Love is in the air! Whether you have a human to share Valentine's Day with, you can increase your connection with the other love of your life: your cat.
Dogs wear their affection on their sleeve (or paw). It is quite apparent when a dog is happy--tail wagging, tongue hanging gladly out of the side of his mouth. However, it is harder to tell just what our felines might be thinking or what makes them happy. It is essential to find out what makes your cat tick, so you can be sure they recognize the sign of affection that you give towards them.
How to do this, you ask? By identifying which among the five love languages your feline speaks!
What are the Five Love languages?
In 1995, the author, marriage counselor, and priest Gary Chapman published a book about the "Five Love Languages," which talks about how people express and receive love. These include Quality Time, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Words of Affirmation, and Physical Touch. According to Chapman's theory, each people has a primary love language.
Knowing which one of the five love languages your loved one "speaks" can help you understand how each partner shows and receives love. While Chapman wrote this book with humans in mind, the concept can easily be related to our cats!
Words of Affirmation
Does your cat typically meow at you? Does your cat purr when you play with them, pet them, or feed them? These are likely your "words" of affirmation. When it comes to pet cats, words of affirmation can extend to non-verbal body language such as "the sluggish blink" of a happy feline.
How to show love in return? Treats can go a long way. However, praising your pet cat for their excellent behavior and compensating them with added playtime is also vital. Habits that are awarded will undoubtedly be repeated. Rewarding good behavior with praise can enhance the bond between you and your feline.
Acts of Service
Is your pet cat a terrific mouse hunter? If you have observed that they often keep rats at bay, this may be your cat's way of letting you know that their love language is acts of service. This love language is essentially doing chores for a loved one without being asked.
How to show love in return? You can reveal your devotion to your feline by involving her in interactive play every day--even before she begins batting around a toy or meowing at you in boredom.
It is essential to watch your pet cat discover his body movement and what he wants and dislikes. Pet cats are mystical creatures, revealing themselves a little bit at once. Observe how your pet cat plays, engages with their playthings as well as with other people. You only might find out the needs of its heart! An act of service to a pet cat might be identifying where they like to be scratched or respecting that particular time of the day when he wishes to be laid off.
Quality Time
Does your feline always wish to be near you, even if they're not touching you? If yes, after that possibilities are her love language is quality time.
How to show love in return? Spend time doing tasks that you know your pet cat appreciates. This can be either stroking or scraping behind his ears (if that is a place you recognize they like to be scratched) or taking part in an interactive play session. You can also nap together or take your cat on a leashed walk outside. If she likes to be spoiled, think about making a long session out of cleaning her and cutting her nails.
Do you have children? This can be a fantastic project for a child, as long as you make sure that your child knows how properly play with your cat. You can do some 5-10 minute sessions multiple times a day!
Physical Touch
Cats are experts at rubbing and also "marking" their owners with their fragrance. Consider this behavior as equivalent to a kiss or a hug. If your cat can't get enough massage, snuggles, or head-butts against you, it undoubtedly "talks" in the love language of physical touch.
How to show love in return? Some pet cats like to be held, while others just want to be petted. Determine which kind of touch your pet cat takes the most pleasure in by brushing or gently scratching her head, chin, and neck. At some point, she may also allow you to rub their tummy. Once you're optimistic about your pet cat's preferences, you can try cuddling it in your arms and even holding them like an infant.
Grooming can additionally be a powerful kind of physical touch. Keeping your feline's coat, nails, teeth, and ears healthy is an expression of love.
Receiving Gifts
Lastly, is your pet kitty always bringing you her favorite toy mouse? Maybe even dropping an actual dead mouse at your feet? (eek!) These may be the signs that your cat's love language is giving and receiving gifts.
A kitty that brings you "presents" will certainly love gifts in return. Think about offering her a toy, a new area to lounge in, and even a special reward. (However, seeing that Valentine's Day is near, keep in mind: Do not feed your cat chocolates!) As an example, you may spend lavishly on gourmet canned food and provide it to your cat using a unique bowl. Shocking her with toys and a new sort of cat treats will undoubtedly keep her pleased. Just do not over-indulge your cat with treats--nevertheless, we intend to keep the cat healthy, too!
Last Words
As soon as you determine which cat body language your feline speaks among the five love languages, you can get much better your relationship with each other—our love for our pets perhaps the purest form of love. I hope we helped you identify the quickest way to your cat's heart!
