Cat Body Language Communication
A cats body language can tell you an awful lot about what message the cat is communicating. Key areas to pay attention to when attempting to read a cats body language are the eyes, ears and tail.
The body language of your cat ranges from rolling over on their back, this is an invitation to come and stroke them which is also used to lure a mate when they are in heat, to arched back which they may display when they feel under threat.
A few important physical cues to watch out for are:
- Flattened ears may mean that your cat feels under threat.
- Ears twisted around with the back of the ear visible on the front of the head indicates aggression.
- Wide eyes and large pupils indicate attentiveness.
- An open mouth with no visual teeth may indicate that your cat wishes to play.
- A vertical tail indicates friendliness and that your act wants to say hello.
- A low tail indicates unhappiness.
- A wagging tail indicates anxiety .
Physical distance is also very important to cats, a cat will use distance to make it clear whether or not they wish to be involved with you.
If your cat comes close it means your cat is happy to see you and be stroked or fussed.
If your cat maintains a good distance it probably means they are quite comfortable and have no desire for interaction at the moment.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn a small fee from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This helps us run the site, so thanks for your support!
Do Cat Meows Mean Anything
Cats often use vocalization to communicate with their owners. To us, it seems like they are talking, but in truth, they arent really saying anything.
Cat meows dont mean anything because cats are not capable of understanding languages. As a matter of fact, cats do not meow at each other because they dont need to. They communicate using body language and smells. The reason they meow at us is that theyve learned that its the best way to gain our attention.
Do Cats And Dogs Understand Each Other
Cats and dogs do understand each other, but not perfectly. They cannot communicate with each other as clearly as they can with others of their own species. However, this doesnt seem to inhibit their ability to communicate.
Meowing or barking are not interchangeable animal languages. Even their body language can be different, leading to misunderstandings between cats and dogs. In a basic sense, dogs and cats can understand each other as well as humans understand either animal. Thats because basic intentions and reactions arent hard to communicate.
For example, a cats hissing, scratching, and yowling are odd and alarming sounds to humans and dogs. A dog will get the idea that your cat isnt pleased with it.
Likewise, a bark, growl, or bite are all signs of aggression that your cat will understand. Even though it doesnt bark itself, it will know that its not a friendly gesture. It deduces this mostly from how stark the action is and what body language accompanies it.
Read Also: What Is A Cat’s Normal Heart Rate
So Why Do Cats Meow Anyway
Cats use both visual and vocal signals to communicate with humans, but they need to vocalize to get our attention. With other cats, they tend to rely on visual and olfactory signals. When a cat says meow, its normally addressed to a human being, not another cat.
Many cats and their human companions seem to develop a pidgin language in order to communicate better. We dont know whether there are similarities in the languages or whether they’re specific to a cat/human pair.
Can Cats Communicate With Each Other Heres What You Should Know
Can Cats Communicate With Each Other?
Cats can communicate in many sophisticated ways that are unique to felines. They are creatures that can experience a wide range of emotions. The most common include anger, fear, anxiety, satisfaction, curiosity, disappointment, and many others. They express them in 4 ways:
1) Through the scent signals, which is the predominant way in which felines interact.
2) Through vocal communications, meowing and a long variety of cat sounds.
3) Visually, using body postures and movements.
4) Through touch, rubbing against each other.
- Can CATS communicate with each other?
- How do they perceive whats around them?
- Do they communicate with each other the same way they communicate with you?
All animals have their own language and way of communicating. There are many different types of animal communication, some of which we still do not fully understand.
Despite all the years of study and research, we are always finding new information about how animals send messages to each other. And cats are no exception.
If you share your home with cats you will surely agree with me that our pets can share their emotions and needs with us. This is why it feels like they are talking to us in many cases, right?
Have you ever wondered if cats can communicate with each other?
and how cat communication works?
Wonder no longer. Ive done the research and Im excited to break it down with you. Keep reading to discover how cats communicate with each other once and for all.
Read Also: Blue Buffalo Basics Cat
Why Did My Cat Hiss At Me While Playing
Cats can hiss at you while playing because your cat suddenly feeling threatened and afraid. You may have stomped on your cats tail by mistake or hissed too loudly. Or maybe you drew on the play for too long, and your cat now believes youre mad at it.
In any case, its possible that your cat is hissing at you because it feels threatened and wants a break from you. At this point, dont try to chase your cat it will just make things worse, and you could be scratched or bitten.
Your cat hisses to express their displeasure at being harassed. Some cats hiss because they want you or another human family member to leave them alone and give them their space, and they may hiss at other pets in the same manner.
If your cat is wary of humans or other animals, she may hiss frequently to warn intruders to stay away. This is only a warning to let these individuals or dogs know that if they dont listen, they could get scratched. If you continue to harass her, you could get a swat or two!
