If you own a cat, it might feel like you’ve developed a shared language with your pet, whether it’s a certain meow or a slow blink.
But do you really know how your kitty is feeling?
A study this week revealed that cats have almost 300 different facial expressions.
This includes 126 facial expressions that suggest they’re feeling friendly, and 102 that indicate they’re in a grump.
Here, MailOnline reveals how to tell if your cat is feeling content, anxious or even unfriendly, based on their facial expressions and body movements.
MailOnline reveals how to tell if your cat is feeling content, anxious or even unfriendly, based on their facial expressions and body movements
If your cat’s ears face forward, with the tips pointing upwards, that means the cat is content. Chin also thinks that a soft, blinky gaze is a sign of peace
If your cat’s ears are flattened with the tips pointing down or back, it suggests your pet is anxious, according to Chin. If the cat licks itself suddenly while doing something else, it might also be trying to calm down
Author Lili Chin’s book, Kitty Language, was released earlier this year, and is described as an ‘illustrated guide to understanding your cat’.
When writing the book, Chin spoke to qualified ‘cat behaviourists’ – experts who study the movements and manners of cats – and asked them to explain how the animals communicate.
CONTENT
Cats’ ears have 32 muscles each and are among the most expressive parts of their physique, Chin explains in her book.
If they face forward, with the tips pointing upwards, that means the cat is content.
Chin also thinks that a soft, blinky gaze is a sign of peace, while if the tail is upright and relaxed, it’s a sign of friendliness.
ANXIOUS
If your cat’s ears are flattened with the tips pointing down or back, it suggests your pet is anxious, according to Chin.
If the cat licks itself suddenly while doing something else, it might also be trying to calm down.
CURIOUS
Chin advises to look out for ‘radar ears’, when the ear openings rotate in one direction and then change course.
This means that the cat is curious, scanning the room to pinpoint a certain sound.
Your cat’s tail can also provide key clues that they’re feeling curious.
If your cat licks its lips or nose quickly and then swallows, it could be uneasy, according to experts
If the whiskers are spread forward and the cat is excited you can assume they’re receptive. Meanwhile, their teeth chattering indicates excited observation, according to Chin
A brush of the tail means hello and a swish from side to side means that the cat is captivated by something.
The bigger the swish, the stronger the interest.
EXCITED
If the whiskers are spread forward and the cat is excited you can assume they’re receptive.
Meanwhile, their teeth chattering indicates excited observation, according to Chin.
UNFRIENDLY
If the whiskers are pressed back, it means your cat wants you to stay away.
A prolonged stare with the head held high is also a sign of a threat.
In addition, if your cat licks its lips or nose quickly and then swallows, it could be uneasy – wanting to reduce tension. (If it licks its lips after eating, it’s just full.)
TERRIFIED
Dilated pupils? That could indicate terror, although Chin does clarify that feline eyes are not 20/20.
‘Cats see movement better than details,’ she said.
Dilated pupils? That could indicate terror, although Chin does clarify that feline eyes are not 20/20
Your cat’s tail can also provide key clues that they’re feeling curious. A brush of the tail means hello and a swish from side to side means that the cat is captivated by something. The bigger the swish, the stronger the interest
‘If yours looks as if it is staring at you without blinking, it could be that it is just looking at motions in the room and not directly at you.’
What’s more, if the tail is lowered and rigid, the animal may be unsure: creeping about and keeping a low profile.
Dr Brittany Florkiewicz, a researcher from Lyon College in Arkansas and senior author of the new study, added: ‘It is good to look at a cat’s ears, eyes and whiskers to understand if they are feeling friendly.
‘Their mouth provides a lot of information about whether a cat fight is likely.’
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR CAT? THE 13 SECRET SIGNALS FELINES GIVE THEIR OWNERS
Cats are often branded aloof and solitary creatures who spend their days plotting their human owner’s demise, but such characterisations could not be further from the truth.
In fact, our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether it be through their whiskers, tail, face or body language.
In her eye-opening new book Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat, author Lili Chin – with the help of animal behaviourists – explains how to interpret your pet’s movements.
Below are some of the most common behaviours and what they could signal.
Our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether it be through their whiskers, tail, face or body language
