Why does a cat rub against a person’s legs

Rubbing against the legs of the owner who has returned home is a common habit of almost all domestic cats. But why do they do it?

Many people think that a cat rubs his arm or leg to express his love. Stroking himself, others say. But in fact, the reason lies much deeper, in the area of ​​odors inaccessible to humans.

When a cat rubs against the owner’s legs, it does it in a certain order: first it touches its forehead, then its sides, and finally hugs it with its tail. So she puts light scent marks on her person. To do this, the cat has special glands, located in large numbers on the muzzle and at the base of the tail. With the help of pheromone tags, hidden from the human sense of smell, she marks the members of her flock – people or other pets living in the same house. For the same reason, cats rub their muzzles against corners, marking their territory, or trample on the owner.

Sometimes cats begin to rub against their legs especially actively when the owner comes home after a long absence, for example from work. The pet feels that the person has brought a lot of extraneous odors, and therefore is in a hurry to update the labels. When a cat feels that everything around her is marked with her pheromones, this helps her feel safe. Scientists call scent marks “olfactory markings.”

Sometimes owners ask: is it necessary to do something if the cat rubs against its legs? Answer: no, you don’t need to. This is an instinctive action that does not have any unpleasant consequences, so there is no need to wean the cat from it.

The cat rubs against everything, including the owner’s legs, as she needs to mark her territory and feel safe. To learn more about the hidden secrets of pets, you can read articles about feline body language.

See also:

Why do cats kick with their hind legs? Why does a cat like to hide in dark places? A cat meets a person after work: how pets greet