Keeping pets is one of the best choices a human can make.If you have a cat, you will know how much this little animal loves affection and being petted. You may also observe quite a lot of random actions from your cat.There may be times when they simply arch their backs, put their butts in your face or dilate their eyes. Every cat owner may have witnessed such confusing habits over time. Sometimes, while petting them, your cat might show its affection by giving you a soft, small headbutt. What is the reason behind your cat headbutting? Is this normal for a feline, or should you be concerned? We have the answers for you.You may be lucky if you receive a cat’s headbutt. Such a headbutting action is observed when cats are interested in marking their territory. This is also a sign of bonding between a cat and its human family. Following this, you can notice cats rubbing their cheeks against your body. However, there may be times when your cat simply requires your attention or is aggressive. Continue reading more to know about this head-bunting behavior.If you are interested in learning about other cat behaviors, you can check out our pages on why cats put their butts in your face and why cats flick their tails.Why does my cat headbutt me?It is nothing less than a moment of pride when your cat walks up to you with its tiny footsteps and gives you a headbutt. But wait, how exactly can you identify what a headbutt is? How will you differentiate a headbutt from normal touching? It may be a display of bonding, aggression or attention-seeking.A cat’s headbutt is alternatively known as bunting. This is how a headbutt looks: your cat will either be cuddling to you or may simply come walking to you slowly and crawl over you. Following this, your little feline will use its head to make contact with its human companion. Quite often, it is just a single bop; the cat’s head will be tapped against your body. The kitty may then rub its cheek along the body part which is closest to it, be it your face, your arm, or your leg.A cat’s forehead is fluffy and equipped with many scent glands. Smell is a very important sense for a cat, and it is this sense which assists a cat in communicating, engaging with, or enjoying its companions and environment. Cats are known to produce many different types of scents through scent glands. These scent glands are present all over their bodies, including their foreheads, cheeks, front paws, lips, tails, and chins.Every time you observe a cat making contact with you, it rubs its scent glands against your body and leaves behind pheromones. Pheromones are actually chemicals that are used to convey messages between animals belonging to the same species. Thus, head bunting can be considered as a means of asserting ownership by cats. Cats perform bunting to mark their territory.By bunting, you have your cat’s scent over you! And this is an act of pride for your feline buddy. Cats prefer their ‘home’ to smell like comfort and to smell familiar. Thus, by releasing pheromones, it makes itself comfortable and relaxed.Things That Cats Headbutt And WhyPets are great additions to your family. Humans are known to form really affectionate bonds with animals. It is not only humans who show their love towards their pets. Even animals show their emotions to their owners. Keeping a pet cat can be really entertaining for cat owners, but decoding their body language can be quite a tricky task. You may notice your cat giving you headbutts after you have formed a beautiful bond with it. Are humans the only receivers of cat headbutts?Be it their human friends, walls, chairs, or even furniture, cats will headbutt anything they like.Sometimes, you may observe that cats headbutt other cats as well! This action is done to show the respect a cat has for other cats. Head bunting may also be done to create and share a common colony scent with other pets, usually cats, within the house. You may observe your cat moving its face close towards another cat, and suddenly it will rub its cheek against the other cat’s cheek. By doing this, it is simply releasing pheromones onto the other cat and creating a more common scent.You may not be aware, but it is not only small cats that are known to show this behavior. Larger feline animals like lions are also known to perform headbutting.Even if you have another pet, your cat may be seen bunting it!Is it a sign of affection, aggression, or territory marking?Say you have received a cat headbutt; is this something to be happy about? Or does bunting mean something negative? What can be deduced from these headbutts?A cat head butting you is a big thumbs up! It is a sign that your little kitty has lots of faith in you and doesn’t mind sharing its personal space with you. It finds comfort in the company of its human friend. You receive a cat’s bunt simply because it loves you.But hey, it is not always the case that a head butt means warmth and fondness. Sometimes, this behavior is observed when your cat is feeling pressured or is irritated. It all depends on the ambiance and mood of your cat.Another reason why your cat may be headbutting is to simply capture your attention! Yes, cats are known to be the biggest drama-queens of all pets. So there may be times when you receive a head bop just because your cat needs you to give it your time. So stop what you are doing and play with your pet! A headbutt in the morning can just mean that it wants breakfast.What should I do when my cat headbutts me?It always creates a feeling of pride when your pet chooses you as its favorite. Have you received a head bop from your little cat and want to show the same affection? Well, we may have the right way to respond to a head bop.In case you want to return affection to your cat, you can give it a slow and gentle head bunt. Giving it a hard headbutt might give off the wrong message, and your cat may begin fearing you. You may otherwise be attacked by scratches, hisses or deep growls from your cat.There may be times when your cat does not head butt you for some time. Now, this does not mean your cat does not like you. However, it should still be affectionate and may display its fondness through other behaviors. So do not lose faith, and watch out for other signs of love and affection! A cat headbutt does not decide the strength of your bond!However, if you observe changes in the behavior of your cat as you receive a bunt, such as growling, tucked tails, dilated eyes, flat ears, or any attempts to bite, it is because your little kitty friend is actually not content or happy. It would be better to simply give it some space and try to understand what has caused a difference in the cat’s behavior.If you happen to notice your cat head bunting you, simply tuck their head down or turn it to their side. Sometimes, a cat’s headbutting is also a way of seeking attention. Next time you receive a cat-headbutt, simply pick it up and cuddle with it, or nuzzle your nose with its nose.If you happen to notice your cat doing random actions, such as pushing its head against a surface, or looking down and moving to a corner, then this may be a sign of head-pressing. Head-pressing is not the same as bunting and is actually a serious concern related to the health of your cat. You may need to take your feline pet to the veterinarian at the earliest possible time. Head-pressing may indicate the onset of a neurological disorder.But what must be done if you don’t appreciate this action and would prefer if your cat didn’t headbutt you? Well, you can simply pick up your feline friend and offer them either furniture or a toy for them to rub on. This will not disappoint them either, and you can avoid headbutts. Rubbing their bodies or scratching their heads might relieve them.Be it a headbutt or a cuddle, your cat will always find ways to show affection towards you. Cherish every moment with your little pet and show how much you treasure your bond with it! Do not wait for it to make the first move; go ahead and shower as much love onto it as you can!Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our article about why cats headbutt, then why not take a look at our articles on why cats’ eyes dilate or Somali cat facts?
Keeping pets is one of the best choices a human can make.
