You’re watching Netflix on the couch when all of a sudden, your cat jumps into your lap. However, instead of purring and cuddling, your feline puts their butt right in your face for no apparent reason.
You might feel offended by your cat’s behavior, but you shouldn’t because it’s a normal thing among cats themselves, especially among friends.
Cats put their butts in their owners’ faces for many reasons.
Your kitty may want your attention or express their love and trust. Other causes include scent marking or initiating playtime.
Below, I will discuss all the possible reasons for this behavior and share different ways you can make your cat stop putting their butt in your face, so let’s jump right in.
Why Do Cats Put Their Bums in Your Face: 8 Possible Reasons
If you’re a new cat parent, you probably worry about your cat’s weird behaviors, such as sticking their butt in your face.
I’ve cared for many kitties, so I know a thing or two about their bizarre behaviors. If your kitty constantly puts their butt in your face, don’t worry.
Your cat doesn’t hate you or want to offend you. For many reasons, most cats put their butts in their favorite humans’ faces.
Here’s a breakdown of the common causes behind this behavior, so take a look.
1. It’s a Common Cat Behavior
When your cat sticks their bum in your face, they’re not trying to be rude. Most cats act in this manner because it’s a learned behavior.
Mother cats groom their kittens in this area to keep their bums clean and stimulate the passing of urine and feces.
Alternatively, female felines show off their rear end when trying to attract a male during mating season. Therefore, your cat’s behavior isn’t malicious. On the contrary, it’s 100% normal among cats.
2. Your Furry Friend Greets You
Most cats greet people and other cats by showing off their bums.
Moreover, when a cat meets another cat for the first time, and the initial meowing stops, they will sniff each other’s face and neck.
Once the kitties get comfortable around one another, they will smell each other’s bums. The next time these cats meet, they will raise their tails and expose their bums because they can’t hug or shake hands like us.
So, if your pet puts their butt in your face, they’re likely greeting you.
3. Cats Communicate Through Scent
Cats typically communicate with each other and humans through scent. They sniff each other and their owners.
Kitties have scent glands all over their bodies, including their bums and under their tails, that can reveal health information.
Maybe your cat’s trying to share information about their age, gender, and health through their scent.
4. Your Feline Isn’t a Threat
If a cat raises their tail and puts their bum in your face, that’s their way of saying they’re harmless. Moreover, it’s more likely to approach one cat with a raised tail than one with a horizontally placed tail.
So, when cats stick their butt in their owners’ faces, they’re basically confirming their close friendship with the person.
5. Expression of Love and Trust
Some cats rub their bottom in their owners’ faces as a sign of love and trust.
As I already mentioned, most kittens learn this behavior from their mothers. Female cats clean their kittens everywhere, including their bums, out of care, love, and affection.
If you take good care of your cat, they probably see you as a family member and imitate their mother’s behavior.
Moreover, when your cat shows you their butt, they’re vulnerable.
When kitties display their butt, they face the other way, so they can’t defend themselves against anything.
In other words, our feline friends reserve their bums for people they love and trust.
6. Have You Heard of Scent Marking?
I’ve previously stated that kittens have scent glands all over their bodies, including butts. To be more specific, felines feature anal scent glands inside their bums, emitting unique smells when they release poop and get scared.
They also have crucial scent glands on the skin in other portions of their bodies, such as their tail, legs, and back end, which discharge pheromones.
Therefore, when cats stay in their owners’ laps and rub their bums against them, they’re scent-marking their favorite people. In simpler words, your kitty puts their bottom in your face to mark you as safe and let other pets know you’re theirs.
7. Lack of Attention
If you don’t give your cat enough attention and playtime, they will bother you whenever you sit on the couch or take a nap. If you still don’t pay attention to your feline, they will likely put their bottom in your face.
It’s hard to ignore someone when you have their bum in your face, right?
Felines don’t know you don’t like seeing their butt, but they learn that this behavior gets your attention, so they will do it whenever they feel bored, lonely, or playful.
8. Your Cat’s Initiating Petting or Playtime
When cats feel happy and enjoy their petting session, they might raise their bottom and tail as you move your hand down their back.
If your cat’s sitting in your lap and you’re stroking down their back, they raise their bum as a sign of enjoyment.
Learn more about where to pet your cat.
Why Do Cats Put Their Tail in Your Face?
Cats put their tail in their owners’ faces for the same reasons they show off their bums. Here’s a summary of the reasons your cat’s tail ends up in your face:
- Felines have scent glands under their tail and inside their bottom. So, if your kitty hits your face, they’re scent-marking you. Additionally, cats assume that they can use this communication method with you because they don’t know we can’t smell the pheromones they produce.
- Cats can accidentally hit you with their tail while trying to find a comfortable place to lie down and relax. Most cats can turn in a circle multiple times in their owners’ laps before they find a good spot, giving their tail many chances to hit your face.
- Cats observe their owners, so they know how people react to different behaviors. Your cat may have figured out that hitting your face with their tail gives them the attention they want, so they do it on purpose.
- If your feline looks you in the eye, then hits your face with their tail, they likely know this behavior gets your attention. In this case, you should determine if your kitten feels lonely and playful and spend some time together.
- Lastly, cats put their tails in their owners’ faces when hungry. If your cat hits your face with their tail, then leads you to their food bowl, they’ve likely figured out that doing this earns them food.
Should I Stop My Cat From Putting Their Butt In My Face?
Knowing your cat’s body language can help you meet their needs in a better way.
If your feline’s trying to tell you something in a manner you don’t like, such as a butt and tail in the face, pushing away or punishing your cat for their behavior might destroy your relationship.
Instead, gently reposition your feline friend and give your best to decode their behavior.
Is It a Good Thing If Your Cat Sticks Their Bum in Your Face?
Looking at the reasons above, you can see that your kitty putting their bum in your face isn’t meant to be rude.
On the contrary, when your cat sticks their butt in your face, it’s a gesture out of love, trust, instinct, and lack of attention.
However, having your cat’s butt and tail in your face isn’t hygienic, so stay aware of the possible dangers, such as the following:
- Cats clean their bums and tails frequently. They’re known as very clean animals, but there’s a wide range of bacteria around their bottoms, so there’s still a risk of infection from fecal matter.
- Cat butt and poop might contain different parasites, such as tapeworms, roundworms, and toxoplasma. These parasites can cause diarrhea, vomiting, pregnancy problems, weight loss, etc.
You can reduce the risk of developing infections or catching parasites by washing your hands thoroughly after every interaction with your feline.
Also, teach your young kids this habit because they can accidentally catch your feline’s poop or when you’re not around and become unwell.
Final Thoughts
So, why do cats put their butt in your face?
Typically, cats put their butt in their owners’ faces for communication purposes. The scent glands around a cat’s bottom can reveal various things about the cat’s health and overall well-being.
Moreover, when two cats meet, they sniff each other, as cats communicate with one another through scent. So, they assume they can do the same with their favorite humans.
Unfortunately, we can’t understand what our cats need by their scent. However, we can learn their body language and meet their needs accordingly.
Possible reasons your kitten puts their bum and tail in your face include expressing love and trust, demanding attention and playtime, or trying to get comfortable in your lap.
So, stop obsessing over your kitty’s behavior and focus on learning their body language. Once you understand your cat’s moves, you will meet their needs quickly and easily.
See more:
*image by melis82/depositphotos
