“Cats know how to obtain food without labor, shelter without confinement, and love without penalties.”

– W. L. George

There are so many ways to learn how to talk with your cat by reading their body language and responding to it!

Ears

One of the most expressive parts of their body, the ears are like a weather signal to your cats vibes.

• Relaxed cats will have their ears slightly to the side of forward, pivoting when they hear sounds.
• Pissed off or scared cats will have their ears going flat to their head/pivoting back. This can often be a sign they are about to lash out.
  • One ear going flat often means they don’t like what you’re doing – scratching them somewhere and they pull down an ear is a quick sign to pause what you’re doing!
• Ears going totally parallel to each other – facing out to the sides – is a an angry cat.
• Inside the ears – some cats love a scratch deep in their ear (think clearing out the earwax) but most do not – avoid touching the sensitive hairs inside their ears until you know a cat well!

Tail

A cats tail sometimes seems to have a mind of its own, but it also is a great guide to reading your cat’s emotions!

• Straight up – happy cat, this should give you a smile if your cat greets you with a straight up tail, it means “i’m happy to see you!”.
• Up, with a curl (like a question mark) – this is a happy cat who wants to play or explore!
• Up, lightly waving – this is a relaxed cat, checking things out
• Curled around body – this is a safe, relaxed cat. Bonus points if it is curled around a part of you!
• Out, swishing back and forth – this might be a pissed off cat. The faster the movement, the more angry it is indicating.
• Tail down or between legs – this cat is scared, unsure, and trying to be unnoticed.
• Tail gone fluffy – this cat is SCARED and prepared to defend itself. If you’ve never seen this happen, it really is amazing how much the tail fur can puff out. It happens most often if it gets a sudden large scare/startle.

Fur/Body

• Rubbing face/body against things (corners, chair legs, you) – this is a relaxed and affectionate cat! See if they would like some pets or back scratches.
• Hair rased along spine/at back tail – this is a scared cat, usually happening when they puff up their tail too. Be cautious

Sounds

• Purring – we all know this is the best sound! This means a cat is happy and feels safe, expressing it is enjoying where it is!
• Chirps, meows and other sounds- the longer you know a cat, the more you’ll get to know their particular sounds. Some cats are more vocal than others – they may meow often whenever they want something, or may only meow in rare circumstances. Personally, I love a cat with a range of sounds, including specific chirps for good morning, for after you give them food, and for when they are going to bed!