If your cat has been leaning on you, this post will show you a number of possible reasons why and what you can do about them.
So, why does my cat lean on me? Possible reasons why your cat leans on you are injury, it is marking its scent onto you, it is showing affection, or that your cat feels safer by leaning on you.
There are a number of possible reasons why your cat leans on you and it could be due to a combination of them. 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 leans on you
Below are a number of possible reasons why your cat has been doing it and what would make them more likely.
Injury
The cause could be that it is injured and leaning on you so that you support it. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being injured such as walking unusually or not moving as much. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
It is marking its scent on to you
The reason why your cat does it could also be that it is marking its scent onto you so that other animals are less likely to enter its territory. This would be more likely if it also rubs itself against you.
It is showing affection
Another possible cause is that your cat is showing you affection. This would be more likely if it gets you to pet it, it does it when sitting down with you, it purrs and it also kneads when doing it.
It feels safer
Another possible reason why your cat leans on you is that you make it feel safer. This would be more likely if it tends to do it more at a time when it might be feeling fearful such as when other animals are around or when there are loud noises outside.
Things to consider
Below are some things you can consider to help figure out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.
What else happened when your cat first started leaning on you
If your cat did not always lean on you, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as getting injured or something in its environment causing it to start feeling anxious.
What else is different when your cat leans on you
If your cat seems to do it more at a certain time, it would also help to consider what is different about the timing. For example, if it only does it when you have not yet fed it, the cause would be likely that it is waiting for food.
What to do about your cat leaning on you
Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Get help
If your cat has started doing it suddenly and it has been showing signs of having an injury, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog and to rule out injury as a cause.
Redirect its focus
One option would be to redirect its focus whenever it seems likely to start leaning on you. By doing so, you should be able to get it out of the habit of doing it. One way to redirect its focus would be to give it a toy to play with.
Let it do it
If your cat has not been unusually in other ways, it would be likely that your cat is either naturally marking its scent onto you or that it is being affectionate. In this case, the easiest option would be to let your cat continue doing it and to move it when you want it to stop.