Cat Talk

My cat talks to me!  Every day when I get home from work, there he is, sitting by the door, looking straight up at me. “MEEEEEEYOOOOOORE!”   He says.  Oh, more…that’s what he says…he wants more food!  Well, that’s what it seems like he says anyways.  This is just one example, but my cat is always communicating with me.  He rubs my leg, purrs when I pet him, and so much more.  Some of these things seem like simple signs of affection, but what do they really mean?

Cats do communicate.  Aligned with their nature, a cat’s ability to communicate is often much more subtle than a dog’s.  A dog will run up to you and simply start barking.  Yep, he wants something alright.  A cat may meow, but usually plays it a bit cooler.  Let’s examine a few of the ways in which cats communicate and what it all means:

Purring - No doubt you have experienced this one.  Most little kids refer to this as the cat’s “motor” running.  You might have guessed that this means the cat is happy and you would be right most of the time.  While a cat does purr when it is content, sometimes a cat will purr if it is hurt badly or under extreme stress.  It is thought that endorphins released from the brain trick the cat into feeling content even if it is near death.  The majority of the time though, your cat is just enjoying himself.

Blinking - This is one of the more subtle of cat communications, but you might have noticed this one.  Sometimes, a cat will achieve eye contact with you and slowly and deliberately blink his eyes at you.  Much like a woman might do to flirt with a man or visa versa, the cat is showing you their approval of you.  This is a good sign.  Feel free to do it back to the cat.  Cat’s can pick up on these subtle signs from you as well.

Tail movement - The next time you watch your cat, take notice of where his tail is.  A cat often uses its tail to display what it is feeling at any given time.  A tail that is straight up in the air signals the cat is content, while the tail hanging half raised shows displeasure.  If you cat’s tail is hanging very low or down, he may not be happy or may even be sick.  Tail twitching can be a sign that a cat is being playful, is excited OR is ready to pounce.  Watch this one closely and if he is eyeing YOU, then you might be the POUNCEE.

Fur standing up/back arched - We have all seen the famous Halloween symbol of a black cat with its back arched and hissing at some unseen demon or goblin.  If you have ever experienced this one, it is pretty easy to tell that the cat is NOT happy.  Cats, like most creatures, would rather avoid a physical altercation than go to blows with another animal.  A cat, in order to avoid a fight, will raise its fur and arch its back in order to appear as large as possible in hopes of scaring the other animal away.

My cat DOES talk to me; he just uses a different language than we do.  If you take some time and learn these and other subtleties that cats display, you will be able to better communicate with your cat and make sure you are tending to his needs as a pet owner.