Cancer men are special. They’re sensitive, intuitive, and caring – just like their female counterparts!
However, unlike the women who share the same astrological sign, cancer men have different needs when it comes to relationships.
If you want to date a Cancer man, keep reading to find out what you absolutely need to know before you decide to commit.
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The Cancer Man in a Relationship
Cancer men are very loyal and faithful. They’ll always be there to listen, provide emotional support, and do everything in their power to make you happy. If he cares for you, there’s no one more nurturing and loving than a Cancer person.
On the flip side, he can also be a bit clingy with his partner at times. He wants someone who’s on the same page as they are when it comes to long-term commitment.
Everything he does, he does with his heart, which makes him affectionate, sensitive, caring, and vulnerable. He needs your undivided attention, as he can be a soft-hearted man at times – and he can get jealous and upset.
Cancer men are sometimes reclusive, so it can take some time to get to know him and for him to warm up to others. This can result in him taking a back seat during social events.
What He’s Like in the Bedroom

Cancer men have traditional views of love and sex, so you may have to be patient with this man. He is looking to find a connection before he reveals his sexual desires and satisfies his woman.
He tends to know exactly what his partner wants and how to give it to her. He makes love by wearing his heart on his sleeve and not holding back.
He loves sensual touch, creating a sexy atmosphere, long foreplay, and after-sex cuddling. If you’re looking for a lustful one-night stand, he’s not the right choice.
His Perfect Date

As a water zodiac sign, he loves dates near to the water. To get the Crab to commit, it’s best to enjoy activities that are indulgent or emotionally soothing. Here are a few date ideas for Cancer men:
- Cook a meal together at home.
- Crafty Cancers will love going to a pottery studio, making something with their hands, and getting an awesome souvenir from the trip.
- Pack up a picnic and head to a secluded area and let the romance blossom
- A Cancer’s natural role is as a caregiver, so find your favorite local pet store or shelter and spend some time cuddling with the animals
- Take in the sights from a relaxing boat ride
- Go antiquing or browsing at a flea market. Cancers are natural bargain hunters and take great care in making their homes cozy.
- Cuddle up on the sofa with Netflix and takeout.
- These 20 First Date Ideas will help you have a successful first date.
- Help the cancer man feel loved by planning awesome dates in his birthday month with these Top 30 Summer Date Night Ideas that won’t disappoint.
14 Things You Should Know
These are some general things you should know about a man with the Cancer sign, although not everything should be taken as gospel. Every man has his own personality traits and life experiences, so they’re all different.
However, read on for some important information about how the Cancer sign influences him – and how it’ll affect your relationship.
1. He’s emotional and sensitive.

This can be a good thing, as they’re remarkably in tune with their feelings and the relationship dynamics.
You must understand his feelings fully before initiating a relationship with a cancer man, as these men need plenty of reassurance when it comes to matters of the heart. He can be very kind-hearted.
If you’ve found yourself attracted to one who has this star sign, be prepared to spend time understanding them and taking care of them.
2. He has fear of rejection.
Cancer’s fear of rejection is so strong that they’ll often create an excuse not to do something before it even happens – just to avoid being rejected.
This can include not wanting any form of commitment or saying that something is wrong without revealing what the problem actually is. Once he feels comfortable in the relationship, though, you’ll have an amazing partner for life.
Check out 9 Ways to Handle Dating Someone With a Fear of Commitment before deciding if this is a quality you can accept.
3. He’s a deep thinker.

He likes analyzing things before making any moves, so it’s important to give him space to gain an understanding and reach a conclusion on matters.
You may even notice him lost in thought at various times of the day. As such, this may be a problem if you need constant attention or like to make last-minute plans.
His ability to think deeply can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s great that your partner will always come up with excellent solutions, but sometimes too many options can lead to paralysis or fear.
4. Cancer men are independent with tasks.
He can’t be rushed and has to do things on his own time. He’ll get up when he wants to, do what to needs to do to relax, and make plans on his own terms.
This will be welcome news to those who believe that partners should live their own lives, rather than being too co-dependent (like Taurus).
You’ll notice this mostly in the way that they handle their family life as well. They may be able to take on all of the responsibilities themselves without needing much help from anyone else at home.
5. He’s nurturing, by nature.

Men with this sun sign are called the “mothers” of the zodiac. A Cancer man needs to nurture both himself and others, which often leads to them having a strong bond with their mother. Although he may seem like a “mommy’s boy”, he makes a great family man.
His need to nurture and be nurtured is actually an instinctive desire to provide for his loved ones. He may not have been able to support his loved ones when he was a child, but now he can by making sure that you’re happy and taken care of in all aspects of life.
6. A life of passion is really important to him.
Cancer men are known to be highly passionate. They are hard workers and enjoy chasing big dreams.
You mustn’t get in the way of his passions, or he may end up resenting you. If you really want to impress him, ask about his passions or join him in his favorite activity.
7. He’s fully committed to the relationship – once he decides to commit.

