Communication

Main article: Cat communication

Vocalizing domestic cat

Domestic cats use many vocalizations for communication, including purring, trilling, hissing,

growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing. [7] Their body language, including
position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of
mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail
indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's
position in the group's social hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than
subordinate ones.[104] Feral cats are generally silent.[105]:208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common
greeting and may be followed by social grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and
tilting its head.[97]
Purring may have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signalling mechanism of
reassurance between mother cats and nursing kittens. Post-nursing cats often purr as a sign of
contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed, [106][107] or eating. The mechanism by which cats
purr is elusive. The cat has no unique anatomical feature that is clearly responsible for the sound. [108]