Why do some cats and dogs practically melt with joy when they get a good head scratch?
The answer is different for Fluffy than it is for Fido, although they do share a few reasons for why they sink into complete bliss whenever their furry little heads are massaged.
For instance, petting a cat or a dog on the head gives the animal attention, which it might crave, said Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a professor emeritus at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Moreover, it's difficult for cats and dogs to touch the tops of their heads with their paws, and it's impossible for them to lick it with their tongues.
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"It's a relatively inaccessible area that you can reach for them, so you're doing them a favor in that sense," Dodman told Live Science.
From there, the reasons cats and dogs like a good head rub diverge. For cats, a friendly caress on the head, cheeks or chin might remind them of their grooming routine, when they lick the backs of their paws and rub their heads. The head scratch could also remind them of their mothers, who licked the tops of their heads when they were kittens, said Dodman, who is the author of "Pets on the Couch: Neurotic Dogs, Compulsive Cats, Anxious Birds, and the New Science of Animal Psychiatry" (Atria Books, 2016).
So, cats may perceive a head scratch as either a "personalized grooming service provided by [the] owner," or see the owner as their mom, because "that's what mummy cat does," Dodman said.
In addition, while cats have scent glands all over their bodies, these glands are concentrated in a cat's forehead, cheeks and chin, said Mikel Delgado, a doctoral candidate in psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, who is also a certified cat behavior consultant.
"When they're rubbing on things — be it your hand, the corner of a wall or on another cat — they're spreading their scent," Delgado said. "Leaving scent is a way that they mark their territory, and we believe that it has some calming effects for them."
But one head rub stands above the others. When a cat rubs its forehead on a human — a friendly social behavior known as bunting — "that's a very loving gesture," Delgado said. These behaviors show that head rubbing serves a dual purpose for felines: It marks their territory, and expresses friendly feelings, she said.
Doggy pats
Just like bunting in cats, dogs may nuzzle their owners with their heads. This is usually a sign of affection and bonding, said Leni Kaplan, a lecturer and clinician in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.
However, not all dogs enjoy getting head pats. "Some dogs do not like their head scratched (or approaching them from the top), because it can appear to be a dominating gesture," Kaplan noted. For instance, at the dog park, some dogs try to dominate other dogs by putting their paws on top of them, and they may perceive a head pat from a human as a dominating gesture, Dodman said. [Anxiety May Give Dogs Gray Hair]
Still, "I find that most dogs (especially when their owners are handling them), love their head and ears scratched — it is a sign of affection, bonding and attention," Kaplan said.
Dogs that are not properly socialized, or that tend to be afraid of new people or situations, might not like to have their heads scratched, Kaplan said. This also goes for dogs that are bopped on the head as a form of punishment, she added.
Overall, it's best to read the animal's body language to see what it prefers, especially if the animal looks like it's going to scratch or bite you, the experts said.
For pets that savor a good head scratch, remember that your dog or cat may just have an itch that it can't reach — an indication that puss or pooch may need a medical checkup for possible allergies or irritated, red skin.
"I always joke, 'Is it love, or just itchy?'" Delgado said.
Original article on Live Science.
Cats are known to be fickle creatures that don’t immediately grant their trust in people. It can sometimes require months to years of relationship building between kitty and pet parent to form a mutually faithful bond.
Once this bond is established, you’ll still need to understand cat body language to know what your cat is telling you. Cats often interact using covert signals, including eye blinking, tail movements, and rubbing against other animals or humans for social interaction.
Here’s what this interesting cat behavior really means.
What Does It Mean When a Cat Rubs Against You?
Cats have scent glands around their cheeks, chin, top of their head, and base of their tail. These scent glands contain pheromones. When cats rub their face or tail against humans, other animals, or household items, they are leaving behind this pheromone that they can identify.
Rubbing behavior is learned and passed down from mother to kitten. Rubbing and headbutting in the cat community are usually signs of marking territory, acceptance into the group, and/or greetings and adoration. Rubbing against something can also be used to gain information, as cats rely heavily on their sense of smell.
If your cat decides that they want to leave their pheromone on you, it should be considered a badge of honor, as it is one step closer to being accepted into their feline world.
However, it is necessary to make sure that the rubbing does not become compulsive and is not linked with abnormal behavior, as this can sometimes be related to medical issues.
Greetings
Most of the time, a cat rubbing their head or body against your leg is a very good sign. This is often a sign of greetings, meaning your cat is happy to see you. You may notice this more when you've been gone for a longer time.
Claiming You Through Scent
Not only is rubbing against you a sign of a happy “hello” or “welcome home,” but cats also want to make sure that they have marked you with their scent. Cats are territorial creatures and will claim their pet parents as part of their territory.
