What is your cat trying to tell you?
Do you feel like your cat talks to you? You’re not wrong! Along with meowing, howling, chirping, or hissing, cats communicate in a variety of non-verbal ways, too. In a huge way, your cat is talking to you all the time. But, reading your cat’s body language is not allows the easiest of tasks.
Once you know what to look out for, you’ll find that, although you’re not actually having conversations with your cat, your line of communication with your feline friend is much more open.
watch the Tail
Your cat uses their body language to communicate with you and their tail is included!
Your cat’s tail is a great indicator of their feelings–anywhere from comfortable to upset or bored. If your cat’s tail is high with a small curl forward, they’re happy or content. If their tail begins to twitch, pay attention to what they’re looking at. You cat is probably tracking something very intently.
Check for a twitching or wagging tail as they’re about to pounce on a toy or if they’re looking out a window. If your cat’s tail is more rigid and they are wagging it with more force, they may be overwhelmed and stressed out. If your cat wraps its tail around its torso, it is concerned about something. On the other hand, a terrified cat will held its tail stiff and puff it out..
ears up vs. ears back
Cats don’t just listen with their ears, they can indicate a host of different feelings with them. Your cat is relaxed if they face their ears forward or slightly to the side. Ears that are pricked forward can indicate excitement or interest in something, like a toy. If you think your cat may be nervous, look out for their ears to twitch quickly, if you notice that their ears are pinned tightly down, they are upset: either fearful or agitated.
Make Eye Contact
Specifically watching the pupils helps tremendously in reading your cat’s body language. The pupils are key in knowing if your cat is calm, or ready to pounce. A calm kitty will have normal, not dilated, pupils, their eyes will be open and they will make eye contact with you. However, if your cat is extremely relaxed, their eyes may slightly close their eyes.
Dilated pupils indicate excitement, but pay attention to what your cat is gazing at. If your cat has a fixed gaze, they may be ready to pounce, but if your cat is avoiding eye contact and their eyes are darting around the room, they may be looking for a way to escape, like if you just brought them home.
let catonsville cat clinic help you read your cats body language
For nearly 25 years, the Catonsville Cat Clinic has been providing quality veterinary care to the cats of Catonsville and beyond! Dr. Pam Nesbitt, who purchased the practice in July of 2011, runs the Catonsville Cat Clinic with compassion in mind. A team of professionals with an advanced level of veterinary medicine is at your service to make sure your cat is healthy and happy. So, stop on by. we’d love to get to know you and your cat!
Get in touch and we will help you talk to your cat. We’ve seen a lot over the last 25 years, so put your trust in us. Whether your cat has been acting strange lately, or you just have some basic questions, we’re here for you,