How To Read Your Cat’s Emotions

Despite the fact that cats are unable to express their emotions with words, they have many physical telltale signs which give us purr-fect insight into their mood and how they’re feeling. Just like humans, kitties express themselves with their body language. Below we’ve written a guide to help you read your cat’s emotions and gain an even better understanding of your fur baby.

The Tail
Your fur baby’s tail is perhaps the most obvious indication of your cat’s mood. Different shapes or positions generally mean different things when it comes to your kitty’s tail, so we’ve decoded some of them below:

• Focus On Discipline:
If you notice your cat strolling around with his or her tail held high, it’s usually a sign that they’re feeling content and confident. Just like humans, cats will usually walk with their heads held that bit higher when they’re in a more positive mood. A tail in the air shows that your kitty is probably willing to be playful and friendly with you. Also, if you watch the tip of your fur baby’s tail and see a little bit of a twitch, this means that they’re feeling particularly happy.


• A U-shaped tail:
If your cat’s tail is curved and looks a little bit like a question mark, then you might want to take a break from whatever you’re doing to spend some quality time with your fur baby. This tail shape means that your kitty is feeling purr-ticularly playful and wants to have some fun with you.


• Moving quickly up and down or from side to side:
When it comes to cats, a rapidly moving tail is pretty much the exact opposite of a happily wagging tail on a dog. This type of movement in your cat’s tail is a sign that your kitty is feeling agitated and should be left alone until they calm down.

• Forward pointing ears:
This usually means that your cat is feeling curious, interested or intrigued. If it’s a sound or voice that has piqued your fur baby’s curiosity, they will point their ears towards the noise to help them gather as much information as possible. During cat naps, you will likely still notice your kitty’s ears pricking in the direction of various sounds.


• Ears flattened to head:
If you notice your cat’s ears tucked tightly in or down, this usually means that they are scared or angry. Flattened ears are actually a defence mechanism that keeps them out of reach from vicious teeth or claws. If you notice that your cat’s ears are slicked back and still choose to ignore the warning sign, you’re likely to come under feline attack.

• The slow blink:
If you are the proud owner of a cat then you’ve almost definitely seen your kitty doing the slow blink. Your fur baby is trying to express their affection and show that they trust you. The slow blink is a sign of relaxation and contentment. Basically, this is all those happy and mushy feelings at once and the feline version of a big slobbery kiss. A great way to show your cat that you feel the same way is to blink slowly back at them, as this lets them know that the feelings are mutual.


• Dialated pupils
This is often an indication that your kitty is feeling stimulated. They might be stimulated by fear or surprise or excitement, so, dilated pupils can be an indication of both positive and negative emotions. If your fur baby has purr-ticularly dilated pupils, make sure to pay attention to the other aspects of their body language to decipher their mood.