Why Does My Cat Rest His Head On Me? (3 Top Reasons)
If your cat is contantly resting its head on you it may make you feel happy, but also wonder why it chooses to do this…
Why does my cat rest his head on me?
Your cat may rest it head on you for several reasons. The main reasons is it loves you and wants to show it, wants to express its compleete trust for you, or a practical way to rub its scent and claim you. If its the latter, scent rubbing, it may also head butt you.
So, now you know. But, this regarded as a good thing? Would it hurt if you rest your head on your cat? Why do cats rub their head into your hand? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…
3 Top Reasons a Cat Will Rest His Head on You

A cat resting on its owners shoulder.
01. Love
If your cat is resting his head on you, especially while sleeping, it is a sign that they love you. You make them feel safe and they want to share their warmth with you. This stems from when our ancestors didn’t have access to heat. On cold nights, cats would snuggle with their owners to share their body heat with each other as a sign of love and protection.
Another reason a cat will rest his head on your is to “protect” you from “predator” attacks while you sleep. This is also a sign of love from your cat because they are willing to protect you even if it is damaging to them.
02. Rub His Scent on You
If your cat rests his head on you and rubs their face against you, they are trying to rub their scent on you. Cats have a ton of scent glands around their mouth, on their chin, cheeks, neck, and in their ears. These are activated when cats rub against things, and it is known as their way of marking their territory.
When your cat does this, they are making sure that every other cat you might encounter during the day knows that you belong to them.
03. He Trusts You
Resting their head on you is also a sign that your cat trusts you. Cats are very picky animals, and they mostly just do whatever they want whenever they want. If they come up to you out of the blue and rest their head in your hand or on your foot to go to sleep, they trust that you will keep them safe while they rest.
Is It a Good Thing When Your Cat Rests its Head on You?
It is considered to be a good thing when your cat rests its head on you. For cats, this is a sign that they love you and trust you with their whole life. If they curl up next to you and rest their head on you for a nap, they trust that you are going to protect them and make sure they are safe.
Cats will also rest their heads on you as a sign of love. Cats are very independent animals, so they don’t show affection the way a dog would. They show love in more subtle ways, like resting their head. This is a very good thing because you know how your cat feels about you.
Why Do Cats Sleep on You?

Cat on a bed.
It is very common for your cat to sleep on you. Sometimes you might get lucky, and they will just sleep on your feet, but other times they feel the need to plop down right on your chest or your face making it impossible to breathe. Why in the world do they do this?
It is first important to understand that cats have very different sleep patterns than we do as humans. They will take several naps throughout the day instead of one long sleep at night like we do. Cats usually only hit light sleep during their naps because they are always ready to pounce if needed.
When your cat sleeps on you, they are seeking several things, but security is the biggest. They are most vulnerable when they are sleeping, so they are sleeping on you because they know they are safe when you are around them.
Cats sleeping on you is also considered a bonding experience for you and your pet. Your cat is trying to say that they love you and they want to be near you. This will deepen their bond with you as they get close and comfortable.
Do Cats Like You Resting Your Head on Them?
Since your cat likes resting their head on you, you might wonder if they would like you to do the same. Honestly, it depends on the cat. If your cat is extremely cuddly and patient, they might enjoy you resting your head on them.
If they don’t like to be confined or touched much, resting your head on your cat can make them feel uncomfortable and upset.
Does Laying Your Head on a Cat Hurt Them?
As long as you lay your head on your cat gently, you shouldn’t be hurting them. If you put the entire weight of your head on your cat, this might make them uncomfortable.
In normal cat fashion, if you are hurting them or making them uncomfortable, they will definitely let you know.
Why Does My Cat Push His Head into My Hand?
If your cat likes to push his head into your hand when you are petting them (click here if it rolls over), this is quite literally a head-butt full of love. This is another way that cats show affection and let you know that they love you. This can also be a sign that they want to be pet more and that you just aren’t currently giving them enough attention.
When your cat pushes his head into your hand, the best thing you can do is start petting them. This lets them know that you return their affection, and you also love them. Doing this will make them very happy and it will be a bonding experience.
Why Does My Cat Like His Head Held?
When your cat keeps asking you to hold their head in your hand, they are doing so because they want to feel close and acknowledged. Cats also enjoy having your scent close to them as they rest and relax. Your hand is a familiar scent to them, and it makes them feel comfortable.
They will want to be around your scent as much as possible, especially when they are trying to rest. The scent of your hand will help relax your cat and help them fall asleep faster and easier because they know you are there for them.
What is Cat Head Pressing?
There is a difference between your cat resting its head on you and pressing its head into you. If you notice that your cat is pressing their head, you will want to take them to the vet immediately to determine what the issue could be.
The vet will most likely perform an examination of the cat’s retina, check their blood pressure, go over their medical history, and perform any other necessary tests. After all of the tests have been ran, your vet will be able to tell you the cause of the head pressing.
Some of the most common causes of head pressing in cats include toxic poisoning, metabolic conditions, a tumor of some kind, an infection on the nervous system, head trauma, or prosencephalon disease.
Why Does My Cat Keep Pushing Her Head Against Me?
As stated above, cats aren’t very good at expressing affection towards others. If your cat is constantly pushing their head against you, they are trying to tell you that they love you and they like to be around you. This is basically your cat’s way of asking for your undivided attention for some love and pets.
In more rare cases, your cat could be trying to tell you something is wrong. If pushing their head into you isn’t a normal behavior for your cat, you should contact your vet as soon as possible to get the proper tests ran.