Why do cats rub the corner of their mouth on things?

Cats can be a bit standoffish or seem like they are judging you for daring to drink a cup of coffee in their presence without offering them a sip, so it’s always nice when they come and rub their face against your leg. It feels nice and seems affectionate, but cats can be tricky little critters, so are they being sweet or is there something else going on? Turns out it’s a little bit of both.

“When your loving cat comes up and affectionately head butts you, this is his way of bonding with you,” writes Katelyn Schutz at Wisconsin Pet Care’s website. Cats like many animals use pheromones, those naturally-occurring scent chemicals, to communicate to other cats. They use pheromones to mark their territory or bond, as well as delivering other messages. The behavior, which is also known as bunting, can spread those pheromones around broadcasting their feelings or letting other cats know they were there first.

Cats release friendly pheromones from glands in their cheeks and chin, so when your favorite feline is rubbing its face on you, it usually means they are marking you as a friend. “It’s an affectionate gesture that can also be used as a form of greeting,” Dr. Jill E. Sackman, senior medical director for BluePearl Veterinary Partners’ Michigan Region, told PetMD.com. Cat mothers teach their little kittens that head rubbing can be a form of affection, so when they find a human they trust, they rub their heads on them.

It’s similar to when your cat kneads your lap, using the pheromones released by glands near its paw pads to mark you as safe and welcoming. In short, if your furry friend starts rubbing his face on you, take it as a compliment.

That said, not every cat rubbing on you is looking for a lifelong friendship or a good petting. Some are just looking for a little information, according to Dr. Stephanie Borns-Weil, an animal behavior expert, told PetMD.com. Through a good leg rub, cats can apparently suss out where a stranger comes from or help them determine if they have animals of their own. It’s a pretty impressive party trick!

In a blog post for Tufts University’s veterinary school, Borns-Weil noted that cats also bunt when they are anxious. Rubbing their scent around their environment can make “unfamiliar surroundings familiar and thus safer feeling.” Cats also bunt or rub their heads to let other cats know that they are around, which is why male cats tend to bunt on more items than female cats.

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As a cat owner, it is normal to see your cat rubbing on your legs and furniture in your home. Your cat may also rub her face on things.  However, your kitty may also tend to rub her mouth and teeth on you which you may find confusing or even alarming. 

Why do cats rub their teeth on you?

Cats may rub their teeth on you to mark you as their territory since they have scent glands on their faces. By rubbing their teeth and face on you they are transferring these scent glands to mark you as their own. However, some cat experts note that a cat’s intention may not be to rub their teeth on you since it is not quite possible to pull their lips back for a cat’s teeth to be able to touch a person. Some cat experts theorize that a cat may just be rubbing the side of her muzzle against you to mark you with her scent. 

When cats rub the side of their muzzle against a person, their lips may partially part so that it looks like they want to rub their teeth on you.  In transferring their scent glands located in that area, their mouth may partially open which gives the impression that it is their teeth that they are rubbing on you. There are scent glands in a cat’s muzzle, cheeks, top of the head and the area around the eyebrows. These scent glands are called perioral glands and are located on the side of the muzzle or lavender spots as well as cheek glands which are located on each cheek. 

Aside from marking you as their territory, cats may also rub on you with their face or muzzle, also called bunting, to display their affection and fondness. It may also be their way to catch your attention and to indicate that she wants to cuddle or be petted. 

Why does my cat rub her gums on me?

Cats may rub their gums, mouth and teeth simply to show their love and affection to their owners. When cats rub against things or persons they release and leave their scent glands on them as a way to mark their territory. Most cats rub their gums, faces or bodies toward persons they are affectionate with and may usually do this when they meet you at the door upon arriving home in the evening. 

Cats may also do this before feeding time to indicate that they are hungry and ready for their meals. It is also a form of socialization not only toward humans but between cats and other pets and you may also notice that cats rub their bodies on pets like dogs in the household. 

Can cats smell with their mouths?

Yes, cats can smell with their mouths and this is aptly referred to as the Flehmen response.  Have you noticed your cat opening her mouth slightly and she looks like she is snarling? Most likely, she is trying to decipher a scent or smell with the use of her mouth.  Just as cats have at least 40 times more scent-sensitive cells than humans, the Flehmen response helps them to verify the smell more clearly. 

Flehmen response is from the German term “flehmen” which means “to bare the upper teeth”. The behavior is characterized by curling back the upper lip to expose the front teeth, inhaling with the nostrils closed and holding the position for at least a few seconds. Cats usually do it over some sight or substance that piques their interest and usually performed while the neck is stretched and the head is held up high in the air. 

Jacobson’s organ, a unique organ located on the roof of the mouth and behind the front teeth intensifies a cat’s sense of smell and may allow them the ability to taste the air. Male cats tend to manifest the Flehmen response phenomenon more compared to the female cats and they may utilize it especially during mating season to check if a female cat is in heat by smelling her pheromones.

Why are scents important to cats?

Cats have a superior sense of smell and it is essential for them as they use scents to identify the members of their clan or colony. With the aid of their sense of smell, felines can mark territories with scents as well as announce fertility, reinforce bonds or manifest aggression to other cats. When cats rub things and persons with the scent glands on their face or head they are signifying friendliness and affection. 

Scratching objects with her paws may mean a cat is marking her territory and letting her presence known to cats near her. Scent glands or pheromones in a cat’s urine may indicate aggressiveness since cats use urine to signify stress and excitement. 

Final thoughts

Cats are territorial by nature and rubbing their teeth, face and body on you signifies that they are marking you as their territory and that they own you. Cat experts note that felines may not actually be rubbing their teeth on you but that it is their muzzle that they are rubbing on you since it is where scent glands are located. Cats may also rub on you to signify their love and affection, as a means of socialization and to catch your attention. 

Called bunting, cats rub their heads against prominent objects to leave chemical markings as a part of scent communication. Depending on the object of the cat's communication, they may be claiming ownership or indicating pleasure.

Cats have several different pheromone producing glands all over the body. They are located between the toes, beneath the chin, the corners of the mouth, the temples, along the length of the tail, and the ears. Cats tend to use the entire head in sometimes luxurious rubbing displays.

Which part of the head is used depends on the height of the target object. The forehead and ears usually are rubbed on the highest objects while head-height objects are marked with a swipe from the corner of the mouth to the ear. Lower objects get rubbed with the chin and throat.

When cats bunt each other, this is often done as a form of social bonding. It is done among cats who are friendly and familiar and is usually initiated by the more dominant cat as a way to make all the cats in the colony "smell" the same.

Some cats become pushy and turn the behavior into a head-cracking contest (ouch!), while others slowly rub their body and tail around and around human ankles.

We can't know for sure, but cats tend to scent-mark objects that are most important to them. They use rubbing with friendly cats, not with strangers. A cat who head-rubs your face with wide-open eyes close to your face pays you a huge compliment in terms of trust by placing herself in a vulnerable position. She is saying that you are a part of her tribe.

If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.