What does it mean when a cat paws at its owner?

A cat pawing at its owner usually means one of the following: First, the cat is being affectionate or feeling scared; second, it's apologizing; third, its claws are hurt; fourth, it wants to play with you; fifth, it wants to leave its scent on you; sixth, it's hungry. Since cats can't talk, they express their feelings by pawing at their owners. The specific meaning depends on the situation and needs to be judged by the owner.

Being affectionate or feeling scared

When a cat wants to be affectionate or is feeling scared, it can't help but paw at its owner. It's simply trying to be cute and asking for a hug.

Apologizing

Cats are intelligent animals. When they do something wrong and are scolded by their owner, they can feel anxious and guilty, afraid that the owner will ignore them. So, they'll paw at the owner and look at them with a guilty expression, as if to say, "I'm sorry, I was wrong, please don't be angry."

Injured claws

When a cat realizes that its claws are injured and can't handle it on its own, it will paw at the owner and make a pitiful sound to attract the owner's attention, hoping the owner will help it disinfect and bandage the wound.

Wanting to play together

If the owner hasn't played with the cat for a long time, and the cat feels lonely and bored, it will gently paw at the owner, wanting to play or be petted.

Leaving its scent

Cats are very concerned about smells. So when a cat sees a spot or item it likes, it will mark it with its own scent. If the cat loves you and wants to claim you as its own, it will paw at you, hoping to leave its scent on you. This is also a way for cats to declare ownership.

Hungry

If a cat firmly paws at its owner's hand and runs to the place where the food is, meowing loudly, it means it's hungry. Although cats can remind their owners to feed them, it's better for owners to stick to a regular feeding schedule, helping the cat develop a good digestive system. This will also be helpful for the cat's stomach health.