When a cat rubs against something, they are forming an affiliation with that person, animal, or item. In other words, they are accepting it into their environment and claiming it as their own.
Cats mark their territory intermittently, especially on objects in their environment, as these scents do not last forever and need to be “reapplied” for a cat to feel calm in their surroundings.
Once you come home from being out in the world, your cat’s personal scent has left you. So they want to mark you again with their scent by rubbing, headbutting, licking, or even gently biting you. This allows your cat to reclaim their territory, and it’s thought to increase endorphins, which gives them a sense of calm, happiness, and safety.
Gathering Information
Sometimes cats will also rub their head against new humans in their environment and/or other animals when they are trying to “size them up” or collect information about this new interloper.
In this case, it doesn’t mean that the cat wants the human or other animal to touch or pet them, so it’s important to not mistake this cue as an invitation to start petting a cat you just met.
Creating a Group Scent
In cat colonies and/or with feral cats, they often rub against each other to leave their pheromones on the group. This creates a communal scent, which helps identify intruders and promotes peace within the group.
Cats can associate other cat pheromone smells with mating, aggression, and health status, which helps them navigate the hierarchy of their colony.
Telling You They Need Something
We often wish our cats could talk to us to tell us what they need. Cats do communicate in their own way; they will often use rubbing, headbutting, and sometimes gentle biting as a sign of need.
If your cat is rubbing against the cabinet that contains their food/treats, it is likely that they are alerting you that they are hungry. Sometimes cats will aggressively rub against us to signal that something is wrong. This could be illness, or perhaps it’s a gentle reminder to clean out their litter box or that they need fresh water.
That’s why it is important to monitor and learn your cat’s behavioral prompts so you can understand when they need something from you.
Should I Worry If My Cat Is Rubbing Against Things All the Time?
If your cat suddenly begins aggressively rubbing against rugs, other objects, or even you, along with any other changes to their attitude or behavior, it’s a good idea to talk to your vet.
Be on the lookout for these sudden signs of illness:
Medical issues that can cause excessive rubbing (though your cat will almost always have other clinical signs, too) include:
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Allergies
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Fleas
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Ear infections
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Intracranial disease (tumors, infectious, or inflammatory causes)
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Feline hypersensitivity disorder
If you notice that your cat is rubbing excessively, or you have any concerns about their behavior, schedule a visit with your veterinarian for evaluation and possible testing.
Featured image: iStock.com/zsv3207
When your cat rubs their face on you, it’s a seemingly loving display of affection and feels good for all involved. But is there more to this adorable behaviour than you first thought?
It’s just their way of saying ‘I love you’
We all love our pets and enjoy giving them lots of love and attention, which they give back in their own special way by being loyal, loving and cuddly – especially cats!
So, just as you suspected, one of the main reasons that cats like to rub their head against you is to show affection and there is even a name for this behaviour – ‘bunting’.
Cats ‘bunt’ primarily as a way of bonding, and they do this not only to you and other humans but also with other cats and even dogs. Bunting is your cat’s way of communicating their affection for you and identifying you as one of their friends.
Territorial behaviour
No doubt you’ll have noticed that your cat also likes to bunt against things around the house, as well as against you. The reason for this is because cats have a lot of scent glands around their heads: around their mouth, their chin, their cheeks, their neck and their ears. These scent glands are activated when cats bunt against things and this is their way of marking their territory and claiming ownership of their environment.
But this behaviour doesn’t stop at home – cats also bunt against things when they are out exploring as a way of warning other cats of their presence. Cats may even attempt to bunt over the scent marks left by other cats. This is especially true of male cats, as they tend to bunt more than female cats.
Looking for love?
Another reason for bunting (in sexually intact cats) is to communicate with other cats during the mating season. Female cats use bunting as a way of indicating their scent change and to try to entice male curiosity.
Often, cats that live in social groups bunt against each other as a greeting and to show affection to one another. This type of greeting method is useful in reducing a cat’s anxiety with unfamiliar surroundings and with other cats, as bunting is not just a way to release scent – but also a way to retrieve scent, too.
So, there you have it! Cats are loving and complex creatures and there are many reasons for their various displays of behaviour. But the most important one in this instance – they love you!
While cats are not as obvious as dogs at showing us unconditional love, we still form an unforgettable emotional bond with them! As their pet parents, we can express our love back by being responsible owners – ensuring we are aways looking out for their best interests, and that their needs are fulfilled. Cat insurance can help you to cover the cost of veterinary treatment if your feline friend gets injured or falls ill, helping you to provide security for them in case of the unexpected.