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Why does my cat rub against my dog?

If your cat keeps rubbing itself against your dog, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about them.

So, why does my cat rub against my dog? The most likely reason why your cat rubs itself on your dog is that your cat is rubbing its scent onto your dog.

It is actually likely that your cat does it due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main reason.

Why does my cat rub itself against my dog?

Below are likely reasons why your cat has been doing it and what would make each of them more likely.

Your cat is spreading its scent

The reason why your cat rubs itself on your dog is likely to be to spread its scent on to your dog. This would be especially likely if your cat rubs its face on your dog since cats have sweat glands on their faces. Doing this would let other animals know that your dog is a part of its group and, in turn, would make your cat be more secure.

Your cat is being affectionate

A part of the cause could also be that your cat is showing your dog affection. This would be more likely if your cat purrs when doing it and if your cat also sits with your dog often.

Your cat has an itch

It might also be the case that your cat simply likes the feeling. This would be more likely if your cat has been rubbing other things in a similar way. However, in this case, it would be more likely that it is actually spreading its scent.

Your cat is showing your dog that it trusts it

Your cat rubbing itself on your dog is also likely to be a sign that your cat trusts your dog since cats will only rub themselves on animals and people that they trust.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.

If your cat has always rubbed itself against your dog

If your cat has not always rubbed itself on your dog, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it could actually be a sign that your cat became more comfortable around your dog.

If your cat rubs itself against other things in a similar way

If your cat also rubs itself against you or other objects in a similar way, it would be more likely that your cat is spreading its scent. If your cat only seems to be doing it to your dog, it would make it more likely that your cat is showing affection to your dog.

What to do about your cat rubbing itself against your dog

Below are options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Let it do it

If your dog interacts well with your cat and the behavior has not been bothering you, the easiest option would be to just allow your cat to continue doing it.

Get your cat to stay elsewhere

If you do not want your cat to interact with your dog so much, the easiest option would be to get your cat to stay in a different part of the house.