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Your cat’s following behavior can be attributed to not just one, but
Seeking Affection
While some cats are quite content being alone, most cats will go out of their way to look for companionship from time to time. Affection-seeking behavior in cats may include rubbing against you, rolling over and exposing its belly (except when the claws are out), greeting you with a gentle upright tail, and yes – following you around, just wanting to be near you.
One particular cat behavior that stresses a lot of people is its tendency to present gifts in the form of small dead animals or insects it has subdued. The thing is, the hunting instinct cannot easily be suppressed even among domesticated cats. When your cat offers you its kill, it indicates that it recognizes you as part of its family, much like the way lions will share a zebra with the rest of its pride. In that sense, your cat following you demonstrates a sense of kinship, familiarity or closeness.
You are the Source
You give your cat food every meal of every day. Your cat is comfortable to be around you and would probably want to play, and as a cat owner, you ought to know that play is something your cat needs to do from time to time. Whatever it is, the cat sees you as the source of almost everything good that happens in its life. So of course, it will have a tendency to follow you around.
It is looking for a pleasant stimulus that you presented previously, and it wants to experience it again. Your cat already associates you with food. Another perfect example of this would be laser pointers. It may associate that crazy red dot with your presence, and as it is something that proved challenging to itself, it is probably waiting for you to produce that stimulus again. Do you allow your cat to sleep on you? Then you are its source of warmth when it naps, and that association would bond your cat closely to you that it would not want to have you leave its presence.
You are the Alpha
Following behavior in cats could be explained from an evolutionary perspective and might be attributed to alpha and follower relationships in nature, with you as the alpha. Animals in the wild tend to have a social hierarchy. The stronger, bigger, more impressive units of the group will have success at being more dominant and aggressive over others. These are the alphas. The rest of the group will have little choice but be followers
So, for the most part, your little fur ball will be following you around because you are the bigger, stronger, more dominant, more skillful individual in the group. Think about it; you can open a can of cat food while it can’t. It
The only exception here is when beta followers attempt to rise up and challenge the alpha’s authority. Ever wonder why your cat would be docile and cuddly one minute and then all of a sudden becomes stubborn and temperamental seemingly without any reason whatsoever? That’s probably your little kitty challenging your authority, wanting to kick you out from your alpha position.
Cat Curiosity
To offer another answer to the question why does my cat follow me, it may simply be because your cat is naturally curious. You are a totally different animal and it is interested
Your cat may not look at you as prey, but the instinct to observe and learn about your behavior as a living entity in its domain comes as second nature. It needs to know if you’re a threat or someone it can trust. When you disappear into another room, it would
Your Attention is Needed
I would raise another point on why cats do follow its owners. Let us be very clear about this: You are its primary caregiver. Observe your cats with careful intent when they do try to follow you around and seek your attention. Do they meow incessantly? Do they seem restless or maybe low spirited?
If so, then you should consider the possibility that your cat may be stressed. Maybe there’s something in the house that is an irritant or
Why Does My Cat Follow Me Summary
There may be other reasons why your cat may follow you around. It may see you as the leader, or the source of every good thing, it might want to play, or it is just plain curious, it may need your care, or it may be following you for some other reason we have not tackled here.
What is important is not to let your cat’s following behavior be a nuisance to you. Appreciate the fact that your cat sees you as someone significant in its life, and in turn, you must also demonstrate without fail your appreciation for your feline friend. Be responsive to your cat.
References
10 Cat Signs of Affection
Cat Follow Me Everywhere
Why Does My Cat Follow Me Infographic
