If you are a cat owner, you have experienced first hand your cat rubbing against you. Or rubbing against your furniture and other stuff at home.
You may think that your cat is showing affection. The rubbing can be intense sometimes that you think they are looking for attention.
But in the cat world, cat rubbing is not for your benefit but for the cat.
Cats are olfactory animals. This means that they depend on their sense of smell to provide them important information of the environment.
So if a cat rubs against you, he is actually marking you with its feline scent. This is because the scent glands of a cat is located on its cheek, chin, forehead and base of their tail.
And why do you think your cat does this often? Because their scent can fade. Rubbing against your leg tells other animals that you are already owned by a cat. Yes, you read that right. You are part of the territory of your cat.
When visitors come, you may also notice that your cat will rub their head, body and tail against them. This means that your cat is checking if they have feline scents. They also get information of the cat from that scent.
So if your cat rubs against your friends coming over, it does not necessarily mean they like to be touched. Your cat is simply getting information.
Does this mean that you can’t pet your cat the way before? No. Go ahead, you can pet your cat as much as you want. Cats enjoy being petted on the head and around their ears.
Now you know why cats rub against you. Do not take it personally. It is just the way they are.
Learn more about Cat Behavior at Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Sources:
http://www.petmd.com/cat/behavior/cat-behavior-why-do-cats-rub-against-you
http://www.cracked.com/article/226_6-adorable-cat-behaviors-with-shockingly-evil-explanations/
https://www.affinity-petcare.com/en/why-do-cats-rub-against-legs-their-owners