Despite what people might think, cats are very affectionate creatures. However, the way cats show affection is very subtle and sophisticated. In order to do so, cats usually use the parts of their bodies that have glands that secrete pheromones. These pheromones enable them to recognize people and their surroundings.
The short answer is that your cat loves and trusts you. Only when your feline friend feels secure is when they display their rear ends towards you. This is because cats are sensory creatures, and they communicate with multiple senses. So it is super normal for your cat to put his butt on your face.
Why Do Cats Put Their Butt In Your Face? What does it mean?
It is safe to say that you are beloved by your furry friend when he puts his butt in your face. Their butts are a defenseless area. Additionally, they are not able to see their behinds; this is a testament to their trust and the relationship they share with you. In other words, when they put their butt near your face, they say, “I know you won’t hurt me.”
It is also possible that your furry friend is showing his butt toward you as a sign of marking you as part of his territory. Cats use the glands that they have over their bodies to secrete pheromones and understand what surrounds them. So your cat is saying, “you are mine.”
As we have already discussed, the gesture of putting their butts near your face or any other part of you might mean several things. First, researchers believe that this gesture or behavior (butts towards you or your face) comes from a biological instinct. For example, mother cats clean their kittens by licking them on their entire body, including their butts. The cleaning action of the mother keeps the kittens clean, but it also creates a bond between the kittens and their mom.
If your cat is showing you their behinds, go ahead and pet them. They would love your attention and will surely ask for more.
Why Do Cats Put Their Butt Up When You Pet Them?
You might not like the idea of your cat having its butt in your face, but this is a good sign, trust us. Additionally, your pet’s butts rising when you pet them is an expression of how happy it is to be petted. It’s like they are saying, “that’s the spot.” Depending on the specifics of a cat, a different area will be best for petting them. Nonetheless, the region around the tail and the butt is a perfect location for them to receive attention. It is very likely that you will be able to see your furry friend’s adorable butt ascent if you pet them on top of their tail.
In addition, if you have a female cat and she has not been sterilized, the movement of the butt going up could be an indication that she is in heat and ready to mate. We highly recommend that you maintain your feline friend inside if she has not been spayed. A female cat in heat can get pregnant very easily by any unneutered male cats that live nearby. When in heat, your female kitten could go into this position (butt up) very quickly.
Some experts say that the behavior of elevating their butts comes from instinct. For example, when your cat was a kitten, he used to put his butt up for his mom to clean it. Because of this, your furry friend lifts their butts when you pet them near their behinds.
Because of all of these reasons, the behaviour of having your cat’s butt in your face or near you should be considered a good thing. It sounds unpleasant, but it is the highest honor your furry friend will give to you.
Why Does My Cat Sleep With Its Butt Towards Me?
In this section, we will discuss some of the reasons behind this behavior. There are four main reasons why your furry friends sleep with their butts towards you. These are:
- It shows a vulnerable side to them. They are trying to show you how comfortable and safe they feel with you.
- In nature, cats put their butts towards their companions and the members of their pack so that they can smell them and identify them. Thus, cats sleep with their butts toward you to let you know they are the cat you see every day. Cats rely on smell because their eyes are not the best for identifying shapes and colors; they are good for detecting movement and seeing in darker environments.
- Cats are very territorial, and they like to mark their environment with their scent, which they believe indicates ownership. This includes you, their owner.
- It could be an indication of good health. There is no concrete evidence to support this, but it is believed that animals in nature will know if members of their pack are sick by smelling them. The scent from their butts indicates that cats are healthy and ready to mate.
What Other “Weird” Behaviors Does A Cat Have?
Cats are hilarious creatures sometimes. We have all seen the videos on Youtube that show this. This section will try to explain some of the comic and odd behaviors that cats have.
Why Does Your Cat Love The Bathroom?
There are a few reasons why your cat goes into the bathroom with you, like smells and sheer curiosity. In the bathroom, your cat can sense a large number of different scents, mostly you, and you are your cat’s favorite person (one can only hope). You spend a reasonable amount of time there, and that in your cat’s eyes makes it an important place that needs to be understood and marked.
Closed doors are just something that turns your cat’s curiosity on. So when you go to the bathroom and close the door, your furry friend can only imagine what is happening inside. We can assure you that your furry friend wants to find out, and not only imagine.
Are You Waking Up To Having Your Cat On Top Of Your Face?
There are multiple reasons why your cat’s favorite spot to rest is your face.
- Your head is a stationary part of your body when you sleep.
- Your head is usually warm.
- Cats love eye contact. They communicate a lot with it. Since your eyes are on your head, they are attracted to it.
- The smell of your hair. Cats love scents, and after a long day and a bath, your hair might have scents that deeply attract them.
Tiny Places? Your Cat Loves Them, But Why Is That?
You have seen the Youtube videos, you have seen your furry friend doing it, there is even a meme that goes, “if I fit, I sit.” Cats love tiny places.
The fact is that cats need to feel protected and are always on the lookout for danger. Tiny places where only they can fit (even if super squeezed) give your cat a sense of safety.
Conclusion
Cats have multiple ways to show affection. Cats do not show love as enthusiastically as dogs, but they do show appreciation. Cats use the pheromones that they secrete from their bodies to mark their environment and “property.” As we mentioned in this article, cats have multiple behaviors that you could call strange. However, we now know that most of those behaviors are just signs of trust and love.

Shawn Manaher is a serial entrepreneur but when he isn’t working, he loves dogs. He’s owned different pets over the years, and always gives a part of his heart to each pet.