If you have ever noticed a cat’s affectionate side, you may have seen their tendency to rub their faces on their owners or against their favorite objects. Or you notice a cat who raises their backside when they pass by a couch or chair because they are happy to see a friend. Why do cats do this? Yes, it is adorable—but is there a reason for this behavior?
There are several reasons that cats do this, and usually, they are all positive. Continue reading to learn why cats meow and rub against things.
The 6 Reasons Why Your Cat Keeps Meowing and Rubbing Against Everything
1. Marking Their Territory
In many cases, once a cat is settled into their space, they prefer it to have their own scent. Cats will rub their bodies and face against people and furniture to leave their scent around their home to mark their territory. This helps cats make their presence known and makes them feel more comfortable around spaces and people. Unfortunately, cats may even urinate on chairs or different areas to really make their scent known!
2. Claiming Ownership Over Something
Like marking their territory, cats will also rub against items or people around their home to make sure other animals know it’s already claimed by them. This is an ancestral cat behavior that can even be seen in other animals to show that a specific space is theirs and theirs only. You might notice cats have a favorite spot on the couch or by the window that they have rubbed up against a time or two. This is why your cat rubs against you; they want to claim you as their person!
3. Releasing Pheromones
Another reason why cats will rub up against things is to release pheromones to attract other cats for mating purposes (in the wild, for example) and to get acquainted with an animal’s scent. This scent will also go as far as telling other cats when they are reproductively “ready” and can also tell other animals when the cat was last present.
Unfortunately, this may also be accompanied with your cat spraying urine on surfaces around your house to mark their territory and alert potential mates to their presence. Spaying or neutering your cat is a good idea to prevent mating-related spraying and marking habits.
4. Grabbing Your Attention
Sometimes cats will meow and rub against their owners or friends simply to get their attention. You might notice this behavior is very common right before cats are about to be fed their daily meals or when they know it’s almost time to get a treat. They like to show you that they are ready and present for you to give them some attention. More vocal cats are usually a result of their owners being vocal to them. The funny thing is that cats actually meow at humans much more than they ever would at another cat.
5. Showing Affection
Perhaps the most positive reason for cats to meow and rub up against people or furniture is that they are showing you affection. When cats are feeling cuddly or want to snuggle beside you on the couch, they may give you a big meow to grab your attention, jump up beside you, and then give your leg or hand a nudge or head-boop. This is their way of asking you to give them pets!
6. Saying Hello!
Another simple reason that cats may be meowing at you or rubbing up against your leg is that they are just saying hello! Cats communicate with their owners and show affection and companionship by getting close to them. Cats with affectionate personalities will sleep on their owners’ chests, sit right on their legs, snuggle up to their favorite sweater, and more. Cats are very akin to linking their owner’s scent to closeness and bonding with their owners.
In Summary
If you notice that your kitty is meowing at you excessively and there is no health concern, missing food in their food bowl, or another issue that they could be alerting you to, then it’s usually a form of positive communication from them. Many owners don’t know that the more you chat with them, the more they will chat back! This goes for them showing affection by rubbing their scent on you as well. It’s a cat’s way of marking their space as their own, claiming their owners as their own, and simply using their scent to identify places, people, and things.
Featured Image Credit: Gordana Sermek, Shutterstock
