Have you ever asked yourself why Garfield’s seemingly flirtatious behavior of rolling over while

exposing his belly may be met with aggression when you try to stroke it? Though cats can’t speak the
human language but they sure can communicate through their whole body. A very fearful cat might not
only keep its tail down, but tuck it between its legs; this is done to present submissiveness to its
aggressors. Meanwhile a high, puffed-out tail might indicate a cat trying to make itself bigger to
intimidate their possible foes.

So it is important to take into mind about every detail: the cat’s posture, behaviour and of
course the whole context of the situation in assessing the cat’s mood. Comprehend the big picture first
but if you are still unsure, you can look to individual components of the cat’s body language and put the
pieces together to figure out what your cat might be feeling. The more you know about a cat’s
personality, the more you can understand their perspective. If you’re looking for an explanation for that
cat behaviour here are some insights into the minds of furry felines and why they do what they do.

Ears

The cat ears speak the volume of her mood. It is interesting to decode the meaning of how one
can communicate through the position of the ears.

 Slightly forward

The slightly forward positioning of the ears of a cat signifies that she is feeling confident
and calm or sometimes it means that her mood is playful and engaged. It just depends on the
context of the situation.

 Straight upright

Something had caught her attention. Cats have super-powered ears; the thirty-two
individual muscles each ear allows for a kind of directional hearing. So if she is doing this, she is
being very attentive, being alert and vigilant to every sound she can collect.

 Flattened sideways

This is referred to as “airplane ears”. The cat is feeling anxious and defensive. A cat who
is in defensive mode typically lies its ears down flat in order to protect its ears. You can almost
feel that they are afraid. So be careful if your cat’s ears are in this position.

 Pinned back, flat

Watch out for this kitty because they may be very angry. This ear gesture is associated
with hissing or growling; it shows that the cat is extremely furious and aggressive. It is not a
perfect time to get near her if she makes this kind of gesture.
 Eyes

Cats can see in near-darkness and their sharp eyes have the ability to detect motions of their
prey. But aside from that, the eyes of this little fellow are literally the window of their souls; their eyes
can give you hint to their emotional and physical state.

 Dilated pupils

A cat’s pupil may dilate when she feels surprised and scared. Dilated pupils are a sign of
feline excitement. You can notice it when she is playing or preparing to viciously attack a toy.
When the pupils dilate, they take in as much visual information as possible.

 Constricted pupils

This narrow, saucer-looking pupil signals an aroused cat. Anger, fear and primarily
pleasure: these emotions can cause pupils to contacts into slits to focus more effectively on
detail. But cats’ eyes also respond to ambient lighting therefore the body language as a whole
should be considered.

 Slow eye blinks

This slow blinks are the air kisses of the feline world. It indicates their love and trust. No
need to feel perplexed if your cat is doing this to you, return the show of affection with a slow
blink to share the love.

 Stare

Though people use direct eye contact to show affection, most cats find it threatening. A
dominant cat will stare into her opponent’s eyes, while a more submissive cat will look away
meaning she has surrendered to the dominant opponent’s authority.

 Half-closed

Droopy lids indicate a sign of affection, relation and trust. You may also notice this
expression when you tried to stroke her back, meaning she is really up to those.

Tell-tale tail
 Cats communicate with their body but one part probably tells it all. Tails are good indicator of a
cat’s mood. Let us dive into the cat tail language so we can understand how this body language can tell
so much on the cat’s emotion and situation.

 Tail up

One of the most reliable sign that a cat expresses her confidence and contentment is a
tail that is lifted vertically. A tail that sticks straight upwards signals happiness, comfort, and
openness. However, in certain context – like driving away an unfamiliar cat in her own territory
and a willingness to attack, a cat’s upward tail signals negatively. It all depends on the context.

 Tail down

A lower tail is a very serious mood; it indicates a cat who is scared or threatened and
shows that the cat may not sure of the situation. It could be a sign that they are aggressive.

 Tucked away

A tail curved beneath the body is a sign of anxiety and submission. When your cat
experiences a new environment or meeting a new person, she may tuck away her tail, meaning
something is making her nervous. She is in defense mode and is either expecting about a
possible impending attack

 Puffed up

A fluffy, puffed up tail resembling a pipe cleaner may look adorable but this Halloween-
cat tail is not a good mood; it means that your cat is terrified and is severely frightened. The
frightened cat with a puffed tail is trying to appear larger to ward off danger.

 Curved like a question mark

If you notice a curve in her tail which is in a shape of a question mark, consider to play
with her because this tabby signals a friendly mood and is up to share some fun time with you.

 Wagging tail

Unlike dogs, whose tail wagging simply means joy, when it comes to cat tail language, a
cat’s wagging tail is much more complex. A tail that slaps back-and-fourth indicates fear and
aggression. Watch out, because they might scratch the hell out of you.

 Swishing tail
 A slowly moving tail swaying back and forth usually means that the cat is focusing on
something. It is fascinated on a particular object and is trying to concentrate. He may move her
tail while deciphering the situation.

Body shape and posture

It is not enough for kitties to tell us what they feel through their tails, ears, and eyes. Often a cat
will use several forms of body language to display her feelings. Take time to understand their whole
body language and you’ll be able to better decipher his moods and needs.

