Cat owners rarely enjoy a peaceful start to the morning. Most days begin with a cat staring at you, just inches from your face. In some cases, cats even appear to headbutt you. Contrary to appearances, this is not an act of aggression. A feline headbutt is known as bunting. Show
Cats have scent glands at the top of the head. By bunting you, the cat is exchanging scents. This is partly to mark you as the cat’s property. It’s also likely that your cat missed you while you were sleeping. Bunting can be a plea for attention. In the morning, a cat is likely requesting breakfast or play. Ensure your cat is not bunting to display dominance. Do not confuse bunting with head pressing. This is a separate behavior that has negative connotations. It’s important to recognize when a cat is bunting and why. This will lead to a positive bond between you and your cat. Why Do Cats Bunt You?This behavior is most common first thing in the morning. Many feline owners awake to the sensation of a cat pushing its head toward them. Cats may be born imitators, but this is not an aggressive act. When a cat headbutts a person or object, it is referred to as bunting. This is a common feline behavior that will be observed in all cats. But why do cats bunt? Showing AffectionWhile sleeping, your cat really missed you. It had been waiting for you to wake up so that you could spend time together. If the cat is purring while it bunts, moving its head up and down, affection is the likeliest explanation. This love should be returned in kind. Pet your cat and speak to it in a soft, soothing voice. This will quickly improve the bond with your cat. Even if you would prefer a cat not to bunt, do not make this obvious. Your cat will assume that any display of affection is a form of bad behavior. Sharing ScentsAnother explanation for bunting is that your cat is sharing scents. As explained by the Canadian Journal of Zoology, cats secrete scents from their heads and faces. Bunting is the easiest way to do this. The cat is mingling its own scent with your scent. This is partly an extension of the affection that your cat is showing. When you have been sleeping, the cat will notice changes in your scent. Any perfume or cologne will have worn off, and you may have sweated overnight. The cat is covering your aroma with its own. This is also a means of marking you. Cats apply their scent to things that matter to them, including their owners. By marking you first thing in the morning, the cat is setting a precedent. It is making it clear that it has laid claim to you. You’ll find this behavior common in multi-cat homes. Felines are hardwired to compete for resources. Do not be surprised if several cats take their turns to bunt you. Alternatively, different cats may bunt on different days. Each cat is trying to stake its claim. This action should not be deterred or considered a problem. It is an important part of the bonding process between cats and humans. The cat is saying that it accepts you as part of the family. Seeking Food or AttentionMany cats look for attention first thing in the morning. Nighttime can be boring for a feline. Cats are not nocturnal but are often active after dark. They enjoy the peace and quiet afforded by life without active humans. After a while, the cat will seek interaction with you. Some cats will amuse themselves by wandering at night. Others simply stare out of the window. By the time you wake, the cat is ready for interaction. This is especially likely if you have established a play routine or feeding first thing in the morning. If you have established this routine, do not deviate from it. The bunting is a gentle reminder of your responsibilities. If you fail to meet the cat’s expectations, these reminders will become less subtle. Elongated meows, and even scratching or biting, can follow. You could also look out for other classic signs of attention-seeking in cats. These include: Showing DominanceA less savory element of bunting is an expression of dominance. Your cat may bunt to ensure that its scent is spread far and wide. This can be that a cat is attempting to exert power over you. Cats are not pack animals, but inter-feline dynamics do usually involve dominant and submissive roles. A dominant cat may bunt a submissive cat. Grooming by the submissive animal may then follow this up. It’s rare for a submissive cat to groom a superior. If your cat wants to dominate you, it is not always a problem. If the cat displays no problem behaviors, there’s little harm in letting it feel in charge. This will help the cat relax around you and in the home. However, cats with excessively dominant tendencies can become bossy and demanding. The cat may harass you for food or attention, growing belligerent if you fail to respond in the required way. As per the Journal of Feline Journal of Medicine and Surgery, dominant cats may resort to scratching and urine marking. How To Respond To A Cat BuntingThe best reaction to a cat bunting is no reaction at all. Regardless of the meaning, it is advisable to avoid encouraging your cat to bunt you. If you suspect that the cat is being dominant, you should ignore it. Go about your business and make it clear that the cat is not your boss. You should still meet the cat’s needs, so lay down food or change its litter, but don’t do anything out of the ordinary. Do not physically restrain the cat or push it away when it tries to bunt you. Instead, make a high-pitched “ouch!” noise. This will leave the cat thinking that it hurt you, and they don’t want to cause you any pain. Should I Headbutt My Cat Back?Some, but not all, cats will enjoy bunting. As felines cannot communicate with us in words, they rely on their body language. However, no matter how strong your bond, your cat will always be a little afraid of you. That’s just common sense; your cat is considerably smaller than you. This means a cat may immediately go on the defensive. The cat will not necessarily know that you are attempting bunting. All it sees is a larger animal, with a mouth filled with teeth, descending upon it. Survival instinct will then kick in, and your cat may claw, bite, or flee. Head Pressing vs. BuntingA cat pressing its head firmly against you or your walls or floors for a prolonged period of time is not bunting. This is called head pressing. Head pressing in cats is a much more serious problem than bunting. Head pressing is an attempt at relieving pain, perhaps due to a headache. As per the British Veterinary Journal, these human medications are toxic to cats. The cat will resort to other means to relieve discomfort. Reasons for feline head pressing include:
