One of the most distinctive cat rubs is headbutting, which is when cats bump their heads on you with oomph. However, if a cat rubs your face, it feels more intimate and might be something a kitty only does if he particularly likes you. Do cats target different spots to rub on purpose?Ĭats don’t really target certain human body parts with different messages they usually just go for whichever area is accessible, Krieger says. When cats rub you, they are saying, “You’re part of the group, I’m part of you, we’re all part of the same group,” she says. If a cat doesn’t like you, she probably will not rub against you, Krieger says. When cats transfer this behavior to humans, they are mingling their scents with ours, and also claiming acceptance. This is a form of communication and acceptance, Krieger says. In colonies of feral cats, the felines mark each other as members of their tribe by rubbing and bunting their heads among themselves. Why do cats rub against you? To mark members of their tribe. Feral cats rub against each other to mark members of their tribe. Territorial marking is more directed toward objects and spaces, and typically involves clawing and cheek rubbing. “But scent continues to communicate, even when kitty has left the building.”Ĭat rubbing can also be a matter of claiming territory, but it goes beyond that, Shojai says. “Vocal communication can only last as long as one breath at a time,” she says. “For other types of communication, the cat and the other party must be present to see the friendly tail greeting, for example, or to hear the purr and hiss,” says Amy, the author of more than 30 pet-care books, including ComPETability: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Cat Household. “Scent communication not only signals something when the cat goes through the motions, but the smelly message lingers for long-term communication, too,” Amy says. When they rub something or someone, they deposit this scent and it sticks, says Amy Shojai, a certified animal behavior consultant in Texas. Why do cats rub against you? Long-lasting messages from scent mingling.Ĭats have scent glands that secrete pheromones in several parts of their bodies, including their cheeks, tails, foreheads, paw pads and anal areas. Cats rub up against you to leave long-lasting signals that you’re “theirs.” Photography ©Matteo Viviani | Thinkstock.