Too intense, even for your cat? A cat fanatic recommends alternative ways to bond with your cat besides the "cat sniff."

"Neko-sui" (cat-huffing), which involves burying your nose in your cat’s fur to breathe in their scent and let the "my cat fragrance" soak into your body, is a highly addictive form of affection. As a cat-obsessed owner, I enjoy "cat-huffing" every day, but while living with them, I’ve also sought out other original forms of "intense affection."

In this article, I will introduce all of the "cat-obsessed affection methods" I practice in my daily life. Please feel free to smile at me with cold, judgmental eyes and think, "What a cat-crazy weirdo..."

Affection Method ① Head-butting to have a wordless conversation

For cats, rubbing against you and head-butting are signs that they love you. Since my beloved cats communicate their feelings so adorably, I want to convey my massive love for them, too! One day, seized by this thought, I had a cat-crazy epiphany.

That's it. If I imitate their emotional expressions and rub against them or head-butt them back, maybe I can tell them, "I love you too."

So, whenever my cats rubbed or head-butted me, I started doing the same. Whether they were happy about it or not, they would rub or head-butt me back, and sometimes we would even enter "lovey-dovey mode"!

If I were to compare "lovey-dovey mode" to an otome game, it’s like the state where the affection level of your target character has reached its maximum. Simply put, it’s a reward time where we can get all cuddly.

The cat who especially enjoyed my reciprocal affection was my ginger tabby, Leon. If I was too busy to return the gesture, he would come in front of my face with a look that seemed to say, "Huh? No response today?" and started rubbing against me repeatedly.

I started this on a whim, but affection from a cat's perspective might actually resonate with their hearts more than we think.

Affection Method ② Hugging them while naked during a bath

It’s common to be "monitored" by your cat while taking a bath, isn't it? In our house, Leon (daily) and Gigi, my tortoiseshell (occasionally), come to the bathroom door asking me to "open it."

They seem surprised to find me in the bath: "I can't believe you're in a place like this..." pic.twitter.com/hhHZU4l3lu

— Yua | Writer🖊 (@yunc24291) September 3, 2022

For me, this moment is a huge opportunity for affection. Humans basically go through life wearing clothes, so no matter how close you get to your cat, there’s usually a layer of fabric in the way. But the bath is different. It’s the only chance to be in close contact with my cats without being hindered by a fabric wall!!

I love the time I spend after soaking in the tub, hugging my cat while they lounge on the bathtub lid—all while I’m completely naked. (I know, I’m just a weirdo.) When their shed fur sticks to my body, I feel like I’ve become a cat-human myself, which makes me happy.

However, Leon and Gigi just look at me with cold eyes as they endure my naked hugs.

Affection Method ③ Kissing them on the cheek

The feelings I have for my cats are somewhat similar to romantic love. When I first started living with cats, I would watch them relaxing and think, "I want to protect this creature! They’re so precious! They’re so cute I could just eat them up!" I felt like I finally understood how a lover feels about someone they adore.

Desperate to convey that overwhelming love to my cats, one day I decided to gently kiss my tabby, Kotaro, on the cheek. To my surprise, Kotaro gave me a stylish response! As if to say, "Here's one back," he pulled my face toward his with his paw and licked my nose and cheeks.

I was shocked and excited by this boyfriend-like behavior, and before I knew it, I was saying "Thank you so much!!" while kneeling on the floor in gratitude. (I also dutifully offered him a treat.)

My cat is too smart—he only nudges his cheek against mine when I wrap my arm around his neck. He's such a boyfriend.
(*Sorry I'm not wearing makeup🙏) pic.twitter.com/Y5YJJwfar9

— Yua | Writer🖊 (@yunc24291) January 19, 2024

Ever since that day, Kotaro and I kiss each other on the cheek. Sometimes he bites my cheek when he’s in a bad mood, but at those times, I just accept it, thinking, "Today I’m Anpanman. I’m sharing my face with Kotaro."

