What is My Cat Saying? Understanding Cat Body Language

Many people don’t have the highest opinion of cats. Most likely, this is because they just don’t understand them. Cats are just as verbal with their body language as dogs are! You just have to recognize the signs. Here are a few kitty emotions you may be missing out on:

The Eyes

Pets Web MD explains the slow blink your kitty does when it appears sleepy. Your cat isn’t actually tired. A slow blink indicates trust and comfortableness towards you! Slow blinking back can show your kitty that you feel the same way.

When a cat is afraid, their pupils expand. When a cat is angry, their pupils narrow. But pay attention to lighting! A cat’s pupils expand and constrict like humans depending on the amount of light in the room.

A cat also does not like to make direct eye contact; they see this action as a threat. So when your kitty doesn’t meet your eyes, don’t feel offended and don’t try to make direct eye contact with them.

The Tail

A cat displays many of their emotions through their tail. When a cat’s tail is up and the tip is curled, your kitty is happy to see you! If your kitty begins to rub on your legs, wrapping its tail around you as well, your kitty is communicating friendliness.

Much like a dog, when a cat’s tail is between its legs, the cat is communicating fear or anxiousness.

When a cat’s tail is up, but ruffled to look like a feather duster, your kitty feels threatened. Pets Web MD says when this is combined with “the arched back, upright hair along the spine, and unsheathed claws” it is a clear sign to back away and leave your cat alone.

If the tail is twitching, this is another sign to back off. This is usually accompanied by low crouching and flattened ears.

The Ears

The Humane Society describes some ear cues that indicate certain emotions within your kitty. When the ears are forward, your cat is interested or happy. Backward or sideways ears indicate anger or fear. If your kitty’s ears are moving around, they are being attentive to the sounds around them.

The Voice

Cats meow to communicate with humans. When your kitty meows, it usually is trying to tell you something! Pay attention to how your cat sounds when it is hungry or when it greets you. This will help you distinguish the meanings of your cat’s meows. Usually, when a cat’s sounds are high-pitched, they are indicating friendliness.

Other sounds include purring and growling. Cat’s usually purr when they are content or recovering. If your cat is making a low growl, hissing, or spitting sounds, they usually feel threatened.

The Humane Society says if your cat is howling, or making elongated meows, your cat is in some sort of distress and should be found and cared for accordingly. If your cat happens to not be spayed or neutered, this sound might be a part of its mating behavior.

These are just a few body language cues to look at when determining how your kitty feels. The two websites referenced have some more great information on how to read your kitty!

Does your kitty have a special way of letting you know what it needs? Share your stories with us in the comments!