It’s a feline thing: Rubbing against you leg or other objects. “Head rubbing is a normal social behavior,” says Leni Kaplan, DVM, MS, behavior resident at Cornell. “Head rubbing is one way cats can deposit their scent on objects, which signifies comfort and familiarity and is a way to communicate.” When a cat rubs his face on an object, a human, or another cat, he’s leaving his scent behind.