Understanding your Cat’s Body Language

Cat’s haven’t figured out to talk human (yet!) but through vocalizations, body language, and demeanor your cat is a skilled communicator. Ears are one of the easiest indicators to read, especially if you’re not that familiar with cats. If a cat has tensely flattened his ears back or down and to the side, take those as two warning flags to back off! That’s usually a sign a cat is angry or fearful or both. A happy and relaxed cat’s ears may be attentive pointed straight up, and one or both may swivel to the side when listening to sounds to the side or behind them. Another big visual flag is a cat’s tail, but it should be “read” with the rest of the cat’s body posture. A kitten may lash his tail back and forth before pouncing on a toy, while an adult cat may lash his tail back and forth before attacking a perceived threat. Unlike dogs, a cat wagging his tail is not generally a happy greeting! Some cats when really happy will stick their tail straight up and vibrate it, we like to think of that as a sort of royal wave, usually greeting someone they like and know. Cats also communicate with their eyes. You can see the content half-closed eyes on the tuxedo kitty in our photo — you can’t hear him happily purring, but he was when we took his photo! Here’s some more tips how to read the non-verbal messages your cat is communicating.