Cats communicate mostly non-verbally. This means that if you don’t know how to read those signals, you are probably missing out on 90% of what your cat is feeling!
Tails
A great way to be able to tell your cat’s feelings is by looking at its tail. The tail up high means that the cat is feeling happy and confident. It is also used as a greeting for people or animals that the cat likes. A half raised tail means that the cat is not happy, but not unhappy. A lowered tail means that the cat is not happy. If a cat’s tail is ‘wagging’, or moving back and forth, that means that the cat is in a state of conflict and might be upset, or hunting. If the cat’s tail is high and twitching, this means that he is excited. They will twitch only the tips of their tails when they are hunting or are irritated. If a cat is scared or surprised, they may puff their tail up.
Cat’s Posture
A Happy Cat
Similar to humans, cat who stand tall and walk with their head high are confident and happy.
Scared or Aggressive Cat
If they are lower to the ground or the head is back, they are likely scared or aggressive. If your cat is a female and is very low to the ground, it is likely that she is in heat. If the cat senses danger, then she will likely draw her head back and arch her back.
Hunting Cat
When a cat is hunting, she lays flat on the ground with her paws in front. When she is getting ready to pounce, she will raise her bottom up in the air.
Stalking Cat
A cat who is stalking his prey will walk low to the ground and slowly. His tail will also be low.
Relaxed Cat
Cats who are very relaxed will lay on their side or on their backs. A cat laying on its back is often a signal to rub its tummy. If you see a cat doing this, congratulations! That cat is very comfortable with you.
Ears
Another great place to look on a cat is his ears. They are very mobile and will tell you a lot about how the cat is feeling. If the cat’s ears are slightly pointed up, facing forward, and their wiskers are relaxed, then they are happy. Flattened ears mean that the cat feels threatened.
Greetings
A friendly greeting for cats is rubbing noses. A cat may also rub his face, or other parts of his body on things/people that he likes. Many people believe that this is because cats release pheromones from their faces, but this has not been proven.
