16 Ways Cats Imprint on People They Love (Plus What They're Feeling)

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Learn how to forge a strong bond with your beloved cat
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The relationship between humans and their cats is complicated, to say the least! Felines are fickle creatures. They will purr and lavish you with licks one moment and bite your hand in the next. Believe it or not, those can all be signs that your cat has imprinted on you—meaning they’ve chosen you as one of their favorite people. We'll explain all the signs of imprinting, plus give advice on how to encourage imprinting and get a cat to trust and love you.

How to Tell if a Cat Has Imprinted on You

  • They follow you, sleep with you, and sit near or on you.
  • They meow at you, purr, and bring you gifts.
  • They knead you, show you their belly, and rub up against you.
Section 1 of 3:

Signs Your Cat Imprinted on You

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  1. You’ll often catch them following you throughout the house, even into the bathroom! If you stay in one room for awhile, they’ll lay on nearby furniture or the floor—any surface will do, as long as they can rest knowing you’re around. [1]
    • If your cat goes off alone to another room, this isn’t necessarily a sign that they don’t like you. Something may be attracting their attention, like a warm sunbeam on the floor, a soft bed where they can nap, or a favorite toy. They’ll also go into the kitchen by themselves to eat or drink when they’re hungry or thirsty.
    • Remember, cats are still highly independent and may disappear for hours—not because they don’t like you, but because they have other activities they want to do.
  2. They may rest on your lap, in between your legs, or on your stomach. Some cats even roost near your head. If your cat didn’t like you, they wouldn’t lay anywhere close to you, much less on top of you. So it’s safe to say you’ve been imprinted. [2]
    • Cats also lay on humans because they enjoy our body heat, which is why you’ll often find them laying on you more on cold days.
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  3. This is a behavior they learned to do as kittens, when they pressed their paws into their mother’s belly while nursing. If your cat “makes biscuits” on an area of your body, it’s because they associate you with this warm, fuzzy memory of their kittenhood. [3]
  4. Cats are the most vulnerable when they’re asleep, so they only choose people they love and trust to bunk with. Plus, snoozing with you keeps them warm. [4]
    • Another reason cats sleep with you at night is to protect you or to feel more protected. House cats don’t have any predators inside, but that doesn’t stop them from heeding their instincts to huddle during the nighttime hours.
    • Cats also sleep in shorter stints than humans and may find it strange that you’re sleeping for so long. As such, they may feel responsible for defending you from things that go thump in the night.
  5. Cats have scent glands on their head, cheeks, chin, and tail that produce pheromones. When they sidle up to you and butt their head or body up against you, they’re putting their pheromones on you to identify you as part of their colony. [5]
  6. As a kitten, your cat probably spent a lot of time practicing grooming their littermates and mother. So when they start licking your skin or hair unprompted, it means they think of you as a member of their cat family. [6]
  7. Cats’ internal organs are most accessible through that area of their body. If they flop on the floor and expose their belly, this means they feel safe and relaxed in your presence, so pat yourself on the back for being such a great cat parent! [7]
    • Showing you their belly isn’t always an invitation to pet it, however! The abdomen is a sensitive area for cats, so don’t be offended if they bite or scratch you when you try to rub it.
  8. A toy in your bed may be a bid for play, whereas a mouse on your doorstep may be a wry comment on your lack of hunting skills. [8]
    • Mother cats hunt and bring dead animals back to their kittens to eat until they’re old enough to hunt for themselves. Sometimes they even bring back live animals to teach their young how to hunt and kill in a safe environment.
    • Humans don’t hunt for food anymore, so their cats may decide to take on that important role by bringing dead mice and birds to their doorstep.
    • Meanwhile, cats who live exclusively inside the house and bring you gifts (like toys, household objects, or trash) usually want you to do something for them, like play with them or feed them.
  9. For example, if you’re soaking in the bathtub, your cat may think you’re drowning and try to grab your hand with their paws or teeth to pull you out. Your cat may also be hostile toward people whom they haven’t imprinted on and monitor them for threats. [9]
    • While the sentiment behind their desire to protect you is endearing, some cats take it to an aggressive level and hiss, bite, or claw at anyone they don’t know.
    • Discourage your cat’s unwanted behavior by distracting them with something, like food or a toy. If they’re not actively attacking or hurting anyone, you can also try ignoring their aggression.
    • Never praise or punish cats for aggression, as both types of responses could worsen their bad behavior.
  10. Your feline may avoid approaching strangers and not seek affection, food, or anything else from them. They may also disappear when company comes. Around you, their favorite human, their personality comes out and they’re no longer shy. [10]
    • Cats often struggle to socialize with new people because they haven’t been exposed to strangers often enough. Help your adult cat feel more comfortable around people who visit your home by having visitors play with them or give them treats. With a bribe, your cat may come around.
    • Another reason for cats’ shyness of strangers is an aversion to loud noises. Consider asking your guests to keep their voices low if they want to see your antisocial kitty.
  11. As soon as you walk in the front door or into a room after being gone, your cat communicates their delight by head bunting at your legs, chirping, and sticking their tail straight up in the air. [11]
    • Cats typically only greet the humans they love with chirping or trilling sounds. So if you hear these upon seeing your cat after some hours or days have passed, you know they’re happy to see you in particular.
  12. Purring is a cat’s way of expressing happiness and contentment. If they do it when you’re interacting with them, great news: they associate those positive feelings with you! [12]
    • Purring can also indicate that your cat feels anxious or sick. If your cat is showing other abnormal behaviors like not eating or drinking, sleeping more than usual, vomiting, or having trouble using the litter box, make an appointment with their veterinarian.
  13. Slow-blinking is the cat version of smiling. If they gaze at you from afar and lazily blink their eyes at you, that’s them telling you, “I love you” or “I don’t mind you that much” in their own magical cat way. [13]
  14. They may not like it, but if they’re not hissing, growling, or scratching at you, you know that if they had to get their claws trimmed by someone, they’d rather it be you. [14]
    • If your cat fights you when you try to trim their nails , don’t take it personally! It doesn’t mean they haven’t imprinted on you, it just means they don’t like getting their claws clipped.
    • Training them from an early age to relax and accept the nail clipper will do wonders, but for older, less cooperative cats, try gently restraining them by wrapping them in a blanket or a towel.
  15. Each cat has different ideas of what “playing” means, but they’re all experts at showing you what they like. Play with them often, as this is one of the best ways to strengthen your relationship.
    • Try different toys to see what excites them the most. For example, your cat may bring you a mouse toy and want you to throw it down a long hallway for a game of fetch (yes, cats play that game, too). Alternatively, they may enjoy chasing a string, a feather that you dangle from a stick, or a laser pointer.
  16. This is also their way of calling to you to ensure you’re nearby. They wouldn’t do this with a stranger or someone they didn’t truly want attention from. Be sure to respond to them as soon as you can with loving reassurances! [15]
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Get Your Cat to Imprint on You Faster