A little patience goes a long way, as it takes more than a few dates to get him going. Once you’ve caught their interest, the Cancer man will love with all of his heart. They make loving fathers and romantic partners who always want to make sure you’re taken care of.
These guys take relationships very seriously when commitments are made, and they’ll do everything possible to make that relationship work. These men need that emotional connection and feel extremely vulnerable without it.
8. He’s a family man.
When dating a Cancer man, getting to know his family and friends is extremely important. He’ll do anything for them! With his family being so close to his heart, it’s vital that you never criticize them and always be on your best behavior around them.
With this knowledge at your disposal, try making the best impression possible. This means bringing a gift when you’re invited to his family home for the first time.
9. He has an interesting way of expressing anger.

Cancers are prone to anger, but not the explosive kind. They get angry when they feel their partner is trying to take advantage of them or manipulate them in some way.
Sometimes, this manifests as pulling away and shutting themselves off from their partner for a while before coming back with an apology.
If you find yourself in a situation where your Cancer partner is angry, here are some things you can do.
- Take time to listen without giving judgment. They need their partner right now more than they need anything else!
- Acknowledge that it’s not about you, and don’t try to fix things – just be there for them. It’ll make all the difference in how quickly (or slowly) they come back around.
10. He’s not verbally expressive.
A cancer man might seem hard on the outside, but has a lot going on inside his head and heart. He’ll often express these thoughts through art, like photography or writing, instead of verbally.
He needs understanding and reassurance, and while this might not seem like a lot of fun at the time, try to understand where his feelings are coming from. It’ll help you through any rough patches in your relationship.
11. He’s naturally insecure.

Cancers spend so much of their time and energy trying to please others, that they don’t always take the chance to do something for themselves. This is why it’s important to take care of them when you notice this happening in your interactions with them.
If they’re feeling down or being hard on themselves because one little thing went wrong (i.e., an IRL project isn’t going well), try cheering them up by telling funny stories from past projects and reminding them how capable they are at succeeding! Cancer men need reassurance that someone has faith in them.
Cancer men often feel the most vulnerable when it comes to their work and what others think of them while trying to accomplish something because they care so much about being liked by others.
Don’t make a big deal out of flaws that you don’t like. Instead, try focusing on his strengths and remember that these guys are sensitive! He won’t appreciate criticism over small things, like tidiness.
If you notice your partner start withdrawing from social interactions or doing anything else that spells out depression, it’s important to take this seriously.
12. His empathy for others is unique.
One of the most attractive and endearing traits about a Cancer man is his ability to put themselves in someone else’s shoes. They’re often able to guess what you might be feeling at any given time.
Due to the empathy Cancer has for others, they’ll often be happy and excited when it seems like everyone is doing well. They also tend to try and fix things that are wrong in other people’s lives and want to help them find happiness again.
13. He has high expectations.

Cancers have high expectations of themselves and those around them – which is why you’ll notice a lot of perfectionism in their personality.
He’ll always strive for the absolute perfect outcome every time, in everything he does. He also expects others to meet these same standards, even though not everyone can be at the top of their game 100% of the time.
14. Be prepared for ups and downs.
Cancers are subject to a lot of emotional ups and downs, sometimes at random. To maintain a polite conversation during some of their darkest moods, you may find yourself having to tiptoe around grumpy outbursts.
You may need to give your Cancer man a little time to perk up again, which shouldn’t take too long to happen.
The Bottom Line
Men with this star sign are sensitive and sentimental. He’ll be gentle, affectionate, and caring when it comes to his partner’s needs. Being a man of his word can sometimes make him appear old-fashioned or traditional – but he has the capacity to change this perception by being adventurous in bed as well!
Taking your time in getting close to him is the best way to make him feel safe and lower his guard. If you’ve been fortunate enough to win over his heart, then remember that every day will be filled with love.
The most compatible star sign matches for the cancer man are:
The least compatible star signs with the Cancer man are Aries and Libra.
It’s not easy dating a Cancer man, but it can be one of the most rewarding relationships you’ll ever have if you’re willing to stick around long enough for them to get comfortable with you. In fact, Cancer men actually rank as #5 on our list of zodiac signs that make the best boyfriends ranked from best to worst.
If you’d like to find out more about a different Zodiac or other star sign compatibilities, check out our complete guide to Horoscopes – and learn how they impact relationships.