The Slow Blink, And Other Declarations
Your cat is saying a great deal. Most of it is more formal than you think.
Cats communicate constantly, in a language of small formal gestures that most humans walk straight through. Consider this a phrasebook.
The slow blink
A long, unhurried closing of the eyes, held, then reopened. This is trust, spoken aloud. Return it slowly and you have answered in kind. It is the nearest thing a cat has to a handshake, and it is considerably more sincere.
The head boop
When he presses his forehead to your hand, your shin, or your face at 6AM, he is marking you with scent glands — declaring, formally, that you belong to the household. It is less a kiss than a deed of ownership. Accept graciously.
The exposed belly
The greatest trap in the feline vocabulary. A shown belly is a statement of safety, not an invitation to touch. Admire it verbally. Approach it manually at your own risk.
Learn these three and you will understand the bulk of what he tells you. The remainder is mostly about dinner, and he has never been subtle about dinner.