How Does Your Cat Request A Hug?

This charming black-and-white cat requests a hug from one of her human caretakers in the most delightful way, which you can see in the video:

This got me thinking about how my cat, Charlie, asks for a hug. Then I realised that he doesn’t ask me for a hug but he does ask me for a bit of a cuddle which is not quite the same thing. Perhaps he thinks that requesting a hug is not macho enough 😉

So, he’ll simply come up to me when I’m in bed and rest on me or lie close to me. He is clearly happy when I then stroke him and show him some affection. He is not requesting anything. He is just doing what he wants and what he knows he can do. One of the things he wants is to lie next to me; be close to me. Domestic cats like contact from time to time, on their terms.

One of my late cats, Missie, used to come to bed with me too. She was young at the time. She’d lie next to me, very close, on my arm, under the covers until she got too hot. Sheer delight for both of us. Once again their was no request. She behaved quite correctly as an equal and took up her rightful place beside me if she felt like some affection and close contact.

I guess each cat has his/her own way of requesting affection. My guess is that typically a cat will simply sit on your lap (but even that is shunned by lots of cats). That is not requesting a hug or affection – it is taking it with both paws. But we love it nonetheless.

A lot of cats are not that extrovert or forward in their behavior. They tend not to foist themselves on us requesting affection. They are independent minded.

Rubbing up against you and head butting is a classic initiating contact behavior. You have to respond in kind.

Note: sometimes videos go blank for all kinds of reasons. If that happens – sorry. I don’t have control over that.

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Comments

How Does Your Cat Request A Hug? — 10 Comments

Marc on May 13, 2014 at 7:53 am said:
Gigi looks up and talks to me and then stands like a statue while I very careful pet her in just the way she wants.
Lilly plants herself quite forcefully sometimes on my lap.
Molly is the cutest – she waits for the right moment to lead me into either the kitchen or she goes in the bathtub – those are her two special cuddle places – she is very very affectionate and very gentle too – not demanding or forceful but polite and she asks very gently and nicely. She is truly a wonderful cat 🙂
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- kylee on May 13, 2014 at 8:09 am said:
  aww thats just soo cute about molly, they sound like such a delight all different in their own ways. Tiger is so much like Gigi i think. He loves to stand and wait and likes me to just put my hand up and he then jumps to my hand he makes this loud sound. Rebel just basically head bumps and trys to multiple me and comes right up to me anytime and anywhere. Ozzie will like gentle pats he loves cuddles from my ex rob im just the food god. Smokey is very sweet he loves to just smooch and sometimes will cuddle. Before Jasmine he would lie beside me without fail at night. Jasmin basically seems to love cuddle wherever. When ive been on laptop she likes curling up in a ball then look loving up at me with her eyes looking lovingly. Shes just the best. Love them all in their own wee ways.
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kylee on May 13, 2014 at 6:12 am said:
thats soo amazing and wonderful. Cats are totally amazing and surprise me everyday. jasmine as gotta into to cuddling right close to me and lots of kisses. She amazes me everyday.
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Leah on May 12, 2014 at 7:44 pm said:
LOve the video the cat is wonderful 🙂 Alfie sits on furniture and leans towards me the jumps into my arms, Honey doesn’t do cuddles and MC Ozzie just strolls up to me chirruping 🙂
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Barbara on May 12, 2014 at 4:16 pm said:
I loved this video, the cat really looks enthusiastic and obviously trusts the smiling man, yes real men DO love cats. Walter climbs on me for a cuddle either in my chair or in bed, but having had his cuddle it’s me who then gets out of the chair and he who curls up comfortably in it for a nap, I’m a sucker for a pleading feline face. If we kneel on the floor Jo sort of sidles up all sideways for a love session but he likes to keep his feet on solid ground and doesn’t like to sit on us
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Jenny on May 12, 2014 at 2:14 pm said:
My cats are creative! Quite a few of them just climb right on my lap. One perches on my shoulder and purrs. One grabs my face in her paws. Two throw themselves at my feet, two look up in my face and “talk.” One puts her paw on my heart. It’s cuddle city every day!
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- Michael Broad on May 12, 2014 at 3:34 pm said:
  Wow. Each cat has their own way. I like that. Thanks for sharing. That enlightens me a bit about cat behavior.
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DW on May 12, 2014 at 1:03 pm said:
Too bad, the video is gone. I saw this one, and it is delightful. I had a cat years ago who did something similar. She was raised being carried around in the pouch of my sweatshirt as a kitten, and her whole life she liked to be under the covers.
She would stretch every morning, with her two front paws on my legs, getting taller by the second, never with claws extended….asking to be lifted for a hug. She was a delight.
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- Michael Broad on May 12, 2014 at 3:56 pm said:
  The video still plays DW. It does for me! I have never seen this sort of request to be picked up and hugged before. I wonder if there is some gentle training going on.
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  - DW on May 12, 2014 at 3:58 pm said:
    Yes, it is there. Odd.
    My cat didn’t require training. She wanted up, and she asked, by using me like a tree! I really wish I had pictures of it. I picked her up the same as this fellow, sort of like a baby, under the front arms. Feels natural. Very sweet.
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