English Español Deutsch Français 日本語

What does it mean when a cat rubs its head against its hand?

Pet Knowledge
This article is provided by Veterinarian Dr. James Brown
The cat may rub its head and hands to express its affection for its owner, or it may be acting coquettishly, hoping that the owner will play with it. In addition, because cats have a strong sense of territory, they rub their heads against their owners' hands. They may also want to leave their own scent on their owners to declare their sovereignty. Therefore, when a cat exhibits this behavior, the owner can give the cat a certain response, such as touching its head with hands, playing with it, giving it some snacks, etc., which will help deepen the relationship between the cat and the cat.

1. Expressing love

Cats rubbing their heads and hands is actually a way for them to express their love. Cats generally only rub against people they are familiar with, and they are always wary of strangers. So if the cat always rubs its head against your hand, it means that it likes and trusts you very much.

2. Acting coquettishly

Cats sometimes rub their heads and hands to act coquettishly toward their owners, and sometimes make purring sounds. They usually want their owners to play with them, or to Looking for food from the owner. Therefore, when a cat acts coquettishly at its owner, the owner can be patient and spend more time with the cat, stroke it more, and reward it with snacks, so that it can feel that its coquettishness is responded to by the owner.

3. Leave a smell

Because the cat’s head can secrete a smell, when it rubs its head with its hands, it will rub its smell into the owner’s hands. This is an act of declaring sovereignty, and they also like to rub against stuffed toys and other items at home. This is a cat's behavior of declaring its sovereignty, and the owner does not need to interfere too much.