Kitty confidential: 13 secret signals all cat owners need to know – from a quivering tail to aeroplane ears
Shortly after my partner and I adopted our two cats, our fluffy black one, Mambo, decided that I am his special human. Mambo rarely lets anyone else pet him, but he follows me everywhere, trilling to greet me, rubbing his cheek on my hand, sitting on my stuff or watching me work. He also loves it when I bring out his puzzle toys and treats for games. I did not expect to get this much attention from a cat, so I joked with friends that Mambo was behaving like a dog. But, when my cat behaviourist friend told me, “No, he is behaving like a CAT!” I decided to find out more.
As a new cat owner, I started questioning the popular belief that cats are less sociable and trainable than dogs. It seems that for every meme about dogs being our best friends, there is one about cats being aloof, weird, or murderous.
But, while it’s true that cats are solitary predators, the latest scientific evidence confirms what many of us already know from experience: cats are socially flexible creatures who become attached to their humans (like kittens to their mothers) and have their own ways of expressing affection, trust or their need for “alone time”.
Our feline pets signal their moods and feelings with every part of their body: their face, eyes, ears, whiskers and tail; their changing postures; and the direction and speed of their movements. But you need to look at more than any single body part or pose to really know what a cat is saying. If a cat with an arched back and bristly tail is retreating and hissing, it’s probably terrified. On the other hand, if they’re bouncing and skipping sideways, they might be feeling playful.
Learning to recognise cat body language is about observing movements in context and understanding the connection between behaviour and the bigger picture. Writing and illustrating my book, Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat, has opened my eyes to the ways my cats talk to each other and to me, and it has given me a new appreciation for the sensitive, intelligent and expressive animals they – and all cats – are.
Relaxed and content
A relaxed cat’s body looks soft and flexible and moves languidly. (Tip: a cat with its paw pads not touching the ground is more relaxed than a cat whose paw pads are touching the ground.)
Visual signs
• No tension in face and body• Fluid movements; not twitchy or jerky• Weight is balanced
What your cat may be feeling • Relaxed, content• “All is well”• “Just hanging out!”
Moving confidently
Visual signs
• Direct approach• Head position at shoulder height or higher• Ears forward• Tail is high and softly curled What your cat may be feeling • Confident and comfortable• Friendly
Unsure
Cats can express uncertainty in both a standing or a seated posture. Visual signs
• Stops moving• Head is below shoulder height• Slightly crouching, limbs tucked in
What your cat may be feeling • Unsure• Cautious• “Approach or retreat?”
Anxious
Visual signs
• Crouching close to the ground, keeping a distance• Tail is low or tucked down
What your cat may be feeling • Scared• Unsafe• Predicting danger or discomfort
Very scared
The more frightened a cat is feeling, the smaller or flatter it will make itself. Visual signs
• Crouching, tucked-in head and limbs• All four paws are flat on the ground• Pupils are dilated
What your cat may be feeling • Terrified• “Don’t look at me”• “Leave me alone!”
Fixated, stalking
Visual signs
• Body is low to the ground, neck stretches forward• Focused stare, pupils may change size• Waits and watches, or creeps forward slowly
What your cat may be feeling
• Very focused• Calculating distances• “I’m gonna get you!”
Spraying (urine marking)
May look like peeing, but it expresses different needs.
Visual signs
• Tail is high and sometimes quivering• Spraying urine on a vertical surface or an object higher than ground level
What your cat may be feeling • Stress, uncertainty• The need to reorient and confirm where they are• “There are weird changes in my home!”• “I need to make this place feel like home”• If unneutered, attracting mates through scent messages
Whiskers spread forward
Visual signs
• Whiskers are spread out and away from the face (while focusing on something)• Mouth may appear puffed out
What your cat may be feeling • Excited• Curious• Measuring the distance to nearby prey or object
Whiskers spread backward
A cat may also pull back their whiskers for protection, when something is too close, and to avoid them being touched.
Visual signs
• Whiskers are pressed back flat against the face, may look bunched together
What your cat may be feeling • Anxious• Overwhelmed• “Don’t touch my whiskers”
Flattened ears
Also described as folded-down ears, lowered ears, invisible ears, or, if the tips are pointed to the side or back like wings, aeroplane ears.
Visual signs
• Ears appear flat, openings aren’t visible• Ear tips point down or back What your cat may be feeling • Scared• Anxious
Rubbing and clawing
Behaviour that cats use to transfer chemical signals from their facial glands and toe glands.
Visual signs
• Rubbing their face and body against walls, furniture, and so on• Using claws to knead or scratch
What your cat may be feeling • Happy that objects and places smell familiar and reassuring• “I’ve been here” or “I live here”• Refreshing time stamps and signposts of places they have visited (the strength of a scent fades over time)• Sharing scent messages with other cats
Lashing tail
Big tail movements could signal excitement, irritation, or overstimulation, depending on the context. Visual signs
• Tail is swinging or lashing – a big wagging, slapping, or thumping motion What your cat may be feeling • Overwhelmed• Frustrated• “This is too much!”• “I can’t relax”
Quivering tail
Seen when your cat is greeting someone (not to be confused with the quivering tail that happens before spraying).
Visual signs
• Tail is vertical and vibrating from the base (not flicking)
What your cat may be feeling • Happy• Giddy• Super excited or really wants something
This is an extract from Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat by Lili Chin (Penguin, £12.99), published on 13 June