As per the Journal of the American Veterinary Association, head pressing is also linked to high blood sugar. Older cats, especially those carrying extra weight, can be prone to diabetes. A vet will run tests on your cat to determine the cause of the head pressing. Resolution and prognosis depend entirely on this diagnosis. As always, early intervention will yield the best results. Bunting in cats is usually just a means of displaying affection. If it’s anything else, other behaviors will be displayed. It’s also important to be able to tell the difference between bunting and head pressing. Hepper is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
Almost nothing is more endearing or adorable than when your cat gives you a headbutt. Of course, coming from almost anyone or anything else, it might be scary or painful, but a cat headbutt is gentle and sweet (most of the time!). But why exactly do our cats engage in this odd behavior? A cat headbutt is actually called head bunting. Cats engage in this behavior as a sign of trust and as a way of marking something with their scent. We have a deeper look into this behavior and why your cat will headbutt you, your dog, and even your furniture! What Is Up With Head Bunting?If you own a cat, odds are that you’ve been a recipient of head bunting. In fact, every member of your household, including other cats and dogs, your couch, and your dining room table, have probably all fallen victim to your cat’s bunting. There are three main reasons that cats love to bonk so many things with their heads. Image Credit: Gundula Vogel, ShutterstockCats have several scent glands in different areas of their bodies. These scent glands are located in their paws and around their tails, and there’s a whole bunch in various locations on their faces: their chin, cheeks, forehead, the base of their ears, and lips. When you notice your cat rubbing up against your leg or furniture, this is creating something called a colony scent. Cats have pheromones in their scent glands, which they leave on everything that you see them rub or bunt. We humans can’t smell their pheromones but cats can. These pheromones send messages to other cats that you (and your furniture) are a part of your cat’s territory, and it makes the environment more familiar for your cat. When cats are surrounded by their own scent within their environment, it makes them feel more comfortable. It can also act as a way to self-soothe. Basically, cats are showing physical signs that you are accepted. Cats also head bunt as a way of marking you with their scent, which is also placing you in their “safe zone.” Marking you as safe shows a measure of trust, and it can be construed as a loving and affectionate action. Sometimes, cats might just be looking for attention. If your cat bunts you and then seems to want something more, like head and chin scratches, then the message is clear. If you tend to give your cat pets and attention after a head bunting session, then your cat knows that bonking you can lead to glorious neck scratches. Head bunting could also be about looking for playtime or even dinner. It’s also entirely possible that your cat is just feeling quite happy and relaxed and is expressing contentment through affectionate head bunts. Head Bunting AnimalsCats will head bunt any other pets in the household that they are friendly and familiar with. Trust is a large part of this behavior, so if you notice your cat head bunting your giant dog, this is a sure-fire sign that your cat trusts your pup. You might notice other cats in the household all head bunting each other. They are creating a colony scent and engaging in social and bonding behavior. In fact, watch any nature show about big cats that live in colonies (lions, for example), and you’ll notice plenty of head bunting and rubbing going on between the members of a pride. This ensures that they are all bonded and members of the same group. You can almost say that if your cat bunts you, you’re a member of your cat’s pride. It’s typically the more dominant cat that initiates any head bunting, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that if your cat is bunting you regularly, they are in charge of the household. Image Credit: PixabayHead Bunting FurnitureCats are obviously not bonding with your furniture, but head bunting and rubbing behaviors commonly occur with the furniture, doors, and walls in your home. You might also notice that your cat will primarily use their lip scent gland while rubbing these items. The lip gland is typically used for marking objects. Cats That Don’t BuntEvery cat is a unique animal. Some cats love to sleep on your lap, and others avoid it like the plague. The same goes for head bunting. Some cats will bunt all the time, while others will rarely or perhaps never bunt. Most cats do bunt, but cats that have been newly adopted probably won’t because they need time to adjust to their new surroundings. If head bunting just isn’t your cat’s thing, they might show their bond with you in different ways. If your cat routinely brings you gifts (toys, dead mice, insects, etc.) and greets you at the door when you come home, these are definite signs of love. You can also look for slow blinking and grooming behavior — licking you and even love bites are all affectionate physical signs that you have a strong bond with your cat. Image Credit: PixabayWhat Is the Best Way to Respond to a Head Bunt?One of the most important things that you can do is to just receive the head bunting. This way, you’re allowing your cat to express affection, and you can then give it right back by offering gentle head scratches. However, always be aware of how cats react. If they aren’t in the mood for scratches at that moment, they will likely avoid your hand and walk away. Never force scratches or head bunts. You can also head bunt your cat back — just make it slow and gentle. When Should You Worry?If you ever see a cat pressing their head against a wall, the floor, or any furniture, this is a serious warning sign that the cat might have a severe neurological disorder. Head pressing is a physical sign that a cat is experiencing extreme discomfort, and it could be from a head injury, hypertension, a neurological issue, or a tumor.
A vet visit is in order immediately if you suspect your cat of head pressing! Image Credit: Stock Asso, ShutterstockConclusionWhether the head bunt is gentle or a bit of a hard whack on your skull, your cat is essentially accepting you as a part of the family (their pride). Cats are sensitive and social pets that communicate through scent and body language. When your cat starts to engage you in head bunting time, see if you can figure out if your cat is sending you a message. Whether your cat is giving your legs or your head a hard bonk, the result is the same. Head bunting is less about cats being territorial and more about them giving you their version of a hug or kiss. Above all else, you should feel honored that your cat has chosen you as someone they trust and love. You’ve clearly built up a mutual bond, so enjoy those headbutts, bonks, or bunts. Featured Image Credit: Kristi Blokhin, Shutterstock |