Mary Allen
Of course, cats don’t speak our language, and time and time again we have problems understanding our cats and what they want to tell us at a certain moment. No wonder that there are always problems between humans and animals, which can also cause frustration on both sides and negatively affect the relationship between humans and cats.
This is mainly due to the fact that cats do not communicate with words, but with body language and different sounds.
The cat’s tail plays a particularly important role in communicating. But if you want to strengthen and expand the relationship with your cat, it is not only important to play together and to ensure a species-appropriate diet. Learn to understand body language in combination with the different sounds. In this way, you can also interpret your cat’s behavior and wishes better and react to them in the best possible way. In this article, we want to introduce you to cat body language so that you can understand it better. However, it must be mentioned that every cat is very individual and therefore the body language can be different or vary in intensity. However, the different tips provide useful information to better understand the cat in the future.
Why is it great to understand the cat with its behavior?
Within the first few days, after your cat has come to you, you will have noticed that it has very special characteristics and individual character traits. So every cat is completely different and even if you already have a velvet paw, the new family member can be completely different and have different preferences. And not just in terms of the food.
For example, there are some cats who can cuddle for hours and others who don’t really like being petted. For this reason, it is always important to correctly interpret various signals from animals and to respect cats’ requirements and preferences.
The basic needs such as sleeping, eating, playing, and drinking are of course always present. Other preferences, on the other hand, can vary greatly from cat to cat. If you can now correctly interpret your cat’s behavior, you both benefit from these great advantages:
- Your cat will feel much more comfortable with you when she knows you understand and respect her.
- Your cat’s likes and dislikes can be better understood and acted upon.
- Of course, a cat cannot express your desires with words, but it will “speak” to you in a different way.
- Different signals will probably not be misinterpreted as often in the future.
Of course, cat language cannot always be 100 percent generalized, since every animal is different. But there are always certain signals and indications of your cat’s emotional state.
Good to know:
In order to better understand the cat, it is always important that you do not just pay attention to one part of the body. The overall situation and the other parts of the body always count. Ultimately, there is an overall picture that allows you to understand what your cat is trying to communicate to you at that point in time.
The body language of the head
Along with the tail, the head is one of the most important parts of a cat’s body and should therefore always be kept under close scrutiny. In the following, we would like to give you some examples of the signals a cat can send out with its head and the reasons for this.
| What is the cat doing with its head | It could mean that |
| The cat flattens its ears | she is looking for something
she is curious she is afraid She is aggressive and feels threatened Many cats flatten their ears when you pet their head and they are comfortable, with their eyes only half open |
| You cat frowns | A cat’s frown is similar to that of humans or dogs. She’s thinking about something. |
| The cat’s eyes are only half open | Most of the time, a cat will have its eyes half open when it is lying down. This is often a sign that your cat is very comfortable. |
| The cat’s pupils are very large | If your cat’s pupils are very dilated, it can be due to the following reasons, among others:
Your cat is happy Your cat is sad Your cat is curious Your cat is excited |
| The cat shakes its head sideways | If a cat moves its head sideways, it’s probably interested in something. In addition, she may be thinking about something. |
| The cat is rubbing its head against something or you | When your cat rubs its head against something, it means that a certain spot is itchy or that it is feeling particularly comfortable at that moment. When your cat rubs its head against you, it wants to be petted. |
The body language with the tail
Just like dogs, a cat’s tail plays a hugely important role in its body language. In addition, cats use the tail for better balance, such as balancing. We have summarized the most common positions of the cat’s tail together with the appropriate meaning.
| The position of the cat’s tail | It could mean that |
| The cat dangles its tail | Your cat’s mood is neutral in this state. However, the hanging tail can also mean that your darling is just tired. |
| A curled tail pose | In this state, your cat really wants to play. She wants to have fun. So the perfect time to spend time playing games together. |
| The tail wags back and forth | This is how cats express their good mood. So your darling is doing very well and she feels good. |
| Tail table movements | If your cat wags its tail frantically from side to side, it may be a sign of stress or anxiety. Many cats are also aggressive or cranky when the tail wags back and forth. |
Other signals cats give through their bodies
Of course, the head and tail are the most important signals in cat language. However, a cat also sends out special signals with the rest of the body, which of course can also have a meaning. We have also listed some body signals here and the corresponding meaning as well.
