Unlocking The Secret Language Of Why Cats Headbutt
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of being headbutted by your cat, you know it can be a uniquely endearing experience.
You may also have wondered why she does it but, as is often the case with our feline friends, there can be many different motivations for the behavior.
I’m going to look at 10 of them in this article, so let’s get started.
What Is a Cat Headbutt?
Headbutting (also known as ‘cat bunting’ or ‘head bumping’) is a common behavior in the feline world.
You see it when a cat rubs her forehead against her favorite people or other familiar people (usually their hands, face, or around the ankles), another cat or animal, or some kind of inanimate object.
This might include your shoes, bag, or an item of clothing. Some cats will also headbutt a piece of furniture, the doorframe, and even the wall.
I’ve often seen our cats headbutt my luggage when I come home from a trip, or the grocery bags when I come in from the supermarket.
Amazon delivery box? Absolutely! Your friend’s purse when she stops by to visit? Yes, please!
Cats will headbutt pretty much anything.
Some will go in for a gentle nuzzle, while others will engage in a more firm headbutt (often loudly purring and closing her eyes at the same time). Some cats won’t do it at all.
The Significance Of Scent In Cats
Cats rely heavily on their sense of smell to communicate both with their environment and other felines.
Scent Glands
Cats have scent-producing glands in various parts of their body, including the temples, cheeks, corners of the mouth, chin, base of the tail, and between the toes.
Cats deposit these scents when they headbutt or rub against something, as well as when they scratch with their claws.
Additionally, cats have odor-producing glands in their rear end, including the preputial and anal glands, which can be dispersed through urination and defecation, respectively.
Through these varied scent-marking capabilities, cats can communicate a wide range of messages.
I’m sure you’ve experienced your feline friend rubbing against you, starting with a headbutt with the forehead, then the chin, the lips, the cheeks, and then along to the base of her tail.
She might go back and forth several times too, giving all those scent glands a great little workout.
Pheromones
When your cat rubs against you like this, she secretes pheromones. These are special chemicals that leave behind a unique scent only other cats can detect.
Cats use pheromones to receive and transmit information to their fellow felines.
Pheromones play a crucial role in feline communication and help cats to establish and maintain social bonds, mark their territory, and convey various emotions like fear, anxiety, or stress.
Cats also use pheromones to identify family members and even as a way of signaling they are searching for a mate.
10 Reasons Why Cats Give Headbutts
By understanding the significance of scent in cats and how they use pheromones to convey messages, we can gain a greater insight into why they give headbutts – and what it means when they do.
So let’s look at 10 of the main reasons for the feline headbutt:
#1. To Mark Territory
Cats use headbutts to mark their territory by leaving pheromones on the object or person they are rubbing against.
It helps them identify their area and also signals to other cats that this is their domain.
#2. To Claim Ownership
In the same way, head bumps may be used as a way for a cat to claim ownership over an object or person in their home.
By leaving their scent on a particular item or individual, they are essentially saying, “This is mine.”
Such marking behavior can be seen as a way for cats to establish their place in their environment and gain a sense of control over their surroundings.
#3. To Establish Social Bonding
Cats use headbutting as an affiliative behavior and a way to establish social bonding – both with their favorite human and with other cats.
Do Cats Headbutt Other Cats?
Contrary to popular belief, domestic cats are not necessarily solitary creatures and can live quite happily in pairs or groups.
If you live in a multiple-cat household like I do (and assuming the cats are bonded), you will probably have seen your cats headbutting each other.
When they do this, they transfer their facial pheromones to each other and strengthen their bond.
By sharing their scents like this, they also create a kind of group scent, which helps to create a sense of unity and belonging within the household.
Do Cats Headbutt Dogs Or Other Animals?
Cats also headbutt other animals as a bonding experience.
Our sweet tabby cat Finlay would forever rub around and headbutt our senior dog, Bertie.
He didn’t bestow the same honor on the other three dogs we had at the time though – most likely because Bertie was the calmest and most amenable.
Evidently, cats have their favorite furry friends as well as their favorite humans!
#4. To Show Affection
Cat headbutting is one of the main ways cats show affection toward their owners and as I just mentioned, other animals.
