top of page
CAT COMMUNICATION
Cats tell us what is going on with them all day, some cats are more subtle than others with their messages, but others leave you no doubt as to what is going on!
You can interpret what your cat is saying to you from:
-
Their Body Language
-
Vocalisations
-
Reviewing what Stimuli is in the external environment (e.g. a bird is flying in their line of sight) and /or within the cat (e.g. hunger) provoking their response.
All of these three things can happen simultaneously, and to learn how to read your cats' communication, it can be helpful for Cat Parents to have an understanding of this information so they can compile the signals and determine what it is their cat is saying.
Please click on the links on our Communication Cat Map to learn more about a Cats' Body Language and Vocalisations. Joe Daniel, Marie Henrietta, and Angel Hope all love to communicate with us and we try to keep an eye and ear open!
CAT COMMUNICATION CATMAP
VOCALISATION
Some breeds of cats (including the Siamese) are thought to be more vocal or talkative than other breeds. Cats can vocalise a number of different sounds to communicate and they can be categorized into:
Murmurs - Sounds produced with the cats’ mouth closed
-
Purr: Is the vibrating sound you hear from your cat which is cyclic and continuous (cats purr whilst breathing in and out, unlike other sounds which are only completed when breathing out). It is thought that the purr originates from the cats’ voicebox (larynx) and their diaphragm (muscle which assists breathing). Purring can mean Contentment / Illness / Fear. As it can express very different emotions, it is important to get to know your cat and what purring means for them. But it is thought that purring when a cat is ill or in fear can comfort them, much as their purring can comfort us when we hear it.
-
Murmur: Is a sound that is like a blend of humming and trilling, and it is usually a sign that your cat wants attention.
Vowels – Sounds produced with the cats’ mouth opening and closing:
-
Meow– What it means can depend on the context (i.e. I am hungry, change my litter, please brush me!) and you soon learn to distinguish the different meows which your cat makes and what they want as cats can meow in different pitches and length of the sound. Meows from a kitten are a way of communicating with their cat mum, but in older cats it is usually a method of communicating with a human Cat Parent and not other cats.
-
Chirps /Chirrup/ Trills – This sound could be described as a blend between a meow and a purr and is thought to be a sign of Happiness / Excitement. Joe Daniel sometimes does this when Mum gives him a morning cuddle.
-
Chattering – This sound could be described as a blend between a meow and a bleat. Your cat will mainly make this sound when they spot something they think is prey, often a bird. It is thought to be a sign of Excitement / Frustration. Joe Daniel and Marie Henrietta often chatter, Angel Hope is too cool for that!
High Intensity Straining Noises – Sounds produced with the cats’ mouth open:
-
Hissing & Spitting – This sound could indicate your cat is Annoyed / Frightened / Angry / Defensive and they may spit when they hiss. It is best to back away from your cat when they hiss as it is a warning and provide them with some space as they could get defensively scared and bite or scratch if you continue to approach them.
-
Growl / Snarl – This sound could indicate your cat is Frightened / Angry / Aggressively Defensive.
-
Yowls / Howls / Screeching – This sound could indicate your cat is in Distress (e.g. If a cat is stuck in a closet and cannot get out).
-
Caterwauling. Like a yowl or a howl, this sound is made by a female cat when she is in heat. Also two male cats in competition for the female in heat may make this sound.
VOCALISATIONS
WHOLE BODY - Body Rubbing & Head Butting
Most cats love to rub against their owners and other objects around the home.Your cat may just rub their head and checks against you or their whole body or even go to the extent of head butting you.Rubbing is a territorial behaviour; it is a way of your cat transferring their scent on you (and anything else they rub up against). Yes they are marking you as theirs and ensuring they get your full attention.
Joe Daniel, Marie Henrietta and Angel Hope all like to rub up against Mum and Dad and the whole house! Headbutting can also indicate that your cat is Content and wants to be patted, shown affection or brushed in the case of Angel Hope who can head butt you totally unexpectedly, kind of like a shark bumping you!
WHOLE BODY
TAIL
A cats' tail can move in a lot of directions and combinations of movements and the different positions of your cats’ tail can be an indicator of their mood:
-
Tail Straight and Vertical – Content/ Proud
-
Tail Straight and Horizontal – Confident / Alert (when Stalking)
-
Tail Straight and Horizontal & Shaking – Happy / Excited
-
Tail Tip Hooked at the End and Vertical – Cautiously Friendly
-
Tail Tip Curved Upward with Lowered Tail – Nervous / Defensive
-
Tail Straight and Vertical with the Hair looking ‘Electrified’ – Defensive / Aggressive
-
Tail Swishing – Playful Warning / Annoyed (whether Actual or Imagined!)
TAIL
FRONT PAWS
A cat uses their two front paws in body language which can communicate their emotional state. Two to look out for are:
Scratching:
-
Claw Cleaning /Conditioning
-
Territorial Marking: Firstly by the actual scratch mark left in the surface scratched, and secondly from the scent released from the glands in their paws that is transferred to the surface whilst they are scratching it.
Kneading (when your cat presses one front paw against a surface (be it a soft blanket or on you when you are wearing something soft and or fluffy) and lifts that paw up, then presses their other front paw into that surface and continues to alternate these movements with those paws (sometimes with claws unsheathed!):
-
Sign of a very Contented Cat.
-
Cats begin Kneading as Kittens (they do it as they are nursing from their cat mum).
Joe Daniel, Angel Hope and Marie Henrietta all knead at times, but Marie Henrietta seems to do it the most. All three scratch, but have their favourite areas. Unfortunately Angel Hope likes to scratch a section of our lovely leather lounge!
FRONT PAWS
WHISKERS
A cats' whiskers are located on either side of their nose. Whiskers are very 'touch' sensitive; if whiskers are even slightly 'touched' by surrounding environmental objects, this information is used by the cat to judge whether to move away from those objects to avoid collision or getting stuck. Another function which whiskers serve is to indicate a cats' mood:
-
Whiskers Held Slightly Sideways – Content / Relaxed
-
Whiskers Pushed Forward – Alert / Interested
-
Whiskers Pulled Back Parallel with their Cheeks – Anxiety / Fear / Anger
WHISKERS
EYES
The pupil is the black part of a cats'eye and the iris is the coloured part.
Pupils can adjust in size. The size of a cats' pupil, whether it is dilated (very large pupil, the black part of the eye takes over the iris) or its' usual size, can demonstrate different cat moods:
-
Dilated Pupils – Fearful / Aggressive / Defensive
-
Normal Sized Pupils – Contentment.
Cats do not have conscious control over the dilation and contraction (reducing in size) of their pupils. The pupils naturally dilate in areas where there is little light; and contract in areas with a lot of light (it is a protective mechanism of the eye to prevent damage to the eye structures from too much light).
EYES
EARS
A cats ears can move from facing the front of them, right around so that they are facing the back and pinned back. The different positions of your cats’ ears can be an indicator of their mood:
-
Ears Partly Forward & To the Side – Content / Relaxed / Listening
-
Ears Forward & Upright – Alert / Interested
-
Ears to the Side and Flattened – Anxious / Fearful
-
Ears to the Back – Annoyed / Defensive
-
Ears to the Back and Flattened – Fearful / Aggressive
-
Twitching Ears – Anxious / Nervous
-
Left & Right Ears Moving Independently – Uncertain
EARS
1/26
bottom of page