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  1. Look, we know it’s tempting to pet, scratch, and squeeze your little fuzzball every chance you get. But cats are still independent and need to be alone sometimes. Don’t lovebomb them or you’ll jeopardize their trust. [16]
  2. Your cat will find you when they want to play, eat, or receive pets. Forcing them to come out when they don’t want to will only strain your relationship, not strengthen it. [17]
  3. A cat who wants you to pet them and talk to them will typically come up to you and head bunt your hand. Stroke them as much as they want, and then stop if they walk away or bat at you. [18]
    • You can score imprinting points by discovering the places they like to be scratched the most, such as behind their ears or under their chin. Some cats like their fur brushed, so experiment with that, as well.
  4. Cats love routines, and you’ll build up their trust and love for you by establishing a strict eating schedule. They may even come to get you and show affection when it’s time for their next meal. [19]
    • Don’t forget to give them treats (in moderation, of course)! Treat time can become one of the highlights of your cat’s day, as well as an extra imprint-building moment.
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Section 3 of 3:

Cat Imprinting Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. The human who spends the most time with the cat and cares for them the most is the top candidate for imprinting. But every cat is different, and there is no surefire way to predict who they will choose to form a deep bond. [20]
  2. Cats typically only imprint on one person, but that doesn’t mean they won’t love or interact with other humans. It just means that they have a particular favorite. [21]
  3. The best time for cats to imprint is when they’re young and establishing relationships with other people and animals. If you adopt an older cat, they may still imprint on you if you dedicate plenty of time into building a strong, trusting connection with them. [22]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://spca.bc.ca/news/how-do-you-know-if-your-cat-loves-you/
      2. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/what-is-cat-imprinting/
      3. ↑ https://spca.bc.ca/news/how-do-you-know-if-your-cat-loves-you/
      4. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/what-is-cat-imprinting/
      5. ↑ https://www.petmd.com/cat/behavior/why-do-cats-rub-against-you
      6. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/features/why-does-my-cat-wash-groom-me
      7. ↑ https://www.torontohumanesociety.com/the-cat-tummy-trap-explained/
      8. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/what-is-cat-imprinting/
      9. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/do-cats-protect-their-owners/
      1. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/shy-fearful-cats
      2. ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-tell-if-your-cat-loves-you-according-to-science/
      3. ↑ https://www.petmd.com/cat/behavior/why-do-cats-purr
      4. ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-tell-if-your-cat-loves-you-according-to-science/
      5. ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/trimming-cats-claws
      6. ↑ https://www.maddiesfund.org/meowing-when-left-alone.htm
      7. ↑ https://houstonspca.org/easy-ways-to-strengthen-the-bond-with-your-pet/
      8. ↑ https://www.foundanimals.org/how-to-bond-with-your-cat/
      9. ↑ https://houstonspca.org/easy-ways-to-strengthen-the-bond-with-your-pet/
      10. ↑ https://houstonspca.org/easy-ways-to-strengthen-the-bond-with-your-pet/
      11. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/what-is-cat-imprinting/
      12. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/what-is-cat-imprinting/
      13. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/what-is-cat-imprinting/

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