When a cat rubs her face against you, not only is she transferring her pheromones to you and scent mingling, but she is also creating a unique bond between the two of you and giving you a sign of trust.
Why Does My Cat Headbutt And Then Bite Me?
Many cats have very specific preferences when it comes to petting and interaction.
If your cat headbutts you and then bites you, it’s likely a sign that she changed her mind for some reason.
Maybe the interaction went on for too long or she was being petted in a place that made her uncomfortable.
If this happens, she may get agitated and bite as a way to communicate that she wants the interaction to stop.
This is known as petting-biting syndrome and is another common cat behavior.
Just for the record, cats generally like it best when you pet them on the cheek area and least when you pet them on the tail, with the chin and lip areas coming somewhere in between (Soennichsen & Chamove, 2002).
Every cat, of course, has her own preference for how and when she wants to interact.
#5. To Greet You
Headbutting can be a way for your cat to greet you when you come home.
By rubbing against you, she again transfers her scent to yours.
It is a way of reclaiming you, overmarking all those unfamiliar scents you bring in with you from wherever you have been.
Kitty may also use the same behavior to greet other cats in the household, other pets, or visitors that come into the house.
#6. To Get Attention
Ever had your cat headbutt your leg and rub around your ankles when you’re carrying a big basket of laundry downstairs? Or a load of heavy shopping bags in through the front door?
When she headbutts and rubs around you at times like this, she’s almost certain to get your attention and make you stop what you’re doing – for safety reasons if nothing else.
#7. You Have Reinforced The Behavior
If I’m sitting working or reading something on my phone, one of our cats will often come and headbutt the phone, the laptop, and even my reading glasses just as a way to remind me that they are there.
They are usually rewarded with some absent-minded petting – which means of course the behavior is reinforced and they are more likely to do it again.
#8. As A Self-Soothing Gesture
Cats rely on their sense of smell to understand the environment around them and find comfort in familiar scents.
Therefore, headbutting and rubbing can help them feel at ease by creating a recognizable scent in their immediate surroundings.
#9. To Ease Anxiety
In the same way, anxious cats may engage in head-rubbing behavior to try to establish their position in the household, boost their confidence, and make themselves feel more at ease.
#10. As A Sign Of Stress
Some cats may use headbutting as a way of releasing tension during times of stress.
Whenever I took our sweet senior cat Raven to the veterinarian’s office for a check-up, she’d headbutt me the entire time.
I’d crouch down so she could walk and up and down on the table, rubbing back and forth across my forehead while the vet did the examination.
It was a great way for her to distract herself and engage in something that made her feel better, rather than deal with the stressful situation at hand.
It made life a lot easier for the vet too.
Cat Body Language
Cats communicate in many ways beyond just headbutting.
By paying close attention to her body language, you can better understand what she is trying to communicate.
For example, some common signs of a contented or happy cat include:
- Relaxed posture, with tail held high
- Purring and kneading
- Soft meowing
- Slow blinking
- Upright ears and relaxed facial expressions
If your furry friend starts to display signs of stress, such as flattening her ears, a stiffened posture, flicking tail, staring, growling, or fur standing up (the technical term for this is piloerection), it is probably time to remove her from the situation and provide a safe place for her to relax.
Head Pressing
We’ve talked about cat headbutts, head bunting, and head bumps, which all refer to the same behavior.
But none of these should be confused with head pressing, which is something completely different.
Head pressing is a compulsive behavior where cats press their head against a wall or object without any obvious reason.
It may be a sign of prosencephalon disease or toxic poisoning, both of which can damage the nervous system.
Other causes can include neurological problems, metabolic disorders, tumors, infections, head injury, high blood pressure, diabetes, or exposure to toxins.
You may see symptoms like a sudden change in behavior, circling, restlessness, excessive vocalization, seizures, or visual problems (PetMD, 2009).
Head-pressing is a serious warning sign that there may be issues with the central nervous system, and cat owners should take their pets to the vet immediately if they notice such behavior.
Before You Go…
Feline communication is a complex process and headbutting is just one small part of it.
Check out my article Why Does My Cat Lick My Nose? (10 Curious Reasons) for another in-depth look at how your cat communicates with you to tell you how she feels.