Finally, while hunting for a mate, non-neutered male cats may hiss. They do this to demonstrate to other male cats that they have sharp fangs and can fight. This might also be a warning that your cat is ready to get into a fight with another cat, so if you see this behaviour and are able to safely relocate your cat, and do so.
Summing Up Cats Communication Means
All animals have a way of communication with each other. Cats are not an exception, as they utilize three different ways of socializing with human beings and each other.
As opposed to what you may have thought, the primary mode of communication between felines is via scent marking. Rubbing against each others head or body portrays closeness, friendship, and comfort. Hissing or growling cats can establish relationships or divide the territory. Thus, I can profoundly say that through vocalization, cats can express their positive and negative feelings.
Meowing is more of a means of communication between cats and humans. However, when felines meow at each other, it is also a greeting.
I hope that the information provided in this article helped you to understand your pets better. Learning about cats behavior requires extra attention and time. However, after observing your felines for some time, you will learn all their methods of socialization. Do you know what your cat wants when it meows at you? How many cats do you have at home? Lets talk about it in the comments below.
Catademy is a one-stop source for all things feline catering to all our fellow cat lovers out there. Our blog is packed with helpful advice on cat diet, behavior, training, toys, products, and overall well-being of your cat. United by our passion for cats, we are here to assist you in caring for the happiness of your purrfect feline friends.
Don’t Miss: Blue Buffalo Adult Food
Vocal Communications: Cats Noises
Not all cats communicate with sounds though. Many prefer to remain silent, a predatory instinct they never get rid of despite becoming domesticated.
Cats REMAIN QUIET when they feel vulnerable and hide both physically and emotionally.
It mostly happens in 3 circumstances:
- when they are sick
- when they are in pain or
- when they are giving birth.
Only in some particular situations, cats communicate with other cats through sounds. This happens when they are away from home at night, for example.
Sounds are useful for addressing messages across great distances or when visibility is limited. Weve all heard the nightly cat sound concerts in the spring season.
Whats odd is that cats use vocal communication only with humans, while they use the other types of cat communication more with their kind.
Thats what anthrozoologist John Bradshaw says in his book Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet. He proved it by seeing how feral cats do not meow nearly as often as domesticated house cats.
Meows appear to be a vocalization they use to look for human attention so they can eat or get outside.
Scientists believe it is some kind of manipulative strategy to get what they want.
As Nicholas Dodman of Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine argues:
Cats can learn which noises are most effective in getting their owners to do what they want. .
# 1 Meow
For instance, cats may use a trill sound in greeting each other.
Do Cats Communicate With People The Same Way They Communicate With Other Cats
A lot of communication is the same whether your cat is expressing themselves to you or another cat, but PetMD notes that cats are more vocal towards humans than they are toward other cats. This may be because it is the form of communication that we notice and respond to most easily.
Want to learn even more about cat communication? Weve got you covered. Check out the articles below for even more information about meows, squinting, and insight into even more cat behavior.
Recommended Reading: Dawn Dish Soap For Cats
A Slow Blink While Maintaining Eye Contact Is A Special Type Of Communication
Possibly one of the most significant forms of eye contact with cats is the slow blink. Youve seen your cat do it, though you may not have known what it was. Your cat looks you directly in the eye, and slowly squints hiw eyes shut, and then slowly opens them again and meets your gaze. Some behaviorists call this the love blink. Others call it a kitty kiss.
According to Pets Adviser, in the wild, the slow blink is a signal to other cats that everything is cool. Its how cats signal that theyre not threats to each other, so theres no need for fighting. When your cat does this with you, hes signaling his happiness and contentment with you.
You can communicate with your cat using eye contact, too. Next time your cat slow blinks at you, try giving him a slow blink back. Close your eyes slowly, and scrunch up your face just a little. Then slowly open them again, and see how he reacts. You might just get a kitty kiss back!
Scent The Number One Cats Communication Means
Every cat has pheromone releasing glands on its neck, forehead, and chin. By rubbing against each others head, felines release and exchange scented oils and pheromones. This way, cats communicate and share feelings. Rubbing portrays closeness, friendship, and comfort at each others presence.
Scent release also aids in marking territory. It translates to a form of ownership for everything in sight, including you. Although you may not have thought about it this way, the truth is that cats have their means of marking their belongings and territory.
You may think about dogs first when reading about butt-sniffing greetings among animals. Such behavior is pretty rare for cats, as they usually smell each others neck and face. However, felines can also do butt-sniffing if they already know each other. I would consider it a kind of salutation. Butt-sniffing is a polite greeting gesture between familiar cats as if they were asking each other, how are you doing?
Spraying plays an essential role in territory marking. As a cat owner, you know that felines do cover their solid waste. But whats the case when they leave it open in the litter box? This action is not just a territory marking but a demonstration of superiority among other felines within your house.
Also Check: Blue Buffalo Indoor Kitten Food
What Are Cats Trying To Tell Us Science Will Explain
A new project is underway to decode kitty communicationand figure out if cats really like all that baby talk.
