Cat's Body Language

Cats also use contact to communicate urgency, from gentle reminders of feeding time to a demanding, insistent rub. Rubbing or butting may also be a signal of social rank. At times, your cat will exhibit unusual behavior to let you know she is ill. Administering medication to a sick cat is easier with flavored liquid medication. Ask your vet about flavoring options.

You can become an expert at reading your cat's moods just by observing her face, ears, and eyes. Following is a look at your cat's language and how to understand it. Look at the position of her ears and whiskers, and check to see if her pupils are dilated or contracted. Each change reveals how your cat is feeling. Here are some examples of how a cat's face, ears and eyes indicate her mood:

Tail Trick

A cat's tail acts as an extension of its thoughts, an indicator of its mood and a warning of intention. Broad swishing of the tail indicates annoyance. For example, a cat who decides she's had enough petting will swish its tail in impatience. If you continue, your cat may "bat" you with her paw or growl softly. Though usually good-humored, the batting is an act of aggression indicating your cat's agitation.

Severely agitated cats move their tails rapidly back and forth from the base, a clear threatening signal. Generally, the larger and more rapid the swish, the more upset the cat. Exhibiting a visible warning to other cats (and to you) is her way of avoiding direct conflict. Cats involved in a conflict may extend their fully bristled tail straight into the air and turn their body sideways to appear larger.

With prey, though, the tails of hunting cats show more subtle movements, explaining to other cats their intention while not warning their victims.

When a cat is afraid or is trying to avoid a confrontation with a dominant cat, his tail will "puff up" or become bristled. He will then lower his tail or tuck it betweens his legs as a sign of submission. Unlike switches, twitches of the tail display excitement and curiosity. A raised tail - as long as the fur isn't bristled - indicates that the cat is being friendly. If the cat is excited, as when you come home after a long day at work or when you open a can of cat food, the upraised tail might twitch in anticipation. The cat will probably vocalize or rub against her owner.

Body Talk

Body language is not just restricted to a cat's tail. Her stance and the position of her ears usually indicate what she's feeling.

Bent forelegs, for example, show that your cat would prefer to avoid a fight, but she will defend herself if the need arises. When your cat expands her body by fluffing up her fur, she is showing both confidence and aggression. When a cat's legs are fully stretched, she is self-assured and prepared to attack. A bend in the hind legs, however, shows indecision or even timidity. When a cat shrinks her body size, legs tucked underneath, she's showing submission, as well as readiness for action.

When a cat's ears are back and his posture is steady, he is unsure of what move to make and is considering his options. If his ears are back and his body is low to the ground, this is a display of shame or remorse.

The cat's pricked ears show his interest in what's going on around him. When a cat raises its head directly, this is an attempt to display dominance. A lowered head indicates submission or a feeling of inferiority. When his head is completely tucked in, your cat is probably bored. If he's sneaking around low to the ground at a crawl, he is probably stalking prey. Be aware that the cat is about to mount a full speed assault.

Kitty-Cat Chitchat

Purring is not in every cat's repertoire of social communication, but it is quite common. Not a great deal is known about the mechanics of purring, but purring is associated with contentment and happiness in cats. Interestingly, though, purring is sometimes heard in cats that are severely ill or anxious, perhaps as a self-comforting vocalization.

Vocal cats utilize vowel sounds to indicate their desires. The classic "meow" is an example. The subtle differences in sound communicate commands as well as requests and complaints. In the wild, vowel sounds are restricted to kittens, but the process of domestication has extended this method of communication well into adulthood.

Adult cats emit high intensity sounds by changing the shape of their mouths. Hisses and grumbling are the most common examples, used primarily to communicate aggressive or defensive intentions. Cats in heat and feral strays also use this form of communication.

Although these may not be used in grammatical sentences, one definition of language is "any means, vocal or other, of expressing or communicating feeling or thought" (Webster's Dictionary). Observant owners will notice the following sounds which cats make to communicate their state of mind (this list is not exhaustive, since cats will improvise):

• Caterwaul - cat wants sex!

• Chatter - excitement, frustration e.g. when prey is out of reach or escapes

• Chirrup - friendly greeting sound, a cross between a meow and a purr!

• Cough-bark - alarm signal (rare in pet cats)

• Growl - threat, challenge, warns others to go away

• Hiss (with or without spit) - threat, fear, warns others to back off

• Meow - general-purpose attention seeking sound used by adult cats to communicate with owners or with kittens

• Mew (of kittens) - distress, hunger, cold (to attract mother's attention)

• Purr - contentment, relaxation, also to comfort itself if in pain (cats in extremis may purr); a loud purr invites close contact or attention

• Scream - fear, pain, anger, distress

• Squawk - surprise, shock

• Yowl - a threat, offensive or defensive, but also used in a modified form by some cats seeking attention when owner is out of sight

• Idiosyncratic sounds - a sound which a particular cat uses in a particular context.

The exact meanings of all of these sounds may be modified or emphasised by facial expression, tone/volume, body language and context (paralanguage). Some cats may use some of these cat-sounds in different ways when communicating with humans and only our familiarity with our own pets tells us that a certain type of growl is a play noise and not warning of imminent attack.

Cat-owners will recognize many of the cat-sounds listed, although we may refer to them in more anthropomorphic terms: greet, grumble, nag, whimper, swear, sing etc.