What Your Cat Is Trying to Tell You When It Rubs Against You

Why Do Cats Rub Against Your Legs?

Whether you’re standing motionless or in the middle of a step, cats frequently rub themselves against your legs, a behavior that most pet parents are well accustomed to.

It typically comes with a lot of well-meaning cat hair all over your legs, loud purring, and a few inquisitive meows.

Why, though, do they do it? Are they rubbing their head to get rid of a bothersome itch? Is it an expression of love? Or are they simply aware of how much we detest having to remove the cat fur from our work pants?

Let’s investigate.

Scent glands are located beneath the chin, on the sides of the face, and on the top of the head of both male and female cats. When they give you a head-butt or a “bunt,” you could notice that these are the areas of their head that they push into your palm or rub against you.

Similar to rubbing on your legs, headbutting or head bunting is a prevalent form of cat body language.

That’s because those same scent glands also carry various pheromones that help tell the cat who you are and where you’ve been. They also let other cats know that you belong to them in case they smell you later.

Scent marking is an important aspect of cat love language that owners should be aware of.

They feel more at peace because of their sense of smell, which also helps them identify family members and their living spaces. In essence, they purr more and yowl less because of their keen sense of smell.

Assessing You

What causes cats to rub on you, then? Cats may rub against a visitor’s or new person’s legs in order to communicate scent. These scents teach our feline buddies a lot.

Does the newcomer have any pets? Did they traverse any intriguing ground? Who are they?

Salutation or Phrase The most frequent explanation for a cat rubbing against your legs is “hello.” They typically do this when they’re delighted to see you, and when you’ve been gone for a time, you could notice it more.

In addition to showing your cat how much they care, this lets them claim you as their own again after you’ve been gone.

Taking You Back

Cats are “claiming” you when they rub against inanimate objects, people, and other pets. Don’t panic, though; this does not imply that they will begin hissing at other people who approach you.

Cats use the fragrance they leave behind to help them identify their surroundings.

It makes people feel at ease in their current location. Be prepared for more belly rubs, kneading, and hugs if your cat claims you. This indicates that you are a reassuring, consistent presence in their life.

Including You in Their Group

A significant component of cat acceptance is this one.

A cat’s method of producing a “group scent” that identifies you to other cats as a member of their family is by rubbing against your legs and releasing F4 pheromones.

Making a Request

Meowing, chirping, and leaping in your lap are typically the most obvious ways that cats communicate their needs to their pet parents.

However, when your pet is hungry or wants more care, they could also rub between your legs. They might think that you’re giving them belly rubs or rewards when you do this.

To find out how your cat is feeling and what they are requesting, observe what you typically do when they rub your legs.

What Happens If My Cat Doesn’t Touch My Legs?

While some cats will rub against your legs more than others, most cats will do so at some point. Your cat will determine everything. Just be sure to keep an eye out for any abrupt behavioral changes.

Your pet may be experiencing unexpected anxiousness or increased appetite, which might be signs of a possible sickness, if they usually don’t trip you when you walk in the door but now won’t leave your legs alone.

This also holds true if your typically gregarious cat suddenly becomes distant or introverted.

Concerned that your cat won’t have any legs to massage while you’re away? To keep them company and provide skilled cat care, hire a professional Meowtel sitter.

Regardless of the information being conveyed, they will know exactly what to do when your feline companion rubs against their legs.