Whether you’re a first-time cat owner or have a long-term feline friend, there will be times where you wish you knew what your cat was thinking.
Understanding Cats’ Body Language
Although cats might seem hard to read, there are ways to tell what they are thinking and what mood they’re in just by studying their posture and body language. You’ll be able to tell some of your cat’s more obvious moods from its facial expressions, vocalizations, and tail movements but there are subtler gestures that you have to watch out for.
Cats can feel happy, sad, afraid, relieved, and even frustrated. The key to a good relationship with your cat is learning how to recognize these emotions.
Cat body language explained
You can learn a lot about your cat’s behavior by the way they move their bodies. This guide should cover all the basics!
Neutral (Relaxed)
This is how your cat should spend most of their waking hours: relaxed, content and comfortable in familiar surroundings.
• Their ears will be relaxed, held casually upright and forward – although they could swivel around independently if your cat is listening to things around them.
• Their whiskers will be relaxed, away from the sides of their face, and they may almost appear to smile!
• Their body is nice and relaxed, with no tension to suggest they might be about to spring into action.
Focused
Don’t let the cuteness fool you as cats are trained hunters from birth! If your cat is concentrating on a small, moving object, you’ll notice that their body language will change as they try to work out how to best respond to it.
Signs of focused cat body language
• Their eyes will be open with pupils narrowed.
• Their ears and whiskers will be pricked forward, with their body angled towards the focus of their attention.
• Their body might be low to the ground as they stalk, with hind legs coiled under their body.
• Your cat’s tail language will show focus by being held out low behind them. The end of their tail, along with their hindquarters, might be twitching as they get ready to pounce. This is one of the more obvious cat tail signs to look out for – once you see it, you’ll know they’re hunting!
• If the object of their focus is you, for example if they’re trying to get food or strokes, they might rub against you with tail held in the air, but don’t be fooled – they’re still focused on their end goal!
Happy
A happy cat will be more playful and sociable towards its owner.
Signs of happy cat body language
• When sitting, your cat will be relaxed and upright, with ears pointed up and forward, but relaxed, sometimes swiveling gently towards familiar sounds like your family’s voices.
• When lying down, they may have their paws tucked neatly underneath them, or be lying stretched out on their side or even on their back, with legs spread outwards, which shows they are very happy!
• Whiskers will be relaxed and their tail still – or held high with a slight curl if they’re standing to say hello to you.
• If you stroke your cat, their eyes may close in contentment and they will gently purr.
Anxious
Cats can be very sensitive, especially to change. It can take some time for cats to settle after unexpected changes. Learning to read the symptoms can help you guide your cat back to a relaxed state. Give your cat 2-3 days after any big change to become accustomed to it.
Signs of anxious cat body language
• Your cat's eyes will be open and not blinking, with pupils dilated into an oval or circle.
• Their ears might move from their relaxed forward position to scan for more information, swiveling around independently from each other. If they are very anxious, they may even flatten back to their head.
• Cat tail language is very important here – their tail might be still or moving slowly side to side at the tip, which is a sign of anxiety. If you see this distinctive cat tail sign, make sure to offer some reassurance.
Fearful
If they’re scared of something such, your cat won’t be reassured by a simple stroke or a taste of their favorite treat. Try not to move quickly to try and comfort them as you could be seen as another threat. Instead, remove anything that could be causing their fear if you can and wait for them to calm down. If your cat is showing these signs often, you may want to consult your vet who will be able to refer you to a pet behaviorist.
Symptoms of fearful cat body language
• Your cat’s ears will be flattened back against their head, which might be lowered with gaze angled upwards.
• They may run away or stand or crouch very still if this isn’t possible.
• Their eyes will be open very wide, with pupils fully dilated and whiskers flattened or bristling.
• Their tail may be held under their body or be slashing vigorously from side to side.
Frustrated
Your cat might be actively frustrated at a short-term specific event, like not being able to reach their favourite toy, or be affected by longer-term, more depressive frustration at a lack of stimulation, such as not being able to express their need to hunt.
Cats with longer-term frustration can often be misinterpreted, so if you think that your cat might be experiencing this, it’s important to talk it through with your vet so that you’re able to help return them to a happier state of mind.
Symptoms of frustrated cat body language
• An actively frustrated cat usually focuses intently on their object of frustration and will try everything they can do to get what they want!
• All their senses are tuned onto their goal – eyes will be wide open with pupils dilated, ears forward, and whiskers forward-pointing and spread.
• They may pace impatiently if they can’t get to what they want.
• Cats with longer-term depression may often be lethargic, off their food and won’t want to play or interact with others.
Angry
If your cat displays angry behavior, you’ll need to tread very carefully. Don't provoke, stare or shout at an angry cat. Avoid trying to touch or comfort them as they may interpret this as an added threat and lash out. Instead, retreat slowly, remove any threats if it's safe to do so and give your cat time and space to calm down.
If your cat is displaying body language signs that they are angry on a regular basis, you may wish to seek the help of your vet or an animal behaviorist who can help you fully understand the cause of such angry cat body language.
Symptoms of angry cat body language
• An angry cat will be rigid, with tail held out stiff and straight or curled around and under their body.
• They will act very differently from usual – they could be silent, hissing, spitting or growling.
• Their eyes will be hard and focused. Their pupils may be narrowed, although some cats might have round, unblinking eyes.
Relieved
When an angry, scared, or frustrated cat feels reassured that the perceived threat has gone, they will likely start to act relieved. Knowing when your cat is relieved is key to helping them feel like their normal, relaxed selves again.
Symptoms of relieved cat body language
• A cat’s whole body can show relief – some cats even make a full-body stretch to release tension!
When you understand how your cat is feeling you can better respond to their needs. Use the above guide can help you identify how your cat is feeling and enjoy a closer relationship than ever.
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