Glossary

Bunting

A cat pressing its head, cheeks or chin against a person, object or another cat to leave scent and say hello.

Also called: head-butting, headbutting, head bunting, cheek rubbing, allorubbing

Bunting is when a cat bumps or rubs its forehead, cheeks and chin against something. Head-butting is the everyday name. The target may be your hand, your shin, a door frame or another cat's face. The cat often has its tail held upright at the same time.

The head and face have scent glands that release a chemical signature, including facial pheromones. Bunting spreads that scent. Rubbing on you marks you as part of the cat's safe, familiar group and mixes your odours with its own. Rubbing on furniture makes a room smell familiar and calming. In a group of cats that know each other, bunting is also a friendly greeting, and cats in a stable household often rub against each other.

Bunting is a positive sign. Return it with a gentle rub where the cat likes to be touched, and let the cat decide when it ends. A cat that suddenly rubs far more than usual, or pushes hard against hard objects and seems distressed, may be reacting to stress or discomfort. Mention that to your vet.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

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Related terms

Scent marking How a cat leaves chemical messages on objects, people and places using glands in its face, paws and body, and in its urine. Pheromones Chemical signals that cats release from glands and in urine to communicate with other cats, sensed through the nose and a special organ. Allogrooming One cat licking another, usually around the head and neck, which strengthens bonds between cats that live together. Tail language What the position and movement of a cat's tail reveal about its mood, from a friendly upright tail to a lashing one. Slow blink A relaxed half-closed blink that cats use to signal comfort and goodwill, and that people can return.