While each cat has its own individual disposition and temperament, when it comes to body language, all cats communicate in essentially the same way! When you know what to look for, learning to interpret their message is not that difficult!

Learning the Body Language of Cats

Tail
Cat’s tails can be very expressive and are good indicators of the way they are feeling. For instance, the tail of a cat feeling:

• Friendly, safe, confident, comfortable, and affectionate will be held:
• Loose or straight up, but not stiff
• Quivering
• Straight out as if continuing from its body, but not stiff
• Friendly, but animal is not comfortable will hold its tail:
• Up, but hooked
• Scared, unhappy or feeling threatened will have its tail:
• Half tucked between its hind legs
• Alert, curious, interested will move its tail:
• Swishing slowly and gently from side to side
• Interested in something they see or is starting to feel some aggression will have a tail that is:
• Twitching at the tip
• Excited, but could also be angry, agitated or annoyed will have a tail that is:
• Lashing side to side in a fast, aggressive way
• Becoming aggressive will hold its tail:
• Stiff and held down and out from its body
• Angry or scared will have its tail:
• Bristled and held straight up

Ears
A cat’s ears can provide a good visual indicator of their mood.

• Relaxed
• Ears forward and up
• Interested, animal is listening
• Ears swiveling back and forth
• Becoming agitated
• Ears are turned back a bit or have turned sideways
• Frightened, defensive, angry, aggressive
• Ears pinned flat back against the head

Head
The meaning of the way a cat holds its head depends upon the cat’s circumstances of the moment, for example:

• A raised head means either:
• The cat is happy, confident, or feeling curious
• The ears will usually be pricked up
• The cat is in an aggressive situation where it feels it has to show dominance
• The ears will be turned back in order to protect them
• A lowered head could mean either:
• The cat is sleepy, content or bored
• The cat is in a situation where it now needs to show submission

Whiskers
Whiskers can be used to measure their mood, for instance, whiskers that are:

• Held forward on its face are a sign the animal is feeling relaxed, happy, or curious
• Pulled back are a sign the animal is feeling aggressive or defensive

Eyes
Cats use their eyes to try to send a message, for instance:

• Staring, with wide eyes
• Used to intimidate
• Usually observed before and during the time a cat attacks or is in a fight
• Narrow, with slowly blinking eyes
• Sending a message of happiness and of trust

Body
A cat will use its body in ways that are intended to show affection and trust, for example:

• Kneading
• Show of comfort and contentment
• Rubbing against its human’s legs
• Marking his territory by leaving his scent on you
• Rolling onto its back
• Being submissive, showing trust

An arched back can mean different things depending on the age of the cat.

• To a kitten, this is an invitation to play fight
• To an adult, this usually is an indication that a real fight is going to happen
• Other body language signs help to interpret the stance, for example if the cat is going to fight, its ears will be turned back, the hair on its back and tail will be standing on end, and it will have wide eyes

Being able to recognize cat behaviors and body language as their way to communicate will help when working with cats and when advising their owners.

Contact your Covetrus representative if you are interested in additional ways to provide information to your feline clients! Call 855.724.3461.

Sources:

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/cat_communication.html#Body_language

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/features/cat-body-language

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