Your cat communicates with you in a variety of ways – with sound, body language and facial expressions.
Regardless of whether you are new as a cat owner or have had a cat for a long time, it is good to learn to interpret the cat’s signals.
Do you know what your cat wants to tell you? Show the cat respect and learn to understand and interpret the different signals.
The cat’s body language says a lot about what it wants to communicate.
Everyone is different, both to race and individual, but there are some general signals. Here we list the cat’s body language when it…
When the cat is satisfied and confident
The ears are open, pointing forward and standing straight up. The eyes squint, the pupils are narrow gaps and the tail is upright and the tip of the tail is slightly curved. This means that the cat is well and happy with life. Is the cat with its front paws “folded” under it and resting? This is a sign that your cat is very safe, and that it does not feel that it needs to be “ready to escape”.
If your cat rolls or stretches on the floor when it sees you, it is a sign that the cat feels relaxed or satisfied after you have had fun together.
When the cat is enjoying itself
There are times when the adult cat stomps for a long time in your lap or on your chest, the cat “milk stomps”. Kittens use their paws around the mother’s teats to make the milk flow. If your cat treads around in such a way, it is a sign that it is enjoying itself to the fullest and is completely satisfied.
When the cat is scared
If the tail is kept submerged and brushy, the cat shows that it is scared.
When the cat is angry, aggressive or anxious
The ears are pointed and directed backwards, the whiskers pointing forward, the pupils contracted, the mouth wide open and the lips retracted. The cat also signals with the rest of the body. The tail is low lying with a whipping tail stop, the fur hairs are close to the body – this shows that an attack is underway. If you pat the cat and it suddenly waves or whips violently with its tail, it is best to stop patting. This means that the cat does not like it, that it is irritated and may intend to attack. In contrast to the dog, the cat’s tail wagging is not a sign of joy.
When the cat is feeling defeated or subdued
If the cat keeps its tail stuck between its legs, it feels defeated or submissive.
When the cat feels a sense of belonging
The cat has special olfactory glands on its cheeks, chin, lips, temples and tail root. So if the cat rubs its head or tail against your legs, do so to show that it likes you and that you are part of the cat’s herd.
Finally, get to know your cat’s body language. There can be many differences between different cat breeds and individuals.
Some cat breeds also have different characteristics and appearance. The Manx cat breed, for example, has no tail and the Sphynx has no fur, so find out specific characteristics of your cat breed.
The contact with your cat is based on patience, sensitivity and lots of love, with these cornerstones a relationship is built where you understand the cat’s signals and the cat understands yours.