By the way, Leon gives me the same response when I kiss his cheek, but Gigi is the exception. When I kiss Gigi’s cheek, she opens her eyes wide and runs around the room. Why, I wonder…

She doesn’t hate it; surely, she’s just shy... I tell myself. I’d love to ask her how she really feels about my future attempts to kiss her.

Affection Method ④ Burying my face in their tummy

Is there anything more irresistible than the fluff of a cat's belly, which makes you just want to bury your face in it? As an extension of "cat-huffing," I often bury my face in my cats' bellies while they’re lying down to enjoy being "covered in cat."

For a cat, the tummy is their most vulnerable spot. However, all my cats are fine with having their bellies touched. Kotaro is the only one who gets into battle mode, but once he sniffs my hand and realizes it’s me, he gives me permission, saying, "Oh, it's you. In that case, you can have a special pass!"

As someone who has always loved burying my face in soft, fluffy things, the cat tummy is my ultimate source of healing. The more tired I am, the more I want to bury my face in them.

"Why do you smell so good!" or "You're maximum fluff today!"—shouting such praises while burying my face in their tummies... objectively speaking, a woman in her late 20s doing this is nothing short of insanity. I suppose that’s why my cats stare at me with such baffled expressions.

Affection Method ⑤ Talking to cat poop

Am I the only one who finds themselves becoming attached to what their cats produce because my love for them has grown so much? For instance, even the healthy poop deposited neatly in the litter box is precious.

When I clean the litter box in the morning, I find myself singing, "Healthy milk chocolate♪," or talking to it, saying, "You look healthy today! Such perfect firmness!" (My apologies to anyone who is currently eating.)

This bizarre behavior has been going on since my 20s. It started after I lost a ginger tabby kitten I had adopted from an animal rescue group.

It’s been four years since the passing of my first cat, Leo, who inspired me to become a writer. Today is the anniversary of his death.
Back then, there was so little reliable information on pet sites, but things are slowly changing.
He lived for only two months, but I will love him forever. He is my family forever.
Thank you for being born and for meeting me.

I’ll keep doing my best, so watch over me. pic.twitter.com/ySKHChJUKr

— Yua | Writer🖊 (@yunc24291) October 4, 2018

That ginger tabby kitten suddenly produced white poop one day. I rushed to the veterinary clinic, but I couldn’t save his life.

At the time, my knowledge of cats was limited, so as I stroked his cold body, I cried and promised, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I will become a better owner."

It’s been four years since the passing of my first cat, Leo, who inspired me to become a writer. Today is the anniversary of his death.
Back then, there was so little reliable information on pet sites, but things are slowly changing.
He lived for only two months, but I will love him forever. He is my family forever.
Thank you for being born and for meeting me.

I’ll keep doing my best, so watch over me. pic.twitter.com/ySKHChJUKr

— Yua | Writer🖊 (@yunc24291) October 4, 2018

Because of that experience, seeing healthy, milk-chocolate-colored, well-formed cat poop, which is a sign of good health, makes me truly happy. Oh, they are living healthily today, too. I know yesterday’s health was good, too.

However, my cats seem to think I’m just a "poop maniac." When they see me talking to their poop in the litter box, they always take turns going into the toilet and pooping, as if to say, "If you like it that much, should I show you more?"

I do think, "That's not exactly what I meant..." but I chuckle at their subtle attentiveness and hope they live long lives.

Every household has their own original ways of showing affection that they've discovered by realizing, "My cat loves it when I do this." Please tell me your own ways of loving your cats. All "weirdo" affection methods are welcome!

By observing their reactions, cat owners naturally create ways of interacting that bring them closer to their "beloved child." I, too, have come up with many original forms of "intense affection."

In this article, I’ve introduced all of the "cat-obsessed affection methods" I practice daily. Please have a laugh at my unique ways of showing affection, like "kissing the cheek" or "naked hugs."