affection
Head Bunting
Ownership & Bonding
Rubbing their head on you deposits scent from glands on their cheeks and forehead. You've been marked as 'theirs' — a huge compliment.
The Science Behind It
Head bunting — also called head bumping or bunting — is when a cat deliberately presses or rubs their forehead, cheeks, or chin against a person, animal, or object. Cats have specialised scent glands located in several places on their head: the temporal glands on the forehead, perioral glands around the mouth, and the submandibular glands beneath the chin. Bunting deposits pheromones from these glands onto whatever they contact.
These pheromones are not detectable by humans, but other cats — and your cat themselves — can read them clearly. The signals communicate familiarity, safety, and social bonding. Feliway, the synthetic calming pheromone product used by vets and behaviourists, is modelled on the facial pheromone fraction (F3) deposited by bunting.
What It Means for You
Being bunted is an honour. Cats do not bunt strangers or threats — they reserve this behaviour for animals and people they have accepted as part of their core social group. When your cat bumps their head against your leg or face, they are:
- Marking you with their personal scent signature
- Reinforcing the social bond between you
- Creating a shared "group scent" that makes both of you smell familiar
- Expressing affection in a uniquely feline way
Head bunting should always be reciprocated if possible — a gentle press back or a slow rub along their cheek line tells your cat that you acknowledge and welcome the bond.
Bunting vs. Rubbing
True head bunting — a deliberate head press — is distinct from general body rubbing, where cats weave between legs or along furniture. Both deposit scent and both are positive signals, but a head bunt directed at your face or hand is a more targeted and intimate gesture. Cats that bunt frequently, especially at face height, typically have exceptionally secure bonds with their humans.
When to Be Concerned
Head pressing — where a cat presses their head against a wall or corner continuously without the interactive quality of bunting — is a serious neurological symptom requiring immediate veterinary attention. It can indicate brain tumours, encephalitis, poisoning, or head trauma. This is distinct from social bunting in body language and context, but it is important to know the difference.
🐾 Most common in
Cats with close human bonds; also commonly seen between cats in multi-cat households that get along well.
