Humans are thought to have kept cats as pets for over 10,000 years, with the first domesticated felines evolving from African wildcats.
Since then they have become the world’s second most popular pet, just behind dogs when it comes to the animals we most like to welcome in to our homes and our hearts.
In the UK alone there are more than 10 million feline friends in households.
And there are a huge range of types of cat to choose from - according to The International Cat Association there are 73 ‘standardised breeds’, along with a bewildering number of crosses.
When you do pick your perfect kitten you’ll start to build a bond that will last a lifetime.
You will also become obessessed over everything your new pet does and keen to know that your cat loves you as much as you love them.
To help you decode the sometimes subtle signs, Tesco Insurance in collaboration with Vetfone have shared the purr-fect ways to tell if your cat loves you
Here are 13 of the ways in which cats show their love for their owners.
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13. The headbutt
Cats living in bonded groups will greet one another by butting heads as a way of scent swapping, so a cat who does this to you is saying “hello friend”. A cat that rubs and head butts is a way of showing you that they see you as one of them. | Canva/Getty Images