Since cats cannot talk in our human vocal language, having some idea about what their body postures are telling us can help us understand what is going on in their lives.
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A Crucial Thing to Notice When Reading Cat Body Language
A few years ago I was in the kitchen preparing to feed our cats when the accidental breaking of a dinner plate on a hot stove created a very loud explosion type noise. (It sounds a lot worse than it was.)
There were several cats in the kitchen and they all took off running in a crouched position with head forward and a look of pure determination on their faces to get the heck out of there.
Well, it was obvious what their body-language was saying: “We hate loud noises and we are going somewhere else in a hurry!”
Thankfully there was no harm done and the porcelain debris was quickly cleaned up and the cats returned to have their dinner.
Since I knew the circumstances that initiated their panicked behavior, in this instance it was very easy for me to translate their body-language. However, reading a cat’s body language is not always so obvious.
The point I am trying to make is that an important component to figuring out your cat’s body language is the context surrounding what you are observing in your pet’s behavior.
If a cat runs by you, the circumstances need be investigated to determine if your kitty is running in play, running in fear, running in pain, or running for some other reason.
So let us look at tail position, ear position, body posture, and several other body language signals that may serve as a window into the minds of these incredible animals.
What Your Cat’s Tail is Telling You
A tail held upright and pointed at the sky or curled at the tip usually means your cat is happy and feeling fine. (I have noticed that a cat walking with its tail held high seems to have a little bounce in their step.)
A bushed out tail almost always means a state of high anxiety. This is typically in response to something going on that makes your cat feel threatened. You may want to investigate the cause and do what you can to eliminate it.
A tail swishing back and forth is a forewarning of dramatic action by your cat. The action may be play or it may be an actual attack. I have often witnessed this behavior when there was a squirrel just outside the sliding glass door. (We never opened the door, so kitty had to settle for pretend “jungle cat”.)
A drooping tail usually means a drooping cat. Something is wrong in their world and needs fixing. Your investigation and assistance would probably be appreciated by your pet.
What Do a Cat’s Ear Positions Mean?
Ears upright in the normal position probably means everything is okay.
Ears shifting around probably means your cat is hearing something and it is assessing whether that something is positive or negative.
You may or may not be able to hear what they are listening to.
I wish I had a nickel for every time I was sitting on the screened porch with our kitties and they suddenly ran to the screen to stare out at the source of a noise I could not hear.
Ears laid back in what is sometimes called the “airplane ears” position probably means your cat is unhappy, scared, aggressive, or feeling some other negative emotion.
What Your Cat’s Body Position is Telling You
Lying on their back with stomach exposed probably means your cat feels safe and trusting in its environment. (Many cat experts advise this is not necessarily an invitation to rub their tummy.)
Arched back with hair standing on end and eyes wide probably means your cat feels threatened. The cat may turn sideways in an attempt to look bigger. This is a defensive posture that can become offensive if the cat feels cornered.
Arched back with hair looking normal and no visible threats around probably means they want you to pet them or maybe they are just stretching. (I have had multiple experiences where I was sitting in a chair and a cat approached, rubbed against my leg, arched its back, and kind of looked at me as if to say “Aren’t you going to rub my back?”)
Crouched with tail swishing side to side and eyes riveted is an attack posture, whether it be play or real.
Crouched and running very fast means they are alarmed and want to escape.
Crouched and creeping around looking for a place to hide means they are afraid and may be sick or injured or are feeling threatened by something or someone.
Why Does My Cat Go Running Around the House?
If, in the absence of any apparent problem, your kitty suddenly begins tearing around the house like some whirling dervish, you might wonder what the heck is going on.
This burst of energy has a name: Frenetic Random Activity Period. It is also referred to as “the zoomies”.
You want to be sure your cat is not sick or in pain or has gotten something wrapped around its neck.
We did have one incident where one of our kitties got its head stuck in the paper handle of a paper bag and went careening through the house in a state of panic.
We got that bag off and instituted a household policy of cutting those paper handles with scissors whenever the bags were left somewhere a cat might get at them, which is just about anywhere.
And we hope your kitty doesn’t crash into something while doing a “zoomie” and get hurt.
I have witnessed a cat running full speed throughout the house in total “zoomie” mode, only to suddenly stop and go back to normal like nothing had happened. Oh well.
One way you might minimize “zoomie” happenings would be to have distractions around the house to help your cat work off some of that energy. Scratching posts, cat trees, and toys might diminish their inclination to act like super-cat.
My blog post How to Choose a Cat Tree has excellent information on cat trees and scratching posts.
Why is My Cat Looking Up at Me?
This is a scenario where whatever else is going on plays a major role in comprehending what your kitty wants. An occasion where your kitty is looking up at you could cover a broad array of circumstances and possible interpretations.
Why Does My Cat Blink At Me? is my blog post that will give you insight about one aspect of this.
For now let us narrow our discussion to a situation where you are sitting somewhere and your cat approaches you, sits upright, and looks up at you. Like the kitty in this photo.
Your cat may be asking for a meal, or a treat, or a trip to the veterinarian because they feel ill.
I would also guess there is a good probability your cat wants to jump up on your lap.
Whenever I worked at my desk, more often than not I had at least one kitty companion. I found this a very distracting and rewarding experience. Not all distractions are bad.
Why Does My Cat Look at Me Then Look Away?
Your cat may be doing what is referred to as Gaze Alternation Factor.
A study done by researchers at Purina Institute and published in the National Library of Medicine found that if there was something a cat wanted access to but could not obtain, the cat might solicit help from their human.
The cat would do this by looking at the human, then looking at or going to what they wanted. The cat would be even more inclined to engage in this behavior if they sensed the human was paying close attention to them.
I have observed this behavior when one of our cats was trying to tell me I need to get the treats out of the cabinet where they were kept or that the litter box needed cleaning or something else they wanted but needed me to make it happen.
Do You Have Any Questions?
Discover other aspects of your cat’s personality by visiting my blog post Learn About Cats