| The signals | It could mean that |
| The cat keeps kicking, slightly extending its claws | This behavior is known as kicking or milk kicking. This is a very clear sign of how comfortable your cat is. If your cat does this to you, then absolutely allow it, because your darling is showing you how much he loves you at this moment. |
| The cat arches its back | Cats often show pride in something with a hump. However, it can also be a sign of tiredness. Many cats also do this after resting or sleeping to stretch. |
| The cat rolls on the floor | When your cat rolls on the floor, it’s usually an invitation to play. Female cats also roll on the floor when in heat. |
| The so-called love bites | The love bites are in no way comparable to other cat bites. The love bite of the cat is also to be seen as proof of love. Of course, if a cat bites harder, it shows that it doesn’t want something in particular. |
Correctly interpreting the different sounds a cat makes
Of course, the cat doesn’t just talk with its body. They also make a lot of different sounds, which are often not that easy to distinguish from each other.
| The sound the cat makes | It could mean that |
| The cat hisses | When a cat hisses, it is a clear sign that your cat is angry and annoyed. Even as a defense, cats often hiss at each other before things really get going. So if your cat hisses, it’s important to leave it alone |
| The cat purrs | Most cat owners believe that a cat that purrs is always happy and comfortable. But this is not necessarily the case, because purring can have several reasons. Purring can also be a sign of restlessness or even fear. In these cases, the cat tries to calm itself down by purring. However, if your cat purrs when it’s snuggled up on your lap, it’s likely to enjoy being petted and being close to you. |
| Your cat meows deeply | When a cat meows deeply, it is often missing something. Many cats do this, for example, when they are transported to the vet. They are looking for something or someone, want something to eat or have another need that is currently not being met. |
| The cat chatters | Cats often chatter their teeth when observing an interesting object or prey. Birds or mice, for example. This rapid biting of the teeth is also known as chattering. |
| howling or crying | Cats that cry or howl are obviously not feeling well. Many cats are now afraid or want to draw attention to themselves so that they can be freed from a certain situation, such as a transport box. |
The signals described in the tables are probably the best known. However, cats can send other signals through their bodies, which are of course also very important. We have also compiled these for you below.
What can a cat’s eyes reveal?
A cat’s eyes can also inform us owners about the current state of mind of the animals. Eye contact generally stands for attention, which is especially the case when the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.
However, if a cat deliberately looks away, it can of course be that something doesn’t suit it at the moment. Did you perhaps scold her or take her off the table? Your cat tries to avoid you by looking away.
It’s best to leave them alone for now. When a cat stares at another cat, it wants that cat to submit. And that’s exactly how your cat feels when you stare at it, by the way.
So this should definitely be avoided. Many cats therefore often withdraw from the situation, even if your gaze has a completely different meaning for you. As soon as your cat looks at you with half-closed eyes, the animal is usually relaxed and friendly. However, if your cat blinks, it may mean that she is stressed.
Interpret the different positions of the cat’s ears correctly
A cat’s ears are much more flexible than ours and are often included in the animals’ body language. So there are very different movements that your cat makes with its own ears.
Whether it’s the flattening of the ears or the turning, everything has a meaning for the animals. In addition to body language, moving the ears also serves to improve hearing, so that different noises can be better captured.
When your cat is relaxed, its ears are always pointed forward. However, as soon as a cat becomes nervous and restless, twitching of the ears can be detected.
If the animal is afraid or unsure, a cat flattens its ears. She does this so that she is better protected from danger. If the tips of the ears point outwards, your cat is aggressive and is displaying this aggressive attitude. If the ears are laid sideways, it is a defensive position and if it is backward, it is an attack position or panic.
Our conclusion on the topic of the body language of cats
In order to be able to better understand your own cat, it is always very important to observe it in different situations, because the different body positions of cats can also be very different.
Try different responses to different cues and soon you will understand your pet better, which in turn will make your cat feel better understood and the bond between them stronger. But please always be patient with yourself and your darling, it’s worth it!