Last Updated: 4 months ago

Looking for some fun new ways to bond with your cat?

But building that deep relationship takes a bit of effort, as all cats need some time to adapt and trust their humans.

I’ll go over some tips below to help cultivate this sense of trust. 

Learning these tips will help build an unbreakable cat-owner bond.

10 Ways to Bond with Your Cats

Building a bond requires developing a relationship based on love, respect, and trust.

Utilizing these three principles is pivotal to coexisting happily with a cat.

Following these ten actions will help you move closer to creating this bond.

#2 Daily Play Sessions

Using cat toys is a great way to bond with your pet. In fact, some cats will have fierce retrieving instincts.

Try throwing a paper wad or a small ball across the room. It could result in them springing across the floor like panthers on the prowl.

I’d recommend spending 30 minutes at night playing with your cat. These experiences will build trust and become a routine that both of you enjoy.

#1 Develop a Ritual

Cats adore having rituals with their human friends. These animals understand more than expected when it comes to loving gestures.

I’d suggest giving your cat a greeting every morning or when walking in the door.

This greeting could be butt scratches, kisses, or a nice scratch under the chin.

My cat tends to enjoy scratches under the chin. Our ritual has become such a routine that he even wakes me up early from time to time.

But whatever your chosen greeting is, it provides a cat with the feeling of being valued and wanted. It demonstrates how much they mean to their owners.

#3 Cat Massages

Humans and cats don’t share much in common, but loving massages is one commonality.

Honestly, humans don’t realize how much stress bottles up in their beloved kitties.

Giving them a massage is an excellent way of relieving these stressful feelings. But there are a few basics to know before giving them one:

• Don’t use any lotions or massage oils.
• Be gentle and use your palms rather than your fingertips

If you follow these basics in the video below, the massage should be well-received by your cat.

It doesn’t have to be an everyday thing. But once or twice a week will pay huge dividends when trying to bond with them.

#4 Give Your Cat Space

Bringing a cat home for the first time can be a traumatic experience when mishandled.

The process needs to be handled slow and ensuring they’ve got lots of space.

I understand there’s a temptation to pick them and snuggle them. But some cats will react poorly to your attempts and claws will start flying.

Giving your cat a space to call their own would an excellent way to avoid a traumatic experience.

Investing in a cat tree or gym with a cave or building one from a cardboard box with an entrance cut-out could make them feel at home.

It’s weird that one of the best ways to bond with your cat is to leave him alone, I know, but it really does help build trust.

#5 Remain Consistent

Consistency is a crucial factor when building a relationship with your cat. These animals tend to be creatures of habit and don’t like change.

In other words, new environments often freak them out with all the new smells, sights, and even tastes.

Owners can help ease this transition by maintaining a consistent approach throughout the process.

Using the same food they ate at the rescue or shelter could help them adjust.

You can switch to a different one later on when they’re more comfortable in your home.

#6 Understand When to Back Off

Building a rapport with your cat requires a knowledge of when it’s time to leave them alone.

Owners who try to force the issue run a risk of causing bonding setbacks.

Here a short list of signs that indicate a cat needs some alone time:

• Dilated pupils
• A twitching tail
• Ears flattened
• Purring

You’re probably looking at the last one with confusion.

But purring isn’t always a sign of happiness like you’ve been led to believe. It can actually indicate a cat requires some space.

It’s used as a soothing mechanism, which means back off whenever it’s combined with other signs like a twitching tail.

#7 Let Your Cat Initiate the Bonding

The bonding should take place on a cat’s terms, not yours.

Some cats will be ready immediately, while others might take many weeks before initiating any interaction.

You’ll know they’re ready to start bonding by their actions. Here are a couple of signs that could indicate they feel comfortable enough:

• Purring
• Headbutting
• Kneading
• Sitting on your lap or near you

#8 Use Positive Reinforcement

Owners have found positive reinforcement to be useful in facilitating interaction.

An excellent way to utilize this technique would be offering your cat treats.

At first, try offering the treats in an outstretched hand. Some cats will be interested and others will look at you like you’re insane for approaching them.

If your cat’s interested, put a few treats in your lap. This usage of positive reinforcement could be all it takes for them to sit on your lap. Another option would be using a hands-off toy like a laser pointer.

If you interact with them using one, the cat will start associating your presence with their happiness. It’s a little mind trick, which works wonders.

#9 Be Patient

Patience will be another vital part of building this relationship. It won’t always be a pleasant experience and setbacks are bound to occur.

But remain resilient and keep trying to cultivate a bond with them. You mustn’t become frustrated or angry with them, either.

These emotions will only drive them further away.

At some point, the cat will have to give in to your attempts. You’ll then have a true friend who’ll always be there when you might need it.

#10 Don’t Punish Them

Punishing your cat is never the answer. Cats don’t learn from punishing tactics and will only make them resent you.

That’s the complete opposite outcome of what you’re looking for here, now isn’t it?

You should instead stick with positive reinforcement tactics and reward them for doing good things.

It’ll end up being a much more pleasant experience for everyone involved.

I hope these discussions provided a few great and useful ways to bond with your cat.

If you have any more questions, let me know in the comment section. Thanks for reading!

How to bond with your cat? Do you have any other favorite ideas? Share below!