16 Ways to Tell Your Cat 'I Love You' so They Can Understand

Sometimes you just want your cat to know how much you love them. Luckily, there are some easy ways of sharing your emotions with your feline companion.
In this video, you will learn 16 surprising ways to say ‘I love you’ in cat language.

Blink slowly and gaze lovingly into their eyes
Slowly blinking your eyes at your cat is akin to the human kiss. Cats show affection by looking at someone and slowly closing their eyes and opening them again. Get to eye level with your cat and do the same thing. Meet their gaze and blink back. They will know you love them too. Animal experts use this technique to calm fearful cats.
Let them rub on you
We might think of cats as less in need of affection when compared to dogs, but this isn't true. Cats love their owners and they thrive off human affection.
When your cat rubs against you, it is a true sign that you are their person. Cats have scent glands in their cheeks and head. When they rub against you, they are claiming you as their own by leaving their scent on you. If your kitty shows this kind of affection, you are truly family. Show them the same affection by leaning into them and don’t move away as they are wandering in and around your legs.
If you would like to initiate the affection, reach your finger out toward their nose and let them rub their cheeks along your hand. They will know that this is a sign of acceptance and love.
Don’t force them to interact with you
Cats are independent creatures. They don’t like to be smothered with affection and they need some personal space every now and then. Make sure you provide them all the personal space they want. Likewise, provide your cat with a place where they can hide, be alone, and feel comfy and secure.
Groom them
Cats are extremely clean animals and they devote a large portion of their day for self-grooming.
Not only does the brush feel good like an all-over massage, it keeps the fur mat-free and the skin clean. Grooming your cat also reduces hair balls, and serves as a bonding session between you and your feline companion.
Some cats even get excited when they see their owners pick up the brush!
In the wild, cats who share a home groom each other as a sign of affection and bonding.
Several Beds
Cats love sleeping. Providing places to sleep lets your cat know that you care about their comfort and happiness. Having a few beds in different places will let your cat know that your space is her space.
Serve up something delicious
Take the time to prepare some exquisite homemade food for your feline companion as a nice surprise.
Cats are obligate carnivores. You can feed your cat beef, chicken, turkey and fish, as long as they are served without any seasonings like sauces, garlic or onions. These spices are harmful for your cat.
Most vets warn against raw meat from the grocery store because of the risk of salmonella or other bacterial contamination. Make sure the meat is cooked well enough so that all the possible bacteria and viruses on it are killed.
Feeding and love go together hand-in-hand when it comes to showing your cat you love them.
Be a keen observer of their behavior
Did you know that many cats don't like to be kissed or hugged? And that they don’t like dog visitors? And sometimes they're not excited to meet your friends’ unpredictable kids?
Your feline companion can express a lot through their body language if you know what to look for.
Feline body language can be subtle—something as small as an eye-blink can indicate contentment, while a lowered tail might signal irritation.
By understanding how cats communicate, you can help prevent stress and make them feel at ease. This will build your loving relationship and increase their trust for you. Cats can’t tell us how they are feeling, so it is up to us to watch and protect them.
When you’re their protector, you can be sure that your cat will be feeling all the love.
Pet them the way they prefer to be pet
The same way humans love a good massage so does a cat. Petting your cat from head to tail not only feels good, but it can also lower blood pressure in your pet.
Always pay attention so that you can learn what your cat likes best. Do they like more pressure at the base of their tail? Maybe they prefer to be rubbed under the cheeks.
In general, most cats prefer being touched around the regions where their facial scent glands are located. This includes the base of their ears, under their chin, and around their cheeks. This kind of petting mimics the kind of grooming cats do by licking one another. A study published in 2015 in the journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science found that cats show more positive behavioral responses—like purring or kneading—when they are pet between the eyes and ears.
An added benefit of the all-over massage is that you can detect some of the health problems your cat may have. You will be able to find matted fur or any lump, bumps, or sores that may need attention.

[jessehutchings]

The eye contact and blinking thing should not be under estimated. 10 years ago or so this is how our rescued cat who was very defensive and fearful learned to trust me. I would be sitting outside and she would walk up and look at me. I simply returned her look and spoke softly to her and she became curious, jumped up on the bench with me and stepped onto my lap inviting me to pet her. After a while, she started wandering into my room and doing the same thing on my bed and we became cuddle buddies. I became her most trusted person in the house by using non verbal cues and always ensuring that I had her permission to pet her

[bigc]

I love my cat so much. Next to my wife she is the lady of my life. Use to be a dog person until i realized how lovey and loyal a cat can be if you treat them well. My cat is 9 and not the baby kitten who followed me home anymore but I am proud to give her the love she deserves.

[znra]

This was extremely reassuring because I already do most of this stuff. I love my kitty so much, and I always hope she knows she is loved, and now that she's getting older, I keep hoping I've given her a comfortable life full of love.

[JeeperZJ]

We just put our cat down 2 days ago, and it really hurts, mostly because it was a really sudden and unexpected event. It may seem weird, but videos like this really help, because I watch it and I know that she knew we loved her, because we literally did ALL these things. Every. Single. One. When we said goodbye, we were telling her how much we loved her vocally, but we were also using body language to tell her we loved her as well, and this video just reinforces the fact that i know, we know, that she knew that we loved her with everything we had. Thank you for making this.

[PhoenixRising]

My cats are the kids I'll never have. Every single day it's such a joy to see sweet furry faces.

