10 Signs That Your Cat Feels Safe with You Around - YOU ARE THEIR GUARDIAN

The trust of a cat is something special. Earning it is hard, losing it is easy, plus cats have really controversial and sometimes even openly rude ways of showing their trust to us. From sniffing, to biting, to waking you up, in this video, we're going to be looking at 10 sure-proof signs that your cat feels safe in your presence. Sign number one. Does your kitty keep noticeably sniffing whenever they're around you? You might worry that your deodorant has stopped working, but don't panic. Cats use their sense of smell to interpret the world around them the same way that we use our vision. Sniffing a human or another animal gives your cat all kinds of information about them, from their physical health, to their emotional state, to even their relationship status. This is why it's generally recommended that when you're trying to pet a strange kitty on the street or at a friend's house, you give them the opportunity to sniff you first. If your cat is sniffing around you frequently, however, then that means that they feel safe enough to take more time to explore your particular scent. They probably also enjoy it, because they associate it with you, the human they love. Sign number two. Hey, where did your cat go? And what's that loaf of bread doing on the couch? Oh, the loaf position is a common position for cats to sleep and rest in. It's when they lie down on their belly with all four legs tucked underneath their body. The loaf is a particularly good name for this position, because having all their little paws tucked under their tummy keeps them toasty warm. However, having their tootsies tucked under their tummy also means that it'll probably take a second longer for your cat to stand up. In the wild, if your kitty was being crept up on by a predator, that second could be the difference So why does your fur baby keep doing this, despite the danger? Because they know that you'd never let anything happen to them. Ironically, if your kitty sleeps like a loaf, then it means that they think that you are the best thing since sliced bread. Sign number three. Cats may be the only animal with a skeleton that's made out of rubber. Watching them stretch would make even the most experienced yoga instructor look like they have rusty joints. But, like forming a loaf, stretching can leave your kitty vulnerable to attack. When they stretch their muscles, they put themselves in a position where their front legs are fully extended and all their toes are spread out. This not only means that they take an extra second to run away in the event of an unexpected predator attack, but it also means that they're slightly off balance, meaning that they'd be at a disadvantage if they had to try and fight instead of flee. Once again, the luxury of a good stretch is something that your kitty only feels able to indulge in because they have their big, brave human there to protect them. Sign number four. Did you do something wrong? Is your kitty giving you the cold shoulder? You've been sitting in the same room for over 20 minutes and they haven't so much as glanced at you. Do they not love you anymore? Quite the opposite. Bizarrely, for a cat, ignoring you can actually be a sign of affection. It shows that they feel safe enough to know that you won't do anything unexpected or scary, so they don't need to be on high alert. Like many introverts, cats just love to sit and chill with their friends. Sign number five. Oh, your kitty is all tuckered out. Well, maybe, but there's potentially another explanation if your cat is yawning at you. Yawning, in cat body language, is their way of communicating that they feel relaxed and happy around someone. Your cat is letting you know that they feel safe, letting you know that they're feeling sleepy and are off their guard. Sign number six. One of the most unusual ways that cats show their affection is through biting. Yep, gentle bites or love bites are a cat's way of trying to groom you. Cats usually groom themselves and each other by licking their fur, but sometimes they need to use their teeth as well to help untangle knots in the fur and work out burrs. When you pet your cat, they interpret it as you trying to help out with grooming them in your awkward human way. Your hands aren't going to get them as clean as a cat's tongue, but your kitty appreciates the effort and to show that they try to return the favor by licking or biting you. Sign number seven. Cats never look so comfy as when they're flopped on their side with all their legs sticking out, they just look so cute and relaxed. But your fur baby sleeping that way isn't just a sign that they're feeling ready for a snooze, it's also another sign that they're feeling safe around you. Sleeping on their side means that your cat's tummy is on display. A cat's belly is the most vulnerable part of their body as it's where they keep their fragile vital organs. Any predator would attack their first, so cats usually try to keep it facing the ground. Exposing their tummy is a sign that your kitty trusts you to protect them, especially if they choose to also sleep with their back facing you. When your cat sleeps with their tummy on display and their back facing you, they're openly saying, I trust you to watch my back when I'm vulnerable. What could be a clearer sign of trust? Sign number eight. By this point in the video, you'll have realized that cats are pretty conscious of their position on the food chain. In the wild, although they're vicious predators when it comes to smaller animals like mice and birds, cats are also prey for many larger animals. As such, they have evolved an instinctive desire to stay hidden when they're feeling unsafe. This is why they like sitting in boxes. When you first got your kitty, you might have noticed that they preferred to hide under furniture or sit in corners, where a large predator would have a harder time creeping up on them. Once your cat got used to their new home, however, you probably noticed them venturing out into the middle of the room more often. Eventually, you may have come across them sleeping or resting out in the open. This level of relaxation is a sign that your cat has fully accepted that they have nothing to fear from predators. They know that they can sleep wherever they want because you'll keep them safe. Sign number nine. You might think that your cat's whiskers are just unusually sensitive hairs. You probably know that cats can use them to help measure small spaces to see if they can fit through them. But did you know that they can actually move them independently? Cats move their whiskers for the same reason that we move our eyebrows, to communicate emotions. A stressed-out cat will have their whiskers pinned against their face to protect them while a relaxed and contented cat will have relaxed whiskers. A happy and curious kitty, meanwhile, will have their whiskers pointed outward. This puts your kitty's delicate whiskers in a vulnerable position, however. So if you notice their whiskers sticking out, then this is a sign that they feel completely safe around you. Sign number 10. Who needs an alarm clock when you have a cat? Many kitties will wake their humans up every morning to get breakfast, and a lot of them will disagree with their human friends about what time breakfast should be. But although it may be annoying, especially when they do it on your day off, your kitty waking you up in the morning is actually another sign of trust. Like a bratty kid, they know that they can get away with this behavior because you love them enough to not get mad. Yeah, you might sometimes wish that your kitty would feel a little less safe around you in the early mornings. But when you open your eyes and catch sight of that adorable, trusting face, you wouldn't change it for the world, would you? By the way, have you ever noticed that there are really weird things only female cats do for their owners? Check out this video to find out super quirky things female cats do and the reasons behind them.