Your cat has a story to tell but he can’t talk, he is hurt but can’t shed tears, in trouble but can’t explain, needs help but can’t ask for. Or maybe he needs something as little as a kiss, but he can’t simply say it!
No worries though, he does all the talking through his various body language signs and sometimes, actual vocalization. You just need to understand those signs to establish your communication.
With a small cute face and big beautiful eyes, and a voice that is increasingly innocent, exquisite, and pleasing_ cats are in fact made to be loved! And love demands strongly established communication. In this post, we are going to do the same_learning to become a true feline whisperer.
Animal body language expert Anna Ibnatya is here to decipher your cat’s body language signs. So, let’s dive into the world of feline language.
Cat body language signs and their meanings
- Talking ears.
- The telling tail.
- Eye to eye.
- Speaking feline.
Cat body language: Talking ears
A cat’s ears give out tones of critical information about her mood and the next course of action. Note that the emotions of a cat can’t be understood independently from the position of his ears. It’s important to consider the entailing facial expression as well.
1. Ears straight up with no special facial expression: That’s the normal position of a cat’s ears. He is comfortable and nothing is going differently. If the ears are straight up and face forwards, he is relaxed.
2. Straight and upright ears with a surprised face: He is definitely attentive towards something. Alert and ready to take action.
3. Straight and upright ears with a tense face: If the ears are straight up with a tense face, the cat is in pain. Try your best to know why, as cats are really good at hiding pain.
4. Forward-facing ears: Your cat is curious about something. He is playful and on a discovery mood. Maybe trying to figure out what that new toy is all about. This is also a reaction to interesting, new, strange sounds. He simply wants to collect as much information as possible. You may notice this even when he is on a nap.
5. Ears turned sideways: If the ears look like the wings of a B-52 bomber, turned down sideways, the cat is uneasy, afraid, and nervous.
This also shows he is anxious about something. As the agitation increases the ears flatten more and more. If the ears are both turned sideways and flickering at the same time, this shows un tolerable levels of disturbance. Stop the source of agitation or Stay away!
6. Ears turned back: Cats turn their ears back when they are agitated, irritated and overstimulated. The ears flatten with increasing irritation.
7. Ears back and flat against head: That’s some furious cat. He is angry and feels threatened. Pinned back ears are often accompanied by hisses or growling. The cat is surely locked on the fight or flight gear. Don’t even try to calm it down, just stay away.
8. Each ear pointing differently: This simply means the cat is trying to give attention to two different events. Undecided which way to go.
Cat Body Language: The telling tail
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