[jasmine.zima]

0:17 blinking slowly
1:22 don’t force them to interact with you
2:27 several beds
2:55 serve something delicious
3:58 vocal cues
4:19 get them a cardboard box
4:47 don’t let them sleep all day
5:40 pet them the way they prefer
6:42 watch them
7:29 let them sniff u and lick u
8:00 healthy food and treats
8:24 spend time with them

Yw :)

[mariankeller]

I've bonded completely with my Siamese.
He follows me everywhere..he sleeps with me..he grooms me..licking my arms and hands ...he gazes at my face with pure kitty love.. there is no question we love each other 😻😸😽

[Bryan]

I meow back-and-forth with my cat all the time. That’s one of our favorite pastimes.

[chonchoco]

one of my sweet memory years ago is that I blinked slowly to my cat, so slowly....and when I opened up my eyes he was in the middle of blinking and slowly opened up his eyes to me ^^

[paulmartos]

I've lived with cats for most of my adult life. The slow blink is very powerful. I once met a stray cat in a steel mill that looked spooked when I glanced at it. I gazed into its eyes and blinked slowly and it sat down and blinked back.

[emmsmom]

Cats are wonderful. We grew up always having dogs ( which I adore ) but we found a stray at work and had him 19 wonderful years and we got another kitten about a year later and we just lost her at almost 15 years of age. We still have our other rescue and he’s 13 and my daughter’s kitty came to live with us because she’s going to be doing a couple of years as a traveling nurse. We’re happy to have her with us. They bring lots of joy and make us laugh every day. They’re very spoiled and indoor only and I think that’s one reason they live a nice long age. Never long enough though 💗

[morganwhite]

Bloody hell! I LOVE cats and made a lovely home for a stray, but my gosh this pussycat is running my life and
I have such a soft spot that there are no boundaries on my love for her. It's crazy, I wouldn't change it for the
world but when you love them so much its like having a baby... whilst those around you roll their eyes. 'Its just a cat'
I hear a lot, but in the end they are more than that, they are family members xx

[mandia]

I love my cat. She licks my nose, gives me kisses sometimes when I want one. Follows me around a lot, play bites my ankles while I walk around, sleeps beside me, walks all over me to get from one side of the bed to the other....and the whole nine yard! I love her!!

[sleepydragonzarinthal]

Love these kinds of videos, so many simple things to help a cat feel safe and loved at home. The cat I am fostering is super polite but never shy, like when she wants outside, or any kind of attention, she always comes over to me and gently taps my arm with her paw, then when I acknowledge her, she runs to the thing she wants, wet food, treats, outside, brush. She never uses claws even when I am holding her and something scares her, though sometimes she likes to play too rough, but never in anger. When I first got her she would jump in my lap or on the table and stare at me while she taps the edge of my plate, so I started cooking a little extra without seasoning and put it on the side of my plate so when she comes asking, I can turn the pate with her portion in font of her and nudge it to her and she loves it. The bonding of sharing food rather than just pouring it in a bowl is strong. Hand feeding is good for kittens, a parental gesture, but sharing a plate is better for adult cats to see you as more than just a parent. I worried at first she would think she could have any food on my plate, but being so polite she seems aware of what is for her and what isn't, maybe it is just the seasoning. If your cat still tries to take the food for you off the plate, then just set them their own plate next to yours, so there is a more literal boundary. Walking around the neighborhood with my cat is a lot of fun, she leads me to her favorite spots to hang out, hunt, sleep and makes them feel safer while they explore so they can enjoy it more. Even just having a picnic in your own yard while your cat roams around will make them intensely happy and validated. When I have to go out, my cat knows of course, so I make sure to check in with her, see if she wants some brushing, treats, head scratching, nose to nose. She loves the nose to nose, I make sure to breathe in and out because cats do this when they care about someone, it tells her she is important to me even though I can't always be there. She still gets upset when I get ready, but she is always happy when I get back and doesn't act out. The only time she acts out is when I am home and don't let her outside for reasons she doesn't understand like when it's 100 degrees outside or is about to rain, so I'll get her string toys but sometimes she gets too restless and pouts, so I just carry her to her bed by a window, crack it open for her and sing a song. Cats can't understand human communication as well as we understand them, letting them know you understand them at all does wonders for their mental health. It's the extra step of acknowledging them on their terms that makes all the difference.

[aaronwise]

My 2 cats sleep wherever they want, they are pampered with love and affection from me

[Gremlinoooooo]

I actually just watch these to see how good I take care of my cat and if I do something wrong I try to fix it anything for my cats <3

[joeschmo]

I tried grooming my cats, but it took hours to get all the hair off my tongue.

[kerrymccarthy]

I wondered if my cat would yawn after seeing me yawn like people do ....so I made eye contact / soft blinking eyes for several minutes then I yawned. And he yawned too!! Perfect timing: we took a nap together 😻

[ajaxlewis]

I love cats. When my Nana and family friend died I was struggling but when my Polyanna died in the same year that was it.

I became extremely bitter. I was working everyday, waking up at ridiculous hours, and only had time for a few pats on the head before I left for work, always in a rush.

I knew her time was nearing. If it wasn't for work and stress I could have had more quality time towards the end.

I love you Pollyanna, you saw me grow into an adult. I'd just love one more hug. xxx

[russv]

All these ways to show love to your cats my parents and I already do. We have 6 cats one mama and 5 kittens. It's never a dull moment! Love the little beasties