Cats can seem quiet and mysterious but they are not as silent as most think.
The Tail Tells All
Cats are similar to dogs in the sense that you can tell a lot about them by what their tail is doing. The things that a cat's tail does almost means the opposite to what it means with dogs though.
A few of their tail movements and their meanings are:
- High Tail → Confidence, happiness and possible an excited greeting
- Tucked Tail → Fear, uncertainty or uneasiness
- Twitching or flicking → irritation, overstimulation or just plain grumpy
- Lashing like a wip → give them some space! They are not in the mood for snuggles
Ears – Nature’s Mood Antennas
Similar to the tail, a cat's ears can be a tell for what they might be thinking.
When a cat's ears are forward that is typically a sign of curiosity or alertness. Essentially, perking up.
Ears of cats, if flattened and pointed back, signify fear and anger and the cat might become defensive soon.
Sideways facing ears, often called "Airplane Ears," might be cute but show that a cat is anxious or overstimulated.
Eyes – The Windows to Their Mood
Something dogs don't do much that most cats do is communicate with their eyes.
If a cat is looking at you and does a slow blink then that is their way of saying "I love you." Feel free to slow blink back and don't leave your cat hanging.
Along those same lines, if a cat's eyes are half-closed then that typically shows they are relaxed, sleepy or feel safe.
The black center of the eye is called the pupil and is used to control how much light comes into the eye. When excited, stressed or looking to play hunt, cat's pupils will often dilate so they can see better.
Meows and Other Sounds
Being quite different from dogs in this regard, some cats don't really make any noise at all and some are very vocal.
When cats are vocal, a few of the ways they are vocal and their meanings are:
- Soft Meow → "Hello," feed me, or pay attention to me
- Chirps or Trills → Happy greetings
- Purring → Happy and very comfortable
- Growls or Hisses → Fear, warning or "back off!"
Body Posture
Cat are probably the most clearly descriptive with their full body language. The classic scared Halloween Cat is a popular icon. A hunched back, hackles up, and puffed up is the iconic scaredy cat look.
Kneading paws is another way cats show that they are comfortable. This stems from when they were a kitten and that kittenhood nostalgia.
One of the most misunderstood postures cats take is showing their belly. This is a sign of vulnerability and relaxation. Typically this is a sign of trust and does not mean you should pet their belly.
Whiskers & Paws – Small but Mighty Clues
A few more body language mannerisms amongst cats are:
- Forward Whiskers → Curious and engaged
- Pulled back whiskers → Nervous or defensive
- Pawing or Clawing → Attention seeking, playing or territory marking
Finally...
Cats may seem mysterious, but once you learn their body language, you’re basically fluent in ‘cat.’
Remember, cats are quite different than dogs and they have different signals. If you pay attention and respect their signals then they will thank you with more trust and (hopefully) fewer scratches.