Want to sign up for our blog?

Subscribe
A Kitty's Point of View: Why Does My Cat Headbutt?

A Kitty's Point of View: Why Does My Cat Headbutt?

Meow! Meow! There are many ways I can show my human that I really love them. They only need to look at my body language to know when I'm happy; my eyes, my ears and my whiskers will tell them a lot, but I'm not sure they know how I'm feeling when I headbutt them!

No, I'm not getting angry - it's not like when humans headbutt each other - well that is just not nice at all! When I headbutt my human, I am trying to bond with them and show them affection. It's not a hard bump, it's a gentle, but firm, tap against them and I usually close (or half close) my eyes when I'm doing it so that I can really enjoy the experience. My whiskers and ears will also look relaxed.


Why do I headbutt my human?

happy ginger cat being pet

You see, I have glands on my head - on my temples, cheeks and between my eyes and ears. I use my glands to mark things, and this makes me feel safe and secure - so when I'm headbutting my human, I'm just showing them that I feel safe and secure with them.

I leave my scent (my pheromones) on things when I feel comfortable so that I know my territory is safe. But it's not just about feeling safe; it's also my way of creating familiarity and showing respect. My ancestors in the wild used cat bunting (that's another name for headbutting) in their colony, so they shared their scent with others, which was a sign of trust.  So, when I headbutt my human it means that I trust them and they are my very best friend and part of my colony!

My human also helps me safe and secure because she has started using the new FELIWAY Diffuser in the house - it really does make me feel serene and that I can cope with anything -  especially as they always seem to be changing things around, and the kids are always bringing friends home. This would normally make me feel really uncomfortable, but if I hang around in the room with the FELIWAY, I'm just a laid back cat! Apparently, some clever scientists have discovered this new Feline Pheromone Complex to relieve kitty stress and it really works!

Other reasons why I headbutt!

happy cat affectionate headbutt

It's something I learned when I was in my litter; I used to headbutt my siblings to build a bond and tell them I loved them too.  

Headbutting other cats

We do have another cat in our house and I'm pleased to say we rub along quite well. My human obviously read about introducing another cat into the house and made sure that we all have enough resources to go round. We don't like sharing! But we do get along and we do headbutt each other at times, our way to remind each other that we're friends.

Headbutting objects

Sometimes, I will headbutt when I'm rubbing up against other things in the house, like a chair or a door - or even when someone comes into the house - it's also my way of confirming that it's a safe place to be.  

I'm not very keen on visitors (as I've told you before).  As long as they let me come to them on my terms, I'll do a bit of investigating and leave my scent on them - they quite like it and I hear them saying "Oh, isn't she cute! - She must like me!" Meow!  Yes, you're OK, but just don't pick me up until I'm ready! My human has also started using FELIWAY Diffuser to make me feel more serene and comfortable at home - and I've noticed that this helps me feel more chilled out when visitors come by.

Getting attention

cat getting attention when cat headbutts

OK, I'll hold my paws up! I do sometimes headbutt to get attention - I've got to use my feline wiles when I can. If I bump my head against my human and tuck my head underneath to one side, it's a sure bet I'll get a lovely head scratch as they know that's my favourite place!

What if cats don't bunt

Don't worry, not all cats bunt. All cats are individuals and some of my feline friends don't headbutt very often - but they will show other signs of affection and trust - they may slow blink at you, they may come to greet you when you come home, and if their tail is upright and they are purring, you'll know they are really happy to see you!

Share on:

Related Posts

6 Tips For Travelling With Cats

6 Tips For Travelling With Cats

Want to help your kitty adjust to travelling? Here are 6 tips for travelling...
Read More
How Happy Is Your Cat?

How Happy Is Your Cat?

Complete this short quiz to receive an email with "How happy your cat is?"....
Read More
4 Tips To Stop Your Cat Scratching the Furniture

4 Tips To Stop Your Cat Scratching the Furniture

What can you do if your favourite felines are using your furniture to scratch?...
Read More
How to stop a cat from peeing

How to stop a cat from peeing

One of the things humans and cats can agree on is that going to...
Read More

Subscribe to our blog to benefit from our tips and tricks

Legal notice The information collected is intended for Ceva Santé Animale and the group in order to manage your requests. This information can be shared with service providers in order to organize their management. In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations, you have the right to access, rectify and limit the processing of your data. You can also, in certain cases, object to the processing, withdraw your consent and request the deletion and portability of your data. For any request in relation to your personal data, please visit this page.