Sometimes when a cat believes they are in danger, they may feel they have no other choice but to fight for their safety. Many cats may seek a safe space when fearful, so their environment should have plenty of hiding spots and perches that they can easily and quickly access. Never attempt to pick up a growling or hissing cat, as this may cause a scared cat to resort to aggression. If a cat exhibits body language consistent with fear, remove the threat. As their fear increases, cats may let out a loud, drawn-out yowl followed by a shriek to indicate that they are about to defend themselves. Hissing is mostly an involuntary reflex that occurs when a cat is scared or startled. When a cat feels threatened, they may growl and hiss to warn the threat to back off. Tail: A fearful cat may wrap their tail tightly around or underneath their body. Their whiskers may be pulled back flat against their face. The further back a cat’s ears are pinned, the more terrified they are. In response, they may initially make themselves look smaller by crouching low to the ground and scrunching up their body.Įyes: A fearful cat’s eyes widen, and their pupils dilate due to the effects of the fight-or-flight response.Įars: Their ears are often angled backward or sideways. In addition to being predators, cats are also prey and may feel scared when they think something might hurt them. If you suspect that you may be causing your cat stress, stop the activity or behavior that could be causing this reaction. If you notice that your cat is stressed, try to identify the cause and remove it, if possible. Tail: The cat may hold their tail close to their body or thrash and thump it when feeling stressed or annoyed. The whiskers may be held further forward than normal. Stressed cats may also urinate or defecate outside of the litter box.Įyes: A stressed cat’s eyes may appear wide or narrowed.Įars: Their ears may be rotated to the sides (in an “airplane ears” pose) or angled backward. The cat may also engage in displacement behaviors-meaning normal behaviors (such as licking their lips, scratching, grooming, and yawning) that are performed out of context-to cope with underlying stress. When a cat is feeling stressed, they may have a stiff and tense body held low to the ground. Play provides excellent physical and mental enrichment to help keep cats healthy, so provide them with a toy when they act like they want to play. (However, a flicking tail when the cat is not stalking something most likely means that the cat is annoyed.) Tail: Cats who are engaged in hunting behaviors will often flick their tail from side to side as they watch whatever is captivating their attention. When they want to play, they may act like they are hunting by crouching down, wiggling their rear-end, and chasing, pouncing on, or grabbing hold of a toy.Įyes: A playful cat’s eyes will be big and their pupils might be dilated.Įars: Their ears will be up and facing forward. Playful Cat Body LanguageĬats are predators with a natural instinct to hunt. Tail: A tail that is pointed straight up with a curl at the tip is a reliable sign that a cat is happy and confident.Ī cat may purr to express their contentment and pleasure, meow when greeting someone or asking for something like food or attention, or trill (which is like a high-pitched purr) to show they are friendly. You can blink slowly back to show them that you love them too!Įars: Happy cats’ ears are upright and facing forward. If a cat blinks slowly at you, it means they trust and love you. If they are showing their belly, it probably means that they feel safe-though this is not necessarily an invitation for a belly rub! A happy cat might cuddle up next to you or knead you with their paws.Įyes: The eyes of a happy cat may be round or partially closed, and their pupils narrow like slits. When a cat is happy, their posture is typically loose, with their limbs and tail stretched out away from their body when lying down. The following are different body language signs that correspond to various emotions in our cats. If a cat looks upset for no reason, they may be sick or in pain. For example, if a person is cornering a cat, even unintentionally, the cat might feel scared or threatened. Put yourself in the cat’s paws and ask how the situation and environment-including the sights, sounds, and smells-might make them feel. Note that when you’re interpreting cat body language, consider everything that’s going on around the cat. By learning the body language of a cat, we can better understand and fulfill our kitties’ wants and needs. They use both their body (including their eyes, ears, whiskers, and tail) and their voice to show what they are thinking and feeling. Our feline friends have their own cat language to communicate their thoughts and emotions.
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