 Lying on their back, belly exposed

An exposed belly is a sign of complete trust. They are comfortable enough to show its
vulnerable area to you. But many people believe that this belly up or also known as “Venus Cat
Trap” is an invitation for a belly rub; actually it’s a trap that few people can’t resist. There is a
huge chance you’ll get latched onto their hand with claws and teeth.

 Arched back

If a cat gets near you and arches their back, they’re trying to get you attention and tell
you to pet them. But sometimes an arched back combines with bristled hair means your cat is
frightened or angry. When a cat is fearful or angry to the point of being willing to fight, they'll
often make themselves as big as possible in various ways.

 Rubbing against you

Most people believe that this means your kitty is showing affection, but the real reason
for those cat rubs is to mark their territory. When cats rub against an object, they are
transferring their scent as if they are claiming it as their ownership and belonging. So maybe it’s
the other way around, you don’t own your cat but rather it owns you.

 Kneading

A cat making biscuits means that she is happy and contented because it associates her
kittenhood memories, the motion with the comforts of nursing and its mother. Cats knead only
to those people she loves. So if this furry friend does this to you it means they love you.

 Butt wiggling
 This funny and cute butt means that it is connected to stalking its prey. They wiggle their
hind ends back and forth to check their balance. It helps them determine if they have solid
ground under their hind legs to pounce and also helps them determine if they will make the
jump distance safely.

 The curled up cat

This is the most common sleeping position in cats. It means that your cat feels calm and
safe. Sleeping this way cats minimize their heat loss.

 Licking you

Mother cat licks their kittens to establish them as belonging to her, and your cat does
the same to tell the world you're hers. Cats show great affection when they start licking you,
considering you as an important part of the family group. They might do this while you show
affection by petting her.

What to look for in your cat’s behaviour?

 Neutral or Relaxed

1. Eyes may be blinking or half-closed.

2. Ears are at an upright and forward position – although they could swivel around if your
cat is listening to something.
3. The whiskers are relaxed, away from the sides of their face.
 4. Whether the cat is lying down, stretching out, curling up into a ball position, or lying in
their front while tucking its paws underneath; their body is relaxed, with no tension to
suggest they might be about to spring into action.

 Focused

1. Their eyes are open with constricted pupils.

2. Ears are in the straightly upright position while their whiskers prick forward.
3. Their body angled towards the focus of their attention or their body might be low to the
ground with hind legs coiled under their body.
4. Your cat’s tail, along with their hindquarters, might be twitching which is one of the
obvious signs of her concentration. Once you notice it, you’ll know they’re hunting!
5. If the object of their focus is you and then followed by the rubbing of their tail against
you, it simply means that they’re trying to ask for food. So don’t mistake this snugs for
affection -- these hunters are still focused on their goal.

 Happy
 1. When sitting, your cat’s position is relax and upright, ears are at an upright and forward
position – although they could swivel around if your cat is listening towards familiar
sounds like her owner’s voice.
2. When lying down, they may have their paws tucked beneath them, or be lying stretched
out on their side or even on their back, with legs spread outwards, which shows that
their living a life.
3. If she is blinking very slowly, mimic her behavior to show that you are relaxed – this is a
great way to bond with your cat.
4. Whiskers are relaxed and their tail is still with a slight curl like a question mark.
5. If you stroke your cat, their eyes may close in contentment and they will gently purr.

 Anxious

1. Eyes are open and not blinking, with dilated pupils.

2. Their ears might be swiveling around to perceive every sound she can collect or they
may even flatten back to their head is she feels very anxious.
 3. Their head lowers and their whiskers pull back to the side to appear non-threatening or
may sweep forward for alert.
4. As anxiety escalates, your cat might start to cower, or their back might arch.
5. A still tail is signs of anxiety. If you see this distinctive cat tail sign, make sure to offer
some reassurance.

 Fearful

1. The cat’s ears flatten back against their head while their whiskers flattened or bristling.
2. Eyes are widely open and pupils fully dilated
3. They may run away or crouch but some cats will straighten their front legs to make
themselves look taller, or arch their backs and fluff themselves up to look bigger.
4. They may hiss or spit at close threats, growl or strike with claws out.
5. Their tail may be tucked under their body or be moving vigorously from side to side.

 Frustrated
 1. It focuses intently on their object of frustration. It will do everything just to get what
they want.
2. Their senses are set onto their goal – eyes are widely open with pupils dilated, ears
forward, and whiskers forward-pointing and spread.
3. They may stride impatiently if they can’t get to what they want.

 Angry

1. A twitching, slapping tail or held low can indicate feline anger.

2. They could be silent, hissing, spitting or growling. These sounds are the closest to saying
“Hey, back off!”
3. An angry cat tries to look large and threatening, displaying an arched back with fur erect
or crouching in a threatening manner.
4. Their ears will lay flat back against their head, and whiskers will be stiff away from their
face.
5. They will be giving you the unblinking stink-eye. Their pupils may either be dilated or
constricted depends on the amount of light in the room, but with the other clues you
can clearly hint a furious lion.