Cats are expressive creatures, if you know what to look for. Sure, they can’t speak our language or directly communicate their needs and feelings, but we can learn a lot about what’s going on with them through their body language.
Here are some of the main ways you can decipher a cat’s feelings and attitude — even if you’re unfamiliar with their unique and individual personalities. As you get to know your cat better and understand their quirks, it gets easier and easier to decode their actions and behaviors.
What does a cat's body language mean?
Body orientation
The meaning behind many of your cat’s body language signs will change depending on how their body is oriented at the time.
If a cat is standing straight and is facing you with a fairly normal-looking posture, then they are confident, in-control and receptive to you.
If they are standing sideways with a slightly arched back, then they are feeling fearful or angry and are trying to make themselves seem larger and more aggressive.
If they’re crouched in a ball, and shrinking in on themselves, then they are likely feeling afraid and anxious. Shrinking down to a crouched, ball-like shape not only makes them seem less aggressive toward their enemies, but it also allows them to spring away if they need to.
Tail
Cats speak through their tails more expressively than through any other part of their body, and it’s a great place to start when looking to understand your cat’s feelings.
Wagging tail
Unlike dogs, cats wag their tails when they are frustrated or annoyed — it’s a big “BACK OFF” to whoever is making them agitated, whether that be enemies, other animals or us annoying humans. The larger the wag (oftentimes accompanied by a puffed-out tail), the more on edge they are.
Tucked-in tail
A tucked-in tail usually means that the cat is afraid and trying to make themselves appear smaller. It means they are worried, anxious or fearful.
Tall tail
A cat with a tall, straight tail is feeling confident in their surroundings and happy with their environment. If the tail quivers slightly or wobbles, it means they are extra curious and happy.
Flicking tail
This one’s a little trickier to decode, and understanding a flicking tail’s meaning requires a little more knowledge of the cat’s personality. Many cats will flick the tip of their tail if they are hunting or playing with an especially interesting toy, and the flick is a sign that they are excited and alert.
If your cat is calm and still and, for example, you’re stretching their belly when the tail starts to flick, it’s time to quit the scratches and back away fast. They’re letting you know they’re annoyed.
Ears
Ears are another very visible way to determine a cat’s mood.
Ears that face forward and appear relaxed indicate a confident and calm cat who isn’t overstimulated by their surroundings. The ears might pivot around every now and then to pick up new sounds, but if they return to that calm forward position then your cat isn’t worried about threats.
If the ears become tall and pointed, then your cat is on high alert and is trying to appear larger and more intimidating. Now, this could be as a result of a variety of exciting stimuli: it could be due to playing with an exciting toy, it could be because a bird just flew past the window, it could be because there are strangers in the house or it could be because the world is ending. Again, it’s all about context.
If you see the airplane ears deploy — as in, ears squashed flat against the head — then your cat is afraid or really, really angry. All you can do is identify what they’re afraid of and pray that you’re not at the receiving end of their rage.
Eyes
Cats are predators at heart — after all, cats basically domesticated themselves and tricked the human race into catering to their every whim.
That being said, their eyes are certainly a great reminder of these animals’ wild and predatory nature.
Large, dilated (round) eyes mean that the cat is engaged and stimulated in their environment, either through anger, excitement or fear. Pay attention to the context to decide which is being expressed at that specific moment.
A cat that blinks slowly at you or their environment is comfortable and not in any way afraid of their surroundings. Blinking or closing their eyes is a sign that they are not worried about staying alert and that they trust you. Interestingly enough, if you blink slowly at your cat, too, they will think the same of you!
Narrow pupils mean your cat is not in the mood for playing and that they are on edge, afraid or angry. Again, inspect the surroundings and other body language indicators to determine what the root cause is. Otherwise, it’s best to just stay away.
This is by no means a full codex into deciphering your cat’s unique body language. In fact, there’s so much more to look at that we’ll do a whole series on how to understand your cat’s mannerisms!
In the meantime, keep an eye on your own cat’s personality and see how their natural instincts merge with their unique individuality to create the furry friend you love so much!
Good luck!
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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/Katzenspielzeug
Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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