Why Do Stray Cats Rub Against Your Legs? 7 Spiritual Meanings

Have you ever been out in public and come across a stray cat that seems to be a little more comfortable than expected?

You only intend to stop for a few seconds to give the kitty a little love, but it won’t leave you alone, follows you, and rubs itself against your legs. But why? 

There are several spiritual meanings attributed to this feline sign, all mostly positive.

Cats really don’t deserve the negativity they get, especially when they are classed as a sign of protection and good things all across the globe. 

What Does it Mean When a Stray Cat Rubs Against You?

This is actually something that all cats do when they want to show you that they love you.

My cat does it every morning when I’m getting her breakfast ready. She’ll also do it when I’m brushing my teeth, getting ready for bed.

It’s quite cute, really… despite being the cause of 99% of all trips and falls in my house. 

Stray cats rub against random strangers walking down the street because they want love and attention.

They usually do it after you’ve given them a few strokes and pets, reciprocating the affection.

So, if a stray cat happens to rub against you take some time to give it love. The universe is letting you know that it has your back.

And if you don’t happen to have a cat or have room for one more… Why not take it home? After all, that cat chose you.

It’s not every day that we are chosen by animals.

Also read the meaning of seeing 2, 3, 4, and 5 black cats. 

Spiritual Meaning of a Stray Cat Rubbing Against You

Alongside showing affection, cats – stray or otherwise – rub against people because they feel anxious, nervous, or vulnerable.

The physical contact helps to soothe them, and all emergencies feel a little less scary when someone else is around, right?

Because of this, stray cats rubbing against your legs while you’re out and about could be a sign that you have a weak spot or are vulnerable to something, in some way.

It’s a form of projection, in a protective way.

The cat projects their vulnerable behavioral traits onto you, essentially holding up a mirror to your own blind spots or weaknesses.

I believe you will love the meaning of owning a black cat.

Why Do Stray Cats Rub Against Your Legs? 7 Spiritual Meanings

The color of the cat, along with its breed, will play a big part in setting the baseline of the spiritual message or meaning.

Black cats meaning something slightly different from white cats, and tabby, ginger/orange, and tri-colored cats are the same. 

Alongside color and breed, you’ll also need to consider how you personally feel about cats and other things that are going on at the time.

Spiritual meanings are subjective and personal, which means they’re only decipherable by you. 

1) Calming Chaotic Energies

Cats aren’t exactly known for their calm temperament sometimes, but cats are typically lazier than other domestic pets, like dogs.

Well, when they’re zooming around the house at 3 am for no reason whatsoever.

But because of this, they are known for calmness and being down-to-earth, which can be helpful during times of utter chaos. 

If a stray feline takes a fancy to you, rubbing against your legs, purring, and letting you stroke them, they could be transferring some of their calming energy to you.

I believe you will love this article with 13 signs that your cat is protecting you.

2) You Need Feline Energy in Your Life

Strays always need homes, whether that’s cats, dogs, or other creatures.

It’s often said that cats choose their owners rather than the other way around, so consider the idea that the stray cat has chosen you to be its owner for a reason. (And no, it’s not always about food.)

Cats bring all sorts of healing, positive, and beneficial energies to a household.

They can help soothe ailments such as depression and anxiety, and they’re also great for sensing danger… although they’re not always great at communicating it. 

Either way, the cat has something you need in your life, so maybe you should accept it. (If your circumstances allow, obviously.)

3) A Message from Beyond

We all know that cats are linked to the afterlife.

For millennia, cats, particularly black ones, have been considered a foretelling of witches and other types of ‘darkness‘.

In reality, we only call it darkness because we don’t understand it. It’s not something we can easily understand, analyze, or interpret.

How can you measure or count spirituality? It’s just not possible, so instead, people fear it. 

If a random cat comes up to you on the street, seemingly making a beeline for you, it could be a message from the universe, or from someone in the afterlife.

• Have you recently talked or prayed about someone who has passed away?
• Perhaps the cat rubbing up against you is the sign you’ve been waiting to receive?

Read the meaning of a stray cat coming to your house.

4) It’s Time to Heal

Are you physically, emotionally, or mentally hurting right now? The feline world might think so.

If a stray cat rubs up against your legs or seems to like you, it might be telling you that you need to take some time to rest, recuperate, and relax. 

Trauma takes its toll on you, whether you want to admit it or not. Unresolved trauma builds up and up and up, and you need to deal with it at some point.

If you don’t, something unpleasant or bad will happen. It’ll explode out of you like a volcano. 

5) Life and Spiritual Guidance

Cats will naturally rub against things to mark their territories. In the wild, this will be trees, bushes, grasses, etc.

If a stray cat does this to you, it could be marking you as its territory (owner), because you need guidance, either spiritually or in life.

It goes back to what I mentioned previously about cats picking their owners. You are picked!

Adopting that stray will bring you guidance going forward in your life.

Clinical studies also show that petting cats and other furry critters decrease anxiety, stress, and depression levels. It’s good news all ’round!

Read the meaning of hearing a cat crying at night.

6) Ridding You of Bad Energies

As well as marking territories, cats are said to rub against the legs of humans (and other animals) to soak up evil spirits, bad energies, and negativity that might be inside them.

When they’ve taken away all of the darkness, there will be much more room for light. It sounds like a good deal to me, but how about you?

7) Bestow You with Blessings

Cats are really picky when it comes to dishing out affection.

They’ll let you stroke them precisely three times, then they’ll bite you for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

It’s actually pretty natural behavior to them, but it’s an act of menace to us. 

Because of this, you should think yourself lucky when a cat bestows you with affection. They will rarely do it to someone they don’t know.

Read the tabby cat spiritual meaning and symbolism.

What Does it Mean When a Cat Rubs Against You and Purrs?

Purring cats are happy cats, so the spiritual message you can take from it will generally be positive and filled with love.

The frequency of a cat’s purr is also believed to have healing properties, so it could be the case that they are offering you their healing ways. 

Is the Cat Protecting Me Spiritually?

Yes, it is likely that a stray cat showing you affection is protecting you spiritually, especially as they’re often feisty with non-familiar people.

Protection won’t always be the message the kitty brings, but they are loyal (when they want to be) and protective of the humans and other animals they love. 

Take a moment to write down everything you think you can remember from the stray cat rubbing against your legs.

• Was the interaction completely friendly or was there a bite or two in there?
• How about the weather? Was it raining? Sunny? Cold? 

You can’t complete a jigsaw puzzle when you only have one piece, and the stray cat rubbing up against your legs is essentially just that one piece.

The rest of the picture needs to be pieced in, but you first must find the pieces.

Final Words

As you could see, when a stray cat rubs against your leg it’s a sign of protection and healing.

That cat knows you’re going through a hard moment and is doing the best it can to help you. And, remember, if your circumstances allow it, consider adopting that cat.

Cats are extremely picky. So, if it chose you, it means that you have a connection (maybe from a past life).