When we have cats as pets, they become family members for us, and we want to learn their language. Have you ever tried to know how to understand what your cat is trying to say when she meows? Typically, a cat broadens its eyes, rubs its nose on you, moves its ears, and uses other body language to say something.
According to the latest research, felines use approximately 300 facial expressions to talk. It means that they have excellent levels of social connection and are not as unresponsive as they were thought to be. As we know, most of the speech of an animal is conveyed through posture, body language, and gesture; the main thing to understand your cat is to observe its body language.
Key Takeaways of cat’s body language
- how to understand what your cat is trying to say when she meows.
- If the cat is on her toes with an arched back, standing sideways-on, she is afraid and might fight.
- She is attentive, interested, and prepared to move if a cat’s ears are hard forward..
- your cat’s wide eyes shows, she is very alert.
How does body language make you understand what your cat is trying to say?
If the cat is on her toes with an arched back, standing sideways-on, she is afraid and might fight. There is also a chance that she will run away. If she is standing face-on with an arched back, the feline is aggressive and, in most cases, will start to fight.
Furthermore, if her body seems soft and relaxed with her feet kneading or tucked under, it shows that your feline is calm and comfortable. What about that if she rolls on her back? Then, the cat is highly confident of security.
Communication with ears
She is attentive, interested, and prepared to move if a cat’s ears are hard forward. If a cat is in your lap or you are holding her but quickly sees something and raises her ears frontward, she might be getting prepared to pounce, either to run or to pounce. If her ears are relaxed but forward, she is very comfortable and conscious of her environment but not worried.
She is pleased and comfortable when the ears are tilted to the side and, to some extent, down. However, if they are not flat but back, the feline is nervous and fearful and might pounce or run away.
Communication with eyes
If you notice your cat’s wide eyes, she is very alert. Several signs will tell you if she is calm or fearful. The feline is attentive when her eyes are narrowed but might be aggressive or threatened.
If her eyes are slowly closed or open, it says she is very relaxed. Keep in mind that pupil dilation is very crucial. Wide pupils can indicate excitement, extreme interest, fear, or anger.
Communication with tail
Suppose a cat’s tail is waving, high, or relaxed; she is happy, comfortable, and self-assured. However, it is not held low but trails behind her body; she is calm but attentive to the surroundings.
If you see a feline’s tail is held low, she is careful and might be searching for a secure place, mainly if her body is likewise kept down to the floor. If a cat’s tail is stiffened, she is aggressive or fearful.
References:
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/understanding-feline-language
