The 10 different types of cat hugs

Hugs connect us heartbeat to heartbeat.

-KT Cat Paws

The National Hug your Cat day is today!

 I wanted to give some insight on the hug, especially the human-to-cat hug, otherwise known as the cat tolerating a human hug.

Mr. Bailey, the Zen Cat has written about cuddles and a post about not wanting to be hugged. When he wrote it, he was having a crabby cat day and didn’t want to be disturbed.

For this post, I want to embrace the holiday that should be called National Hug your cat EVERYDAY.

I enjoy daily hugs from my cats despite what Mr. Bailey says. So, when he won’t give up a hug, I can go find Miss. Mattie or T-Cat. Either way I get my hug quota.

Hugs are important for humans and cats. (Shhhh…don’t tell the cats) Hugs make us feel welcome, warm and safe. They open our senses to a deeper connection while bringing us closer to understanding compassion.

Hugs touch our soul and warm our heart

Hugging our cats strengthens our bond, increases our non-verbal communication and gives us a relaxed state of mind as it moves us into the present moment naturally.

There is no wrong way to hug a cat providing you are gentle and aware of how they like to be picked up. This post doesn’t discuss that, but I do discuss the different styles between human-to-human or cat-to-human.

Below is the comparison between the two.

You will notice similarities so if hugging your cat seems too difficult today, you can always go hug a human. 

Humans hugging humans

1. The squishy hug-You can get lost in this hug and possibly suffocate if not careful. This can be good or bad depending on who the hugger is.
2. The really loose hug-This hug has a space of about 2 inches between you. It’s a lame duck hug with no effort on part of the hugger. 
3. I don’t want to touch you hug– Similar to the lame duck hug except this is really evident that they don’t want to hug you. It’s like a healthy pat on the back. Either this hugger has hug issues or he doesn’t like you. Walk away.
4. I will invade your personal space hug– This can be really creepy if you dislike the hugger.
5. Linger-to-long hug– This is when you become like a cat wanting to escape. It’s a one-way oversharing hug that has no rule on how to escape. Good luck.
6. Protected and loved hug-This is the best one, it’s perfect with the right amount of hug time. We all strive to get this kind of hug.

Cats getting hugged by human

First off, we humans tend to take our lack of hugs and transfer them to the cat. This is one of the reasons we have a national hug your cat day. Plus, we have to admit that cats are softer, cuter and tend to smell better than humans. 

So we compensate with our own version of over-sharing cat hugging and cuddles. 

1. Squirmy don’t touch me hug– The cat is doing its best to escape. Don’t squish the cat trying to hold on to tight. Let the cat go, you can do it!
2. Hold me tighter as I climb up your shoulder hug– This is the scared cat or needy cat who would climb in you if possible. Sounds gross, but they are adorable and so affectionate.
3. The never put me down hug– If you put this cat down, she will climb back up, or meow to be picked up again. This cat is an attention hog with attachment issues. If you hug another cat she will hate you. Just saying. 
4. Touch me one more time and I will bit you hug– No explanation needed.
5. No, you can’t touch me hug– This is a hug you will never get. Stop chasing the cat, you look silly.
6. I will lay here until it’s over hug-This cat has no fight left and figures you will go away once you get what you want. Perhaps he is making a sacrifice for tuna or waiting for you to go hug another cat.
7. I guess it’s ok to hug me hug – This cat is indifferent, or perhaps you are the warmest thing in the house. Maybe you smell like bacon. 
8. I will bite and paw at you while you hug me hug–  Ahhh…the sacrifices we make for hugs and cuddles. You may eventually need therapy if this is the only kind of hug or love you get.
9. I will hug you only when I want something hug– This is the hug that cats quietly teach their kittens at birth. It’s equivalent to a secret handshake. Don’t try to figure it out, no one can. Even the dog is stumped.
10. I love you so much hug– This is the hug that brings us purrs, licks and long warm cuddles. This is the hug that opens our heart. This is the ultimate human-cat connection. Totally Pawsome! 

Now that you know the types of hugs available, it is time for you to be patient and enjoy this national holiday of hugging. Do so mindfully with good intentions. 

As you hold your cat in your arms, feel the deep connection as the hug reaches in to touch your heart.

There is no greater feeling.

Peace, HUGS & Purrs…always,

KT Cat Paws.

#hugyourcatday