Real talk: Does this cat dear me, or does it dearest what I can do for it? It'southward a question many a cat parent has pondered.

Mikel Delgado, true cat behavior good with Rover, confirmed that cats can, indeed, feel affection for humans. "Cats can have a lot of the same emotions that nosotros exercise, including liking to exist around us and enjoying our presence," she says. "I believe they are capable of enjoying relationships with u.s.a. and even loving united states. "

Cats derive pleasance, safety, and comfort from their relationships with humans. However, all cats express their happiness with their man companions differently. Long story short? Cats have distinct personalities, just similar people.

"Some cats are more affectionate than others, or they're more than obvious with their affection," Delgado explains. "For some cats, the way they show they dear yous is to desire to be in the same room with you. For other cats, the way they show they love you is sitting on your chest and purring in your face up."

Delgado gave usa tips for interpreting cat behavior, no matter what kind of feline you have, you tin see one time and for all, that your cat does indeed love yous.

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Footstep one? Make sure your cat has been socialized.

Cats tin can love their humans—but non all cats tin dear the way we want them to. In social club to make a great pet, it helps if a cat has go accustomed to human behavior from a young age.

Delgado cites a "sensitive menstruum" in a kitten's coming-of-age, between 2 to nine weeks, during which they get comfortable coexisting with people. "Kittens that are handled by people at that time are going to be more open and trusting of people later in life," Delgado says. Dr. Sarah Nold, staff veterinarian at Trupanion, suggests that adopting a kitten up to 7 weeks old for the speediest bonding.

kitten looking up towards the camera

Sally Anscombe // Getty Images

When the sensitive menses is over, a kitten can still learn to love a man—merely it's a slower procedure. Even though cats are a domesticated species, they're able to alive independent of human being care. A feral true cat, for example, would never be wholly at ease with people; and likely, vice versa. "It'd be like trying to tame a squirrel or raccoon. Y'all wouldn't cease upward cuddling a raccoon," Delgado says.

Equally for homing stray cats? That's a go, in sure situations. "Some cats that live outside do get a lot of exposure to people—they simply may have never lived in a habitation. They learned, through association, that people are good. They bring me food, maybe I should trust them. But information technology'll exist an adjustment to living indoors," Delgado says.

So, look out for these behaviors.

  1. They treat you like you're a cat. When cats don't experience threatened by other cats, they will bear witness affection past rubbing on them, sleeping almost them, and being in their presence. If your cat replicates those behaviors with yous, Delgado says it has officially imprinted on you.
  2. They rub against y'all. Delgado says this is the "telltale sign" your true cat has accepted yous into its social group.
  3. They follow you lot into a room. If a cat is following y'all around, that means it wants to exist around you, co-ordinate to Delgado.
  4. They come into your bedchamber while you're sleeping. Some cats are threatened by a humans' size. As a outcome, they may feel safer around humans when they're lying on a bed, compared to walking around.
  5. They glimmer their eyes slowly. Happy cats tend to glimmer their eyes slowly and softly. Humans can mimic this gesture, and communicate with their cats. "Softening your gaze is definitely a good way to have the tension out of the space," Delgado says.
  6. They knead their paws like a kitten. Ever seen your true cat pushing in and out with its front paws? That'southward a gesture kittens make when they want their mother to release milk. "When they do that to you, it'southward like you're mommy," Delgado says, and it'southward another sign your cat is comfy with yous.
  7. They make the right kind of meow. Co-ordinate to Delgado, "meowing" is a manner for cats to communicate with people. "It'south a very effective mode of pushing buttons and pulling at our heartstrings and getting us to practise any they desire, whether it's giving them treats or attention," Delgado says.
  8. They testify their abdomen—in some cases. Some cats betrayal their bellies as a sign of relaxation and trust. Other cats, according to Delgado, bear witness their bellies considering they want to play.
  9. They show their tail, too. Once again, the meaning of this gesture depends on the cat. "Some cats only have an active tail when they're irritated," Delgado says. However, it can besides exist a sign of affection.

In order to see these behaviors, your cat needs a comfortable environment.

According to Delgado, the key to a true cat's happiness is setting up an surround in which cats can limited behaviors that are natural to them. Be the doer of everything the cat loves: Providing treats, and playing hard to get. Also, Nold suggests getting your feline friend a climbing tree.

"Then, cats tin can actually build trust and a bond," Delgado says.

kitten playing with feather toy

Benjamin Torode // Getty Images

These rules hold true for all breeds of cats.

Generally speaking, Delgado says, true cat behavior is consistent between breeds. Whereas dogs were bred to replicate dissimilar behaviors, the same isn't true for cats, which were bred for looks—not personality.

"Some breeds are very agile, like Abyssinians, and Siamese are known to exist vocal, but as far as similar body language and interactions with people, they're full general across all true cat breeds," Delgado says.

maine coon cat close up indoors

Royal Collar Pet Photography // Getty Images

If you desire your true cat to honey you, play hard to get.

Equally a cat owner, your impulse may be to immediately cuddle with your buddy. But Delgado recommends letting your true cat accept charge of interactions. "We know from inquiry that cats actually prefer to be the one to arroyo y'all. And if you lot permit them brand the showtime movement, you'll take a better interaction," Delgado says.

Over time, Delgado adds, your true cat volition trust you more, because you respect its limits. This dynamic explains why people who are allergic to cats tend to complain that cats love them. "They're totally avoiding the cat—and the cat is like, Ooh, I want to sit on that person because they're not being pushy."

Finally, find a cat that fits your lifestyle.

All cats have dissimilar personalities. Sometimes, it'southward possible to ad0pt a kitten or cat with a certain kind of personality. Nold says humane societies and rescue centers piece of work with cat behaviorists to evaluate cats' personalities. "Share what you're looking for the eye you lot're adopting the true cat from, " Nold says.

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