8 ways to tell your cat that you love them

Apparently February 20, yesterday, was Love Your Pet Day. I had no idea but that does not mean I don’t love my cat. Of course I do. Here are 8 ways you can tell your cat through your behaviour that you love them.

Always accept and like their greeting

Cats greet us when we come home. Perhaps they wait behind the front door. Or they may come out of the house to greet you on the pavement. They are pleased to see you. In return you should be pleased to see them and you should always accept their greeting in good spirits. Spend some time with them when you greet. Allow them to rub against your hand or your leg. Allow them to do a head-butt against you if they want to. Stroke them and return the scent exchange process. Get down to their level if you want to. If they greet you in a friendly way you should greet them in a friendly way and do exactly as they do as best as you can as a human being.

Allow them another five minutes on your lap

Your cat is on your lap while you watch television or read the newspaper. He’s been there for an hour. You need to get up to make a cup of tea or to do some work or indeed anything else. Wait another five minutes and stroke him while he sleeps. This is particularly important if he has just jumped up on your lap and has only been there for about ten minutes. Those extra five minutes are a gift to him and a sign of your love. It will be appreciated.

Make sweet sounds to your cat

Domestic cats warm to warm sounds from their humans combined, if you like, with a slow blink. The intonation of your voice coupled with your general demeanour should project friendliness. It should always be like this even if you’re not feeling very friendly because of external pressures or something else. Don’t offload your stress onto your cat. They are vulnerable in this way. For example, don’t yell at your cat or even yell in the same room as your cat. They’ll be confused and loud noises can disturb cats as we all know. They may be frightened of you in that moment which can’t be helpful to the relationship. Loving your cat takes self-discipline.

Allow your cat into your bedroom

Your cat should be allowed to come into your bedroom at night because it is what Jackson Galaxy calls a “scent soaker”. This means the bedroom and the bed smell of you. Your cat loves this and likes to lie on it. Cats like to be surrounded by the scent of their human companion if the relationship is good. Also, of course, the bed is warm because you are in it and they might lie next to you or on you. It’s a very important place, the bedroom. You’ll have to do get used to your cat sleeping with you at night (or in his own bed nearby). A lot of cat owners don’t like it and they even shut their cat out of the bedroom at night. That is the opposite to what I would suggest is an act of love. Give way to your cat, compromise your behaviour. That’s loving your cat and your cat will appreciate it.

Give him some treats from time to time

You should never give your cat too many treats. If you are sensible and if you set up a nice routine which results in you giving your cat’s treats that he loves then he will love the routine and the reward at the end of it. You are giving him something. He knows that the food treat is coming from you. You become the special provider, the giver of pleasure. Your cat will recognise that. It’ll make him more friendly and it will strengthen the bond.

Praise your cat

Within set routines you can praise your cat with warm words by saying the same word or phrase each time. Your cat will link the word with the reward which might be a food treat or a cuddle or something like that. It may encourage the sort of behaviour you like. But cats can never behave badly because they behave instinctively and react to the circumstances surrounding them. So there’s no such thing as “bad cat behaviour”. If you recognise that it’s an act of love and respect for your cat.

Don’t punish your cat

Well, it hardly bears saying but punishing your cat is the exact opposite to loving your cat. Domestic cats don’t understand the concept of punishment as it’s a human-to-human process. You have to know what you’ve done wrong in order to learn from punishment. It works for people but it can’t work ofr cats because you’ll be punishing them for normal behaviour. If you want to modify behaviour you can train them and training is a good way to bond with them. Cats are trainable, it just takes a bit longer than for dogs.

Flea comb your cat daily

Flea comb (or normal comb) your cat daily. A routine will be set up and he/she’ll love it. It is also functional. It is good cat management. It is bonding. It is win-win. They normally like the feeling of it and if they don’t they will. They’ll enjoy the whole experience. Very bonding. Very loving. Actions that improve a cat’s welfare are acts of love.

There are many other ways in which you can tell your cat that you love them. I’ve just picked out six at random. Think of some more please and tell me in a comment. I would love to hear from you.