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Your cat has special scent glands located in various parts of his body, including the area underneath the skin on his chin, and the area around his eyes. When your cat rubs up against you with his head, he is actually “marking” you with his own scent, as a signal to other cats that he is claiming you as “his”! You will probably notice that when your cat is doing this behavior, he is in a loving, peaceful and contented mood. The scent glands around his face release what are known as “facial pheromones”, sometimes dubbed “happy hormones”! You should feel honored when your cat does this behavior to you as it is demonstrating his deep affection for you. Rubbing his head against your shoes is also a marking behavior - perhaps your cat is trying to cover up the scents from where you have been during the course of the day (which of course will be on your shoes) with his own scent, signifying again his “claim” on you.