Understanding your cat’s body language

Cats are very secretive and subtle creatures, and it can be difficult to understand what they are thinking and feeling. They do, however, have a complex catalogue of body language. With careful studying of your cat’s behaviour, you can gain quite a comprehensive understanding of their thoughts and feelings. Picking up on your cat’s subtle body language will help to grow your relationship and develop a better understanding of your feline companion.

Happy/relaxed:

Healthy cats in happy homes will spend most of their time feeling contented and relaxed. As cat owners it should please us to see our cats showing us that they are feeling at peace with the following body language:

• Half-closed “sleepy” eyes with small pupils.
• Slow blinks.
• Upright tail that can be slightly curved at the top.
• Showing their tummy. This is not an invitation for a tummy rub but is a sign that they trust you. Similarly, if they turn their back to you, they are not expressing their indifference, but displaying that they are completely at ease in your presence.
• Jumping up at your legs to greet you.
• Whiskers relaxed.
• Ears pointing forwards, but relaxed and rounded.
• Rubbing their head and/or chin against another cat, person, or object.

Concentrating:

Cats can quickly switch from being relaxed and easy-going to being ready to hunt or flee a threat. Their body language will signal this shift as they go into concentration mode. This will be because they have noticed something that they perceive as being a potential predator or prey. Their senses are heightened as they assess the situation before deciding how to proceed.

• Wide open eyes, scanning for any movement or change in their environment.
• Ears and whiskers will also be on high alert, pointing towards the area/object that has caught their attention.
• They will keep low to the ground, with tail and hind legs tucked under themselves. From this position they will quickly be able to spring into action; to either pounce on their unsuspecting prey, or to flee a dangerous situation.
• Twitching tail and back legs are a sure sign your cat is about to pounce.
• Worried or stressed:
• It is important to recognise when your cat is beginning to feel stressed or anxious so that you can eliminate the cause. If ignored, anxious cats are likely to go on to develop behavioural problems, which might be more difficult to remedy at a later stage.
• Crouched low to the ground, making their body look small and non-threatening.
• Tail tucked in.
• Wide eyes and pupils, without blinking.
• Flat ears or slightly pointing to the sides, making their head look small.
• Hiding
• Still tail, or wagging it slowly from side to side towards the tip.

Angry or Threatened:

Cats feeling threatened will quickly become angry, and as such their body language for these two emotions are very similar. Be careful not to provoke an angry cat, give your cat time and space to calm down, and remove the threat if possible. Do not approach your cat as they may lash out. They will try to make themselves look more threatening in the following ways:

• Tensed, fluffed-up rigid tail.
• Straight legs and arched back.
• Fur standing on end.
• Whiskers pointing forwards, towards the threat.

Some of these actions are very subtle and could be easy to miss if you are not in-tune with your cat so it is important to pay close attention. The more we can understand our cats, the better we can meet their needs to ensure they live a happy and fulfilled life.