Cats always try to communicate with people.
While meowing is the most common way for cats to express their feelings, they sometimes do it in unique and puzzling ways, such as placing their paw on their owner's face.
Let's look at the reasons why a cat puts its paw on a person's face.
Attracts attention
Like dogs, cats depend on people for almost everything and sometimes crave their attention.
A cat can get a person's attention in several ways. Meowing is usually the primary strategy. But if that fails, physical contact is another option.
A cat may want food, cuddles, or affection, but unfortunately the reason is not always obvious.
To “mark” a person
Cats in the wild will go to great lengths to mark their territory. Domestic cats do this too, although in different ways. They will scratch surfaces, spray urine, rub against objects, or even put a paw on a person's face.
Cats can mark their owner as their own by transferring their scent to their face. They have scent glands that secrete oil and pheromones on their paws and other parts of their body, including their head, face, tail, and sides.
Cats typically use territorial marking when they compete for human attention. You are more likely to see this behavior if you have more than one cat in your home.
Wants to play
A cat may also place its paw on a person's face to show that it wants to play. Cats are natural predators, so they need to satisfy their desire for prey. Unlike other cases, the gesture here is a little different.
Instead of being soft and gentle, the cat will move its paws faster, as if tapping. It may also accompany this with other gestures, such as trying to bite or running to its favorite toy.
“Trains” a person
One of the reasons why a cat consistently behaves this way is because it works. In other words, the cat has trained the human to respond to this gesture.
If a person always reacts positively when a cat puts its paw on his face, it means that the cat has successfully taught him to respond to any of its whims.
Expresses love
Cats reciprocate love. This can be seen when two cats are close to each other. Cats often show affection by grooming others or playing with their paws. They also show affection for people through touch.
When showing affection, a cat may gently touch a person's face with its paw, hiding its claws. This is often accompanied by loud purring and slow blinking.
Stretches
Sometimes the gesture is unintentional, so you don't have to strain to read anything in it.
The cat may have just been stretching and the person's face was in the way. This can happen if the cat is dozing or resting next to you. In this case, it is recommended to move aside so that it does not accidentally scratch your face if it has not yet retracted its claws.
Shows curiosity
If a cat that has recently arrived in the house decides to touch its owner's face with its paw, this may be a test of trust.
Cats with a history of trauma are more likely to exhibit this behavior. It may take some time for a trusting relationship to develop between a person and such a cat, so patience is advised.
Need personal space
This is not always a positive gesture. Although cats love affection, they are also independent and crave personal space.
She will not be able to have a pleasant time alone if a person constantly tries to pick her up, hug her or kiss her.
The cat may respond by extending a paw to push the person away. This is a way of telling the cat to leave you alone.
Don't take it personally, but rather give the cat some space. Trying to force a solution to the problem can lead to more problems, such as the cat scratching your face.
