Key Cancer Zodiac Traits to Understand, According to Astrologers

If your birthday happens to fall between June 20 through July 22, your zodiac sign is Cancer. Represented by the crab, people with a Cancer zodiac sign are known to be highly influenced by their feelings, but that’s not the only key Cancer zodiac trait to understand. As an intuitive and caring water sign, Cancer’s personality is one of the more emotional signs in the zodiac. They may be moody, possessive, and defensive, but they are also sensual and creative.

Whether you’re dating a Cancer or you are a Cancer yourself, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with some key Cancer personality traits. (You might even benefit from comparing the sign’s sexual compatibility with yours, too.) To learn more about some key Cancer zodiac traits, PS reached out to professional astrologers Rebecca Gordon and Tara Bennet. According to them, here’s everything to know about the zodiac sign that’s led by the moon.

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Tara Bennet is a professional astrologer for Mediumchat, a spiritual platform where you can connect with psychics, mediums, card readers, and more.

Rebecca Gordon is a professional astrologer who has been practicing astrology since she was 14 and teaching it for almost 20 years.

What Is a Cancer?

Cancers are anyone who was born during Cancer season, aka between the dates June 20 through July 22. As the fourth sign in the Zodiac, Cancers are the “homemaker of the zodiac,” Bennet says. “Cancers have a natural gift at creating a welcoming and cozy space, both materially and through energy.”

Cancers are ruled by the moon, which matters because it can make their emotions ever-shifting and ephemeral. Similarly to the moons many phases, “Cancer is very connected to the concept of change and the emotional body — the feelings, the soul — that is always moving and changing as well,” Gordon adds.

What Are Some Key Cancer Zodiac Traits?

They’re emotional. Because so much of their lives are driven by emotions, Cancers are very aware of their intuition and emotions. “They can feel their feelings and connect really deeply,” Gordon says. Additionally, the ability to recognize their emotions and feel them as deeply as they do means that Cancers excel in empathizing with others. “This is the sign that represents the realm of sensitivity and emotions,” Gordon explains. This makes Cancers very nurturing people with a knack for hospitality and sentimentality. Not only do they feel their own emotions on a very deep level, but they can relate to and feel those of others as well.

They’re strong leaders. Despite often being characterized as docile, Cancers can be very influential. As a cardinal sign, this makes them one of the more tenacious signs of the Zodiac, Gordon says. In fact, most managers are Cancers because “the greatest managers are most caring to their employees,” she adds.

They will always show up. Cancers are great because they’re dependable and loyal, Bennet says. “They’re the person who is there to support you when no one else is,” she explains. Because they’re so in touch with their own emotions, this makes them highly qualified to help you process your own problems and feelings.

What Are Cancer Weaknesses?

They keep their guard up. Cancers may be in-touch with their emotions and good at helping others process theirs, but it can be hard for outsiders to break down the barriers Cancers construct around themselves. “When they feel threatened, they can develop a hard shell and close off from the world,” Gordon says. She also points to the Cancer symbol of the crab as an analogy: “Cancer is symbolized by the crab, which has a hard shell on its exterior, because there’s a need to protect itself, to protect the soft interior and all of the feelings inside. So there’s that sense of a soft underbelly and a kind of protective shell that the Cancers have.”

They aren’t open to criticism. Because they are sensitive and emotional, most Cancers will see any form of criticism as a personal attack, Bennet says. “They’ll immediately go on the defensive, justifying themselves and their actions,” she adds. For this reason, your phrasing and communication style is extremely important when correcting or helping a Cancer.

They avoid conflict. Because Cancers don’t like confrontation, they may find it easier to skirt around their problems instead of facing them head on. When confronted, they may even choose to be passive aggressive. “Much like their celestial crab, they give a nasty pinch when confronted, throwing sideways comments rather than tackling the problem,” Bennet says.

What Is a Cancer’s Personality in a Relationship?

Because Cancers are very in tune with their emotions, it’s natural for them to take on a care-giving role in relationships, Bennet says. They take great pleasure in doing acts of service for their partner, and they “work hard to create a safe and happy space for their love to grow.” The downside to a Cancer’s love? It can feel claustrophobic.

“You’re the center of their universe, so they expect to be the center of yours,” Bennet says. And when they’re not, this unfortunately can translate to neediness and insecurity in your relationship. “If they don’t feel they’re getting the attention they deserve, they can become petty and sulky,” Bennet adds. So long as you set healthy boundaries and expectations, however, being in love with a Cancer is a great feeling.

Cali Delisle is a former PS contributor.

Taylor Andrews is a balance editor at POPSUGAR who specializes in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, and more. In her six years working in editorial, she’s written about how semen is digested, why sex aftercare is the move, and how the overturn of Roe killed situationships.