Why Does My Cat Touch My Face When I’m Sleeping?

The reason why your cat touches your face when you are sleeping is simply that she trusts you. When your kitty is asleep, she’s the most vulnerable. And touching face during sleep belongs to the cat’s sleeping habits, which shows love and trust to their masters.

As cat owners, we want to make sure we’re attending to our pet’s needs. As such, we want to know what their gestures mean.

For this reason, I wish to relay some information that will help you understand your cat a little bit deeper.

Let’s get into it!

What does it mean when a cat tries to touch your face?

When your cat tries to touch your face, it means she wants to show affection. At the same, she wants to grab your attention politely.

Thus, if your pet tries to touch your face while you’re sleeping, it’s either she wants to wake you up to give her some love.

Touching your face and other parts of your body is a sweet gesture from felines.

Such a gesture does not only show how comfortable she is to you. More than anything, she wants you to pet her and care for her.

While it can be a sweet act from our kitties, it can be less comforting if you’re trying to rest.

When kitties try to take our attention, it means they aren’t getting enough.

Perhaps you’ve been quite busy at a certain point. Or, maybe it hasn’t eaten yet.

If you see this act as a sweet one, try to pet your kitty to return the love. Gently massage her favorite parts and give her a treat.

However, if you wish for your pet to stop doing that when you’re resting, try to make a routine.

By routine, I mean, you should train your cat by having a specific time for playing and petting. Further, feed your pet at a particular time as well.

In time, it will help your pet decipher when to wait and when to go to you.

Do you think your cat is obsessed with your face? Find out more about it here.

Why does my cat want to get close to my face?

Aside from attention and affection, your cat may want to get close to your face to mark it her own.

Yeah, you read it right. Your feline pet wants to mark you as its own.

Felines have their sense of smell, and it’s something we cannot do.

When your cat wants to get close to you, it may be trying to put his scent in you.

As soon as she does, you’ll carry a smell that’s noticeable to all cats, and you’ll have the mark of her own.

As a result, your feline pet will be more comfortable in your company than before.

If she wants to do this every time you are sleeping, it can be less comforting. At the same time, you wouldn’t want to reject your cat, as it will ruin your bond.

The thing you can do is to divert your cat’s attention to another thing.

Give it something with your scent, like a t-shirt or an old cloth you wouldn’t mind getting ruined.

If you’re successful, your pet won’t return the item and stop getting in your face.

Do you want to know if you can get ear mites from your cat, or if your cat can get a cold from your dog? Check it out!

Why do cats touch your face with their nose?

cat licking her paw

Like I said earlier, cats touch your face to mark you with their scent, and their nose is a useful tool to do it.

The nose of felines contains scent glands, together with the other parts of their faces.

When they rub their nose and face with yours, it means they are trying to greet and mingle their scent with you.

This face rubbing is also their way of saying they are comfortable with you. If your pet is rubbing its wet nose on you, it may seem a bit nasty, but it’s alright.

And, since your face is more comfortable approaching when you’re sleeping, they’ll likely do it while you’re asleep.

So yeah, don’t worry. It’s not a bad thing.

Why cats shake their heads while they eat? Learn more.

Are cats touching noses a good sign?

If your cat is trying to touch its nose to you, it’s indeed a good sign.

A touch from a cat, especially from its nose, is a friendly gesture. It shows social acceptance, and at the same time, a territorial marking.

When your pet does this, she doesn’t mean any harm. Instead, she’s trying to put some scent in you to make you more comfortable for her.

As a result, you should expect a more cuddly and sweeter version of your feline pet.

Why do cats hit things? Read here.

Why does my cat touch my face when I hold him?

The same principle applies when you’re holding your cat.

While you’re holding and petting your kitty, it induces stimulation in her.

According to Animal Planet, felines take petting and holding as an act of love and affection.

As a result, she may start liking you better and return the love by marking you as her own.

Thus, if your cat kneads on you or touches your face with her paws, she puts her scent to show you how much she adores you.

Summary

A cat’s affection is generally sweeter compared to other animals. They show it in many ways, and one of these is by constant touching.

A feline’s love for touching is one of our perks as their owners. They are one of the sweetest pets we could ever ask for.

With this in mind, it’s also in us to return that affection by petting our cats.

Resources

AnimalPlanet article about cat’s kneading

Image credits – Photos by Yerlin Matu and Eric Han on Unsplash

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