Cats have a reputation for being stand-offish, but if you’re a cat owner you already know that there are few things cuter than waking up to a kitty cat rubbing against your legs as you get ready for work in the morning. Often, cats will only rub themselves against their owners in the morning. If this is what your cat does, this post will show you a number of possible reasons why and what you can do about it.
So, why does my cat rub against me in the morning? Likely reasons why your cat rubs against you in the morning are that it wants something from you, separation anxiety or that it is rubbing its scent onto you.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat does it and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why does my cat rub against me in the morning?
Below are likely reasons why your cat does it and what would make them more likely.
It wants something from you
The cause is likely to be that it is letting you know that it wants something from you. This would be more likely if it tends to rub itself against you before you have fed it and it does not rub itself against you much after you have fed it.
Separation anxiety
The reason why your cat rubs itself against you, in the morning, might be that it has some separation anxiety. This is where your cat does not like being left alone and being left alone causes it to become anxious. This would be more likely if your cat does it more when it seems like you are leaving and if it becomes anxious when you are leaving.
It is glad to see you
It might also be the case that your cat is just glad to see you. This would be more likely if it still does it after being fed and it does not seem to be very anxious when you are leaving.
It is marking you
Cats will often go around the house marking their scents on things so that other cats are less likely to enter its territory. The reason why your cat rubs itself against you could also be that it is marking its scent onto you.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.
If your cat has always rubbed against you in the morning
If your cat did not always rub itself against you in the morning, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started rubbing itself against you. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be due to things such as if you started feeding it later or making it sleep in a different room at night.
What is different when your cat does not rub against you in the morning
If your cat does not always rub itself against you in the morning, it would also help to consider what is different when it does it. For example, if it only does it on the weekend, it might be the case that it is expecting you to get out of bed at the same time you do during the week.
What to do about your cat rubbing against you in the morning
Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Give it access to food and water
Since your cat might be doing it because it wants food or water, it would help to make sure that your cat has access to food and water when it might need it.
Let it stay where it wants to
If your cat currently has to stay in a certain room, when you are not around, it could also help to let it stay in a different area since the room might be causing it to get anxious.
Limit reasons why it might be fearful
It would also likely help to limit reasons why it might get fearful when you are not around. Ways to do so could include letting your cat stay in a different room than your dog if you have one or letting your cat stay in a quieter room.
Let it continue
If your cat seems to be just be doing it because it is being affectionate in the morning, another option would be to just give it some attention in the mornings. Afterward, you could give it things such as toys to be distracted with.