Cat Unexpected Treats Throughout The Day
If you begin to surprise your cat with unexpected pets and treats throughout the day, this should definitely go a long way in helping your cat associate seeing you with happy thoughts of potentially getting food.
If your cat loves catnip, a specific kind of kibble , a dental treat, or even a little teeny piece of the plain chicken you cook for your dinner, give a tiny bit of what you have , with a little pet before or during your gift.
Your cat should begin to start associating those positive feelings he or she gets when she has something he or she truly loves to eat with the act of being pet.
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When Should You Consider Pet Euthanasia For Your Cat
Unfortunately only a small number of cats die naturally of old age. Generally they become so ill that it is kinder to ask your vet to “put them to sleep”.
However just because your cat is old and sick will not mean that the vet will suggest euthanasia straight away, so do not be afraid to take your elderly cat for treatment.
When there is doubt as to the quality of life your cat may be leading, ask yourself these questions:
- Are they in pain or discomfort that cannot be controlled by medication?
- Are they able to walk and balance steadily?
- Are they eating and drinking? If so, do they vomit afterwards?
- Is their breathing OK?
- Are they able to pass urine and faeces regularly and easily?
- If special care is required to enable your cat to live a happy life, are you able to provide that care on a daily basis?
If the answer to any or some of these questions is negative, then a discussion with your vet may reveal that it would be kinder to let them go and to consider pet euthanasia.
Actions Speak Louder Than Wordsor Do They
Growing up, I was told that what someone says to a dog doesnt matter. All that matters is the persons tone of voice when saying it. Turns out this is wrong!
Dogs learn a lot more words than we give them credit for. Eventually, most dogs will learn what the word love means. When theyre constantly around family members that say the words love you and then show affection towards each other right after, they connect the words love you with affection.
When you tell your dog you love them, some dogs will actually know what youre saying! This was proven by a study back in the early 2000s. Researchers would say various words to dogs that come from a loving home. When they said the word love, dopamine would be released in the dogs brain.
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How To Show Affection To A Cat
This article was co-authored by Brian Bourquin, DVM. Brian Bourquin, better known as Dr. B to his clients, is a Veterinarian and the Owner of Boston Veterinary Clinic, a pet health care and veterinary clinic with three locations, South End/Bay Village, the Seaport, and Brookline, Massachusetts. Boston Veterinary Clinic specializes in primary veterinary care, including wellness and preventative care, sick and emergency care, soft-tissue surgery, dentistry. The clinic also provides specialty services in behavior, nutrition, and alternative pain management therapies using acupuncture, and therapeutic laser treatments. Boston Veterinary Clinic is an AAHA accredited hospital and Bostons first Fear Free Certified Clinic. Brian has over 19 years of veterinary experience and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University.There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 16 testimonials and 96% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 447,044 times.
Socialization Is So Important
Socializing your kitten early on is very important for its mental development and to help her gain exposure to the different situations she will encounter in life. This includes handling her gently and appropriately, exposing her to the cat carrier and car rides, as well as grooming and nail trimming. A well-socialized kitty will love your attention!
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Your Cat Kneads You With Its Paws
Kittens knead their mother to stimulate milk flow, but adult cats also use kneading as a way to cozy up to their keepers.
“This behavior has a habit of sticking around as a source of comfort and relaxation, and it may even bea sign of affection and bonding with you. A cat may exhibit this behavior because it sees you as its mother, authority figure or it’s the cat’s way of saying, ‘I trust you,'” writes pet behavior researcher Gayle Hickman on Petful.
Scent glands in the paws are also activated by kneading, so your cat may alsobe trying to mark you as its own.
Love Your Cats Out Of Boredom With Training
Cats rarely work for a living these days. Many of them are bored out of their skulls. So we end up with stir-crazy cats that swing from the drapes and play gravity experiments with fine breakables off the mantel, pick fights with the other cats, claw and baptize furniture with urine, and more.
Think of training as recreation, fun, a challenge, and an opportunity to celebrate your pets natural skills and reward them by unlocking their full potential.
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Pet Them The Way They Prefer To Be Pet
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Have you ever noticed how sensitive cats can be? My tuxedo cat Richie can be an attention hog, walking all over my lap. But if I pick him up, he wiggles and complains. Different cats have different preferences for how to be handled. To tell your cat you love them, respect their physical boundaries.
Maybe your cat likes a good chin scratch or a vigorous butt rub. Or maybe they dont like being pet at all but are content to sit by your side on the couch. Pay attention to how your cat reacts when you pet them on different parts of their body. When they react calmly and affectionately, youve found the sweet spot!
Can You Make Your Cat Love You
Cats are discerning creatures, and you cant force your cat to love you. Disrespecting her personal space or going too far the other way and ignoring her completely wont contribute to your human-feline friendship.
However, you can take the steps mentioned here to slowly build a bond with your cat on her terms, of course!
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In Pop Culture Dogs Are Heroes Cats Are Zeroes
Aversion to cats lingering wildness might have something to do with how theyre typically portrayed. One of the biggest points of antagonism for cat people is a dog-cat rivalry that the media and popular culture stokeand the fact that it almost always favors dogs. Compare Lassie, Toto, Air Bud, Benji, and Max, with Garfield, the Cheshire Cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, Azreal, Lucifer, Tom, Si and Am.
Dogs are heroes, trusty sidekicksat worst, pesky but lovable rascals like the eponymous pup of . Villains and their companions of choice? Cats, .
Youd think these cliches might get tired. Yet the media relentlessly breathes new life into these conventions . Dogs are loyal, affectionate, friendly, and playful, according to the common wisdom. In fact, a recent study found that news stories about dogs tend to be picked up more frequently than non-dog-related stories.
Examine cat coverage and it becomes apparent that the media openly exploits the dog-cat rivalry, often portraying them as aloof at bestand at worst, cold, calculating, manipulative, bloodthirsty, toxic, and incapable of love. Sometimes all of the above.