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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Can cats love you?

28 replies

ocelot41 · 12/09/2017 22:37

Newgirl has been lying on my bed giving me long slow blinks all evening. When I scratch her head when she is sleepy, she makes the happiest little wickering sound and nuzzles into my hand. She holds paws with me on the sofa. Am I anthropomorphizing terribly or is this cat love? I am certainly smitten.

OP posts:

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Bearwithverylittlebrain · 12/09/2017 22:41

Cats can demonstrate love. We have 2.
BearCat1 only wants us for slaving, occasional warmth and a fuck load of food.
BearCat2 is a traitor luffs his dad and runs to the door to greet him, and would spend his days having snuggles and fuss.

Toddlerteaplease · 12/09/2017 22:46

My two definitely do. They follow me around the house and sleep in my bedroom. They don't really slow blink at me, but I just know that they do love me, and I am their Human. When Snorg was very poorly in February and at the vets. I know she appreciated my visits. The best moment was when I stroked her head until she went to sleep. I just hope that I've given them as much as they've given me!

Toddlerteaplease · 12/09/2017 22:47

They are both very snuggle. Snorg snuggles in bed and Fatty on the sofa.

Autumnchill · 12/09/2017 22:51

Absolutely! Nell loves her side to be patted so lying in bed, patting her side and she looked at me and then reached out and put her paw on my cheek. I melted ❤️

BackieJerkhart · 12/09/2017 22:52

My cat loves my dog. He nuzzles all round his face and his favourite spot is curled up in the bend of his leg. They sleep together on the sofa.

guiltybystander · 12/09/2017 22:58

I never understood why certain people question cats' ability to love humans. Some people even try to compare cats' affection to dogs' and are disappointed that they are not the same. It's daft. They are different species and they love differently. Dogs need a human to look up to/follow/ obey. Cats don't. Yet they still love us.

thecatneuterer · 13/09/2017 13:28

They can certainly love other cats and I see examples of that all the time, so I don't see why they shouldn't be able to love humans too.

I'm sure your cat loves you OP.

Papergirl1968 · 13/09/2017 18:04

We need Ollivander on here, posting a photo of Ollie gazing at her with complete adoration. He has love written all over his gorgeous little face!

GrumpyOldCatsNurse · 13/09/2017 18:09

Had to take GrumpyOldCat to vet today. He doesn't love me

elfycat · 13/09/2017 18:21

One of my friends comments on how much one of my cats is totally devoted to me. His priority seems to be sneaking next to me the second I sit down.

Currently his mother is purring on my lap getting in the way of MNetting She loves me even though we had a traumatic summer (she lost an eye to am embedded grass seed) with lots of vet visits I dragged her to.

DCat3 we've only had a year (she's 9) but she seems to be becoming fond of my DDs and takes turns at sleeping curled up with them. I'm not sure it's love-love yet, but she's happy and settled.

Checklist · 14/09/2017 07:33

I was woken up by SisterCat patting my eyes, and then my mouth with her paw. She proceeded to lie in the crook of my arm, kneading. This was a new approach, normally I wake up to find a face peering down at me, with her nose dripping all over me, as she lies on my chest and I get a nip on the nose! She follows me round all day, except when she's asleep, like a little dog! I am sure she loves me, in her cat way!

Weedsnseeds1 · 16/09/2017 21:06

Got back from holiday and have been followed around, with ecstatic purrs, from the moment I walked through the door. I am under close contact surveillance, even in the bath, just in case I go missing again!

Original poster

ocelot41 · 16/09/2017 21:20

There are some lovely stories here. Madam is Not Talking to me since I put flea drops on the back of her neck last night. I am Not Loved, oh no, that's why she's following me round and rrrrowling at me. I have a feeling I am being told off in Cat

OP posts:

Shodan · 16/09/2017 23:45

Mine definitely love me. Either that or they are the neediest cats in the universe.

In addition to slow blinks I get: being followed around the house (even into the loo), both of them demanding cuddles all day, lots of purring, 'kisses' on my forehead and strangely a lot of extra attention when I'm poorly- they kind of watch over me .

What tickles me is if I've managed to escape them for a while they stand in the hall and shout for me. When I answer ("WHAT?? I'M ON THE LOO GODDAMMIT they come charging up to find me.

So my extremely scientific conclusion based on this anecdata is yes, cats can definitely love you

Ollivander84 · 16/09/2017 23:55

Of course they can!

PollyCazaletWannabe · 17/09/2017 00:06

Yup :)

problembottom · 19/09/2017 13:31

When DP gets home from work our cat literally throws himself at his feet. He does a minimum of three social rolls then he trots round the house after him. It's really cute. He's a BSH who doesn't do laps and would probably be happy if we never picked him up again but he clearly loves us to bits.

clairethewitch70 · 19/09/2017 13:45

Yes I think they do

silentpool · 19/09/2017 13:55

I get love, even outside of meal times. He chooses to sit with me, sleeps next to me and looks visibly depressed when I get ready to go out. He often waits at the door to greet me. So yeah, I am very much loved.

Hookedoncatnip · 08/10/2017 22:34

My kitty follows me around the house. She looks positively forlorn on the mornings when we’re all dashing about getting ready for work, school etc.

When she sees me in the garden she bounds up to me for a quick stroke before racing off again. Or she’ll run up to me and playfully push the back of my legs with her front paws before running off again.

Other times she’s seemingly grumpy and indifferent!

I love her to bits!

Ski37 · 09/10/2017 20:50

I like to think my cat loves me.... at a time convenient to him!!!!
In the middle of the night (2-3 am) he decides he HAS to have affection and walks all over the bed. If I ignore him he head butts me until I'm awake enough to stroke him- he then lies on top of me , giving slow blinks, purring like a lawnmower with his nose up to mine until we both fall asleep again- or until I fall asleep anyway. He obviously decides he's had enough at some point as he's never there when I wake up. This is the cat that will never come and sit in my lap during the day. Ever!

ToddlersAndCoffee · 09/10/2017 21:01

As soon as I sit down, no matter where they are or how comfey they are they will get up and sit with me, either on my lap or as physically close to me as they can. The one with the black face runs upstairs every morning to get in bed with me and demands a good 30 minutes of fuss and loveing! No matter where I go there will be a cat behind me or with me, in shocked at how loveing cats can actually be!

confusednorthner · 09/10/2017 21:06

Absolutely, we lost my gorgeous boy to a car last week and I'm devastated like I've never thought possible. He was a sweetheart who lay on my knee hold my hand and gazing at me till he fell asleep.

cozietoesie · 09/10/2017 21:16

They certainly can.

mathanxiety · 11/10/2017 06:53

Mine climbs up me when I return from anywhere and has to spend half an hour purring on my shoulder before I can even go to the loo.

Sleeps at my feet, occasionally decides to teach them manners during the night.

Confusednorthner. How awful .

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