If you own a kitten, you have probably noticed that they have a lot of strange tendencies that leave you scratching your head. One of these random behaviors is a kitten’s obsession with wanting to be near your face at all times. This can sometimes be scary, especially if your kitten is a scratcher or sometimes bites you. However, after you realize the reason why kittens want to be near your face, you will realize that there is no need to worry.

Why do kittens want to be near your face?

Kittens want to be near your face in order to mark their territory, get your attention, greet you, and to smell you.

Marking their territory

In the cat world, your personal scent is a very strong indication of your identity. Although humans usually can’t smell a cat’s scent, cat’s use their personal scents all the time to mark their territory. A large concentration of a cat’s scent is located near its nose and whiskers, which is why kittens will commonly bump their head against yours. They are essentially letting all other cats know that you and your face is their territory. You should consider this as a sign of affection from your kitten.

Get your attention

Another reason a kitten will get near your face is in order to get your attention. Cats are very smart animals, and they recognize that where your eyes are is where you have your attention. Therefore, by getting up in your face, kittens are making sure they are the center of your attention. A kitten might do this if they want you to play with them. They could also do this to remind you to feed their food bowl if they are hungry.

Greeting

A kitten will also want to be near your face in order to greet you. If you have ever been around a litter of kittens, you would notice that they also will rub their heads against each other as a way of saying hello. It is similar to how dogs usually sniff each other’s privates when they meet each other.

Smell

A kitten might also want to be near your face because you have a distinct smell. This could be right after you eat something, and your kitten wants to smell your breath. Your kitten may also want to smell your face if you recently put on some lotion or cream. Some cats also are obsessed with the smell of certain shampoos.