The Science of Meow: Study to Look at How Cats Talk
Nearly all New York State pet owners talk to their pets like they’re fellow humans, according to a recent poll.
Many believe their dogs and cats can respond with barks or meows that communicate hunger, fear, or simply the need to pee.
But do the animals tawk back in a Brooklyn accent?
That’s the sort of thing Swedish cat lover and phonetics researcher Suzanne Schötz is working to find out.
The Lund University researcher, who has three cats of her own, has launched a new study on how cats communicate.
For her experiment, Schötz is recruiting cats and their humans from Lund, in far southern Sweden, and from Stockholm, 310 miles north.
People from both regions have discernible dialects, so her goal is to discover if their cats do, too.
She also hopes to discover whether the cats’ meows mean different things, and if they respond differently based on how we talk to them.
National Geographic caught up with Schötz to learn more about her, well, pet project.
Cat Body Language: How Cats Communicate With Each Other
Think you know a thing or two about cat body language? Sure, there are some telltale signs: flattened ears signify displeasure, while a bared belly suggests trust, and so on. However, your cats body language towards you is often quite different from how cats behave towards each other. To better understand our feline friends, lets take a look at how they communicate with their own species.
Recommended Reading: How Old Is A 12 Year Old Cat
Why Is My Cat Hissing But Friendly
Its possible that your cat is in pain or is irritated, and when you touch it in a particular location, your friendly cat will alert you to back off before it scratches or bites you.
If your cat is typically quite sociable, but hisses at you when you touch it, you should arrange an appointment with your veterinarian. It is best to give your friendly cat some room if it hisses at you unexpectedly.
Cats may hiss when they are ill, especially if they have a chronic condition. If your cats body isnt operating properly due to organ failure or serious illness, she may hiss often.
Again, if you suspect this is the case, you should take your cat to the veterinarian right once. If you detect these problems early on, you may be able to treat or at least control your cats health condition in the future.
Anxiety or fright is another major reason of hissing in cats.
If your cat is scared of anything, she may hiss frequently. For example, if you have a dog in your house that your cat is terrified of, she may hunch down and hiss, even if she has no cause to be worried.
Fearful cats may flatten their ears flat against their heads, puff up their tails, and keep their eyes extra-wide open. These are all good indicators that your cats hissing is caused by fear.
Anxiety is comparable to this. If your cat is unexpectedly placed in an unfamiliar scenario that makes her feel uneasy or agitated, she may hiss and display comparable body language.
Body Posture And Tail
Perhaps the most telling part of cat body language is overall body posture, including tail behavior. A sign that your cat is feeling friendly toward another includes holding his tail high in the air with a tall, confident posture. The tip of his tail may even crook forward as he approaches another cat that he likes. And if hes feeling especially comfortable, he may roll over enough to display his bellythe most vulnerable part of his body.
On the flip side, if your cat is feeling uncertain or uncomfortable toward another feline, he may crouch down, tuck his tail along his body, and pause to observe the other cat. If he feels threatened, his body may show signs of aggression. This includes lashing his tail from side to side, his back and tail arched with fur standing on end, and crouching with his forelimbs close to his hind legswhich may indicate hes on the verge of attacking. Sometimes, though, it may simply mean that hes in an especially playful mood.
Recommended Reading: How Much Should A Cat Eat Daily
Purrr The Sound Of A Cat
The pitch, intensity, frequency, rapidity and volume of a cat’s meow reflect their different emotional states and physical needs. Cat’s use sound for different reasons, to communicate between offspring, to communicate with adults in their territory or with other species such as humans. Purring indicates a calm relaxed state although some cats also purr when they are in pain. Vowel patterns indicate a need for food or other desires. Loud strained intense sounds including hissing, screaming and growling are often associated with mating or aggressive behaviours.
What Are Cat Pheromones
Cats have scent glands in their skin, head, cheeks, paw pads, anal glands, and urinary tract. These scent glands produce a chemical known as a pheromone. Cats leave this scent behind whenever they rub against you or when they rub against another cat , knead, urinate, or even defecate. The pheromone represents a specific message and information used by the felines for survival. Thats why cats have a strong sense of smell as its their main method of communication. The purpose of the pheromone can be aggregation, sexual, territorial, or signalling.
When a cat rubs its head against another cat, it deposits feline facial pheromone on it. This is a sign of bonding. It indicates that the other cat is familiar and therefore there is a sense of security or comfort. A fearful cat can let other cats know its emotional state by producing fear pheromones through its skin. The fear pheromones can also be produced through the emptying of anal sacs. This explains why cats do not like being handled by veterinarians since they can smell the fear of the previous cats.
When a cat is kneading, it produces pheromone through its paws. This can be used to mark the territory or mark the object for kneading. For instance, when a kitten kneads on an object, another kitten will come later and do the same due to the message left behind.
Don’t Miss: Is Blue Buffalo Good Cat Food