Cat 101: How to Read Your Cat’s Body Language

Cats are often characterized for their cold, aloof nature. Whereas a dog is a ball of kinetic energy, bouncing and jumping in excitement and doing stuff to be a “good boi,” a cat is a sassy and calm creature that is smarter than its owner.

Of course, these are all stereotypes. Not all dogs are jumpy
and not all cats are cold.

However, it is oftentimes easier to read a dog’s behaviour
than a cat’s. Having 3 dogs and 5 cats, I have come to observe the difference
in body language in both species. While dogs growl when they are mad, a cat
absolutely has no warning whatsoever. They don’t really hiss all the time.
Sometimes they just freeze and stare at you and the next thing you know, your
arm is full of bleeding scratches.

Here are some ways to read your cat’s mood from petfinder.com:

Using Their Tails:

• Tail up –  happy and cheerful and most likely approachable
• Tail down
  – scared or threatened
• Tail
  moving rapidly back and forth –  while dogs do this when they’re cheerful
  and excited, for a cat, this is a good indicator that it is agitated and should
  be left alone
• Tail
  moving slowly back and forth – trying to decipher a situation, making up
  its mind about how it feels
• Halloween-cat
  tail – cats with tails curled (like the ones we see in Halloween posters) are
  not in a good mood and are trying to appear larger and scarier

Using Their Ears:

• Ears
  forward – is likely feeling content and playful
• Ears
  straight up – alert and wary
• Ears
  turned back – most likely irritated, so best to leave them alone
• Ears
  turned sideways or back – nervous or anxious
• Ears back
  and flat against head – this is a sure sign that the cat is scared and
  feeling defensive; may also indicate anger or aggression

Using Their Eyes:

• Dilated
  pupils – surprised, scared, or stimulated
• Constricted
  pupils – tense or possibly feeling aggressive
• Stare –
  is likely a challenge from your cat
• Slow
  blinking – feels safe, comfortable, and trusting
• Half
  closed – relaxed and trusting as well

So before you jump into your kitty, be mindful of their body language and see how they feel. Raising pets is not just about the owner but the pet as well.

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