How do Cats Flirt With Each Other


If you have never had a cat, you may not be aware that these furry creatures flirt with each other. Of course, like many other animals, flirting and mating are natural processes in cats. But how do cats flirt with each other? Indeed, it’s an interesting query that can help humans dive into a distinct aspect of cats’ lives. Also, cats flirting with humans is another intriguing subject. 

Flirting among cats

Some may think using the word “flirt” with cats is incorrect. That may indicate that these furry creatures exercise the same practices as humans. Nonetheless, the term “flirt” can possibly refer to how cats show affection to each other. It may also direct to the close bonding two furry companions share.

Nevertheless, cats can be physically attracted to each other. They may also get flirtatious in the moments of heat. In such a situation, their hormones and pheromones induce them to get infatuated with one another. That compels them to reproduce consequently. 

An essential piece of advice here is: if you witness your cats in moments of heat, rush to the vet. Get your furry babies neutered to avert any unexpected littering. 

However, cats usually don’t bond after mating. Many times they don’t even see each other again. Hence, flirtatious activities among cats don’t follow the emotion of love. Thus, they don’t fall in love as humans do. 

Nonetheless, your furry baby can develop a strong emotional relationship with another cat. They can become best friends forever. They can spend all their time together; the furry creatures may sleep and play jointly.

Also, they possibly groom each other. They also feel less stress or anxiety when their owner leaves home because they have their buddy as their company. The positive interaction between two cats may also lessen their distress.

Ways How Cats flirt with each other

one cat hugging the other

However, there may not be a distinction between best buddies and lovers among animals. Yet BFF-type bonding and flirtatious attitude may look slightly different. Hence, there are some specific ways in which cats flirt with each other. Common courtship behaviors among male and female furry creatures are as follows;

  1. How do male cats flirt: A male cat stares at the female and puts his tail on hers when flirting. He can also try various things to catch the attention of his partner. Moving the tail from side to side, chining, and face rubbing are also courtship behaviors of male furry beings. 
  2. How do female cats flirt: Female cats become extra affectionate when flirting. Moreover, other flirtatious acts of female furry beings include back arching, rubbing, and rolling on the floor. 

Other than that, extreme vocalizing or yowling is one of the ways how furry creatures of all genders flirt with each other. It’s a clear signal that they are ready for mating and, thus, calling out to their partner. However, the sound can be weird to hear. 

Another way to flirt among cats is the use of olfactory flags. According to experts, the smell is an important part of a relationship. For example, some odors inform us about the genome involved in recognizing virus proteins, the MHC complex. Animals – and humans – look for a partner with a little different MHC complex than their own. 

Thus, cats emit all types of olfactory signs. For instance, the male cat urinates at several spots to apprise the female about his kind of genes.

Cats flirting with humans

Do cats flirt with humans? Yes, they do flirt with them. However, cats most probably don’t fall in love with humans in a romantic sense. Instead, they merely feel love and affection for them. Hence, flirting can be just synonymous with that love in this case.

Ways of how cats flirt with humans

cats face in girls hands

There are different ways in which four-legged animals demonstrate flirtatious acts for their owners. Some of those ways are as follows;

  1. Rubbing 

One of the ways through which cats flirt with humans is by rubbing. They rub against their owners to transfer their scent. The furry creatures have scent glands in certain body parts, like on paws and the base of the tail.

The cats mark their territory through these scent glands. Thus, they make their owners their territory by sending the scent to them. This way, the four-legged animals feel comfortable. 

Moreover, cats also rub against their humans to get their attention. Some cat breeds also love headbutting; this means rubbing the scent glands on their heads up against the owner’s head. However, at times, rubbing merely indicates that your pet is hungry.

  1. Rolling

Another way cats flirt with humans is by rolling around the ground in front of their humans. It also signifies that these four-footed animals trust their owners. That’s because rolling over also shows the vulnerable underside of cats. 

Moreover, it’s important to note that rolling behavior is also visible in female cats when flirting with their males. But of course, there is a great difference between cats flirting with humans and their counterparts. 

  1. Vocalizing

Cats make an unusual sound when flirting with humans. They do so to get their owners’ attention and to receive a pat from them. That sound is called a solicitation purr or meow; it’s more like combining meow and purr with a chirruping sound. 

However, sounds other than meow can be done out of habit and not be considered flirting. For instance, some furry creatures are very vocal compared to other cats. In addition, some love their voices and, thus, keep making sounds.

  1. Gazing

Is my cat flirting with me? If that question popped into your head after your pet’s lingering gaze, the answer is yes! Cats also flirt through gazing. They gaze into their human’s eyes and, thus, show their affection. Moreover, your furry friends can also give you a bedroom-eyes look. That means your cat wants to spend some time alone with you. 

However, some cats also give you an intense look. That’s more like a flirty stare. But it may seem like something serious; however, that’s not the case. Your furry baby is not demonstrating an “I’m threatened” or “I’m anxious” look by its intense stare. Rather, it’s just your cat’s affection for you. 

Other than that, some other acts of affection by cats towards their owners include blinking, licking, winking, tail wrappings, nose kisses, etc. Experts believe that it’s common among furry creatures to show love for their favorite humans.

Furthermore, most parents respond to their cats’ loving gestures positively. They return the love by adoring their four-footed babies in two common ways;

  • Giving treats
  • Kissing or patting 

Moreover, some feel honored and happy upon the cats’ displays of love as it’s said if a cat chooses you among all the other people in the room, then the crown is yours!

Also, experts say that some people treasure these cute displays of adoration and unintentionally keep reinforcing them. However, reinforcement is only sometimes appropriate, so people must be careful about what they do.

Finally, if you have a cat as part of your family, knowing about its particular behavior is significant rather than being clueless. Thus, you must know if your furry baby demonstrates a flirtatious attitude. That’s because, by being aware of things before, you can correctly respond to a specific situation and be on the safe side. 

Aliza Mehfooz

Aliza Mehfooz is a freelance content writer with a special bond with animals. She has spent her childhood around numerous homeless dogs and cats and is fond of her little furry friends. She is well-informed about animal rights activism and often advocates for the cause. Her interests lie in General Studies and Sociology and has written digital tabloids regarding social, political, economic, and psychological matters.

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