If your cat cuddles with everyone but you, this post will show you why and what you can do about it.
So, why does my cat cuddle with everyone but me? Likely reasons why your cat cuddles with everyone but you are that you have inadvertently encouraged it to not cuddle, intimidation, or cuddling it in a way it does not like.
There are a number of possible reasons why your cat cuddles with everyone but you and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Reasons why your cat cuddles with everyone but you
Below are a number of likely causes and what would make them more likely.
Inadvertently encouraging it not to cuddle
It could be the case that you have inadvertently encouraged it to not cuddle with you. If you have been moving it away when it comes over to you or rewarding it when it moves away from you, it could be the case that it has learned not to cuddle with you. Instead, it would help to reward it when it comes and shows affection towards you.
Cuddling it wrong
It might also be the case that you have been cuddling it in a way that it does not like. This would be more likely if it does cuddle you when you cuddle it in a certain way, other family members cuddle it differently and or if you keep interacting with it after it has started showing signs of wanting you to stop.
Intimidation
The cause might be that you appear threatening to it. This would be more likely if it shows signs of being submissive around you by doing things such as hiding, crying, or making itself appear smaller. It would also be more likely if you show threatening body language yourself by doing things such as shouting, making bold movements and staring at it. It might also get intimidated if you have been cuddling it forcefully. Instead, it would help to be calm with it and gentle.
Other family members treat it differently
The cause could also be that other family members treat it differently. It might be the case that they tend to show it more affection themselves, they are the ones that feed it or they play with it.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.
If your cat did cuddle with you before
If your cat did cuddle with you in the past, it would help to consider what else happened when it first stopped cuddling with you. If it stopped cuddling with you suddenly, it could be due to things such as a change in the way you cuddle with it or intimidation.
If your cat does cuddle with you sometimes
If your cat does cuddle with you sometimes, it would also help to consider what is different when it does do it. For example, if it does it when you cuddle it in a certain way, it might be the case that it stops cuddling when it does not like how you are cuddling it.
What to do about your cat not cuddling with you
Below are likely reasons why your cat has not been cuddling with you.
Be calm with it
If you are often loud around your cat, it might be causing it to get intimidated. Instead, it would help to interact with it calmly.
Reward it for cuddling
It would help to give your cat rewards, such as treats, whenever it does cuddle, show affection or let you pet it. By doing so, it should help to teach your cat that interacting with you results in it getting rewards.
Don’t force it
If your cat does not want to cuddle, it would likely make it worse if you try to force it to cuddle you. Instead, it would help to gradually encourage it to cuddle you by rewarding it when it does interact with you.