Contrary to popular belief, cats are not the soulless, non-emotional animals that some people think they are. The people who think this is true are usually the same people who have never owned a cat. (Disclaimer: your cat actually owns you.)
Cats tend to show a ton of emotion. It just happens to be different than a dog or other animal. If a cat is not happy at home, they will show signs that they are not happy. Alternatively, if your cat is happy and content with their living situation, then they will also show you signs of this as well.
In this article, I will go through the top 8 signs that your cat is a happy indoor cat. These signs are strictly my opinion, stemming from years of experience in raising several cats. And it should also be mentioned that not all cats will let you know if they are happy or not.
Table of Contents
Constantly Kneading Soft Pillows and Blankets
One sure-fire way to know that your indoor cat is happy with their home life is that they’re always kneading your pillows and blankets. If they do this behavior while they are purring, then there’s not even any question about how happy they are.
My cats absolutely love to knead my Minnesota Vikings blanket. They really don’t knead on anything else that is soft, only that blanket. I used to think they did this to give the Vikings some good luck. However, it’s obvious that this is not at all the case.
Your Cat Talks Back To You
Can you and your feline companion talk back and forth with one another? If so, then this also a pretty good sign that they are happy. Some cats respond to us humans when we talk to them like we are asking a question.
I think this is one of the cutest little quirks that cats have. This talking behavior also happens when your cat gets excited about something. For instance, if your cat sees a bird or squirrel get really close to your living room, they may try to tell you about it. It is extremely cute when they do this.
Your Cat Is Always Headbutting You
Headbutting is also a behavior associated with a happy indoor cat. My cat, Tiggy, does this to me all the time. It’s so adorable! Usually, he’ll get up on my lap first. Then he’ll headbutt me non-stop until he tires of it or becomes startled from a loud noise.
If your cat does this, it’s super important to acknowledge them. You can do this by reciprocating back with your own little head butts. This isn’t just a sign that they’re generally happy in your home, but it’s also a sign that they love you.
In my opinion, cats really do show their human companions love. And this is just one of the ways in which they do so.
They Rub on Your Legs
You get home from a long day at work and there’s your cat, waiting patiently by the door. As you walk in and take off your shoes, all of a sudden, there your cat is. He starts walking in front of you and immediately starts rubbing on your legs.
If this scenario hits close to home then congratulations. This most likely means that your cat is a super happy critter living with you. In fact, I would argue that this is one of the most common signs.
They Are Constantly Purring
This is also one of those signs that can go both ways in terms of why your cat is purring. Contrary to popular belief, cats don’t only purr when they are happy and content. Nor do they only purr to show you they love you.
Cats will also purr when they are in pain. The reason for this is because the vibration that occurs when your cat is purring helps them heal when they are in pain.
If your cat is limping or nursing an injury while they are also purring, this is not a good sign. Take your cat to the veterinarian immediately if this happens to be the case.
However, if your cat isn’t showing any signs of lethargy or any other type of negative sign, chances are good that they are just simply happy in their dwelling or happy with you.
They Engage In Playful Behavior
This is another sure-fire sign that your cat is very happy with its living situation. Whether your cat is playing with their toys constantly or playing with your toes while you’re laying in bed, this is a great sign that they are happy.
A cat who is not a happy camper will not play with their toys or engage in any type of playful behavior. So if your cat loves to play, that’s great!
If your cat rarely ever plays with their toys, make sure that they have an adequate selection of toys at their disposal. Different cats like to play with different toys. I recommend buying an assortment of toys just to be sure they will find something awesome to play with. I also recommend buying a laser light toy as I’ve found that my cats absolutely love these things.
Not all cats like to play with the same thing. Some cats might only like to play with cardboard or other non-conventional toys, so make sure there’s some variety for them.
Your Cat Has a Healthy Coat of Fur
A cat that is a happy indoor cat will also keep themselves groomed. A happy cat will also groom other cats as well. Heck, they may even try to groom you as well.
A cat that is not happy will not take care of themselves that well, if at all. If your cat seems to appear disheveled all the time, they may be unhappy. Did you recently introduce a new animal into the home, such as a dog or another cat? If so, this may be the reason they aren’t grooming themselves. Make sure you introduce a new cat or dog the proper way. Read how to do that here.
However, this may not always be the case. A cat that will not groom itself may have other underlying health problems that you may not be aware of.
If your cat stops grooming itself all of a sudden, you should take it to the veterinarian just to be on the safe side.
They Slowly Blink At You
If you have a cat that does this, you’re in luck. This is not only a sign that your cat is a happy indoor cat, but it’s also a sign that your cat loves you and cares about you.
When your cat does the slow-blink, the best thing to do is blink back at them slowly. This lets them know that you love them too.
Final Thoughts
There are many other signs that your feline is a happy indoor cat. These, in my opinion, are the top 8 that I have come up with. This is based on a ton of experience I have in raising multiple cats throughout the years.
Your cat may show some of these signs or none of these signs. But if you don’t think that your cat is happy in your home, don’t panic. There are things you can do to turn that around such as showing them more affection, giving them cat treats, or playing with them every day.
With that being said, it’s super important to keep your feline friend happy. A stressed out cat is no fun at all to be around.
