When cats rub their faces on you, what are they doing?
2 Answers
When cats rub their faces on you, they are marking you as their own. This is a sign of affection and trust, and it is a way for cats to show that they consider you to be part of their family. Cats have scent glands on their cheeks and forehead, and when they rub against you, they are transferring their scent onto you.
So, just as you suspected, one of the main reasons that cats like to rub their head against you is to show affection and there is even a name for this behaviour – 'bunting'. Cats 'bunt' primarily as a way of bonding, and they do this not only to you and other humans but also with other cats and even dogs.