The Tell-Tail Signs Your Cat Is Trying To Communicate

A graphic artist based in Los Angeles spent three years studying the biological and psychological aspects of cats, poring over scientific papers and talking with experts.

The result is “Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat” (Ten Speed Press; June 13), a delightful, detailed look at what your pet is telling you with its body.

Here are some of the book’s key observations:

Nose Lick!
Visual Signs (quick lick on the lip or nose followed by swallowing (not to be confused with licking lips after eating), means your cat may be feeling uneasy, concerned or put on the spot.

Ears!

A cat’s ear position tells a lot about its emotional state. When they start going backwards and downwards, that’s when we know something isn’t quite right…

Forward-facing ears typically mean cats are in a good mood, but it’s not that simple.

If they’re tall and close together, the kitty is alert and happy.

If the ears face forward and are angled slightly to the side, your pet is relaxed and content.

But if ears are facing forward and pointing outward, the cat’s likely, not happy.

In short, “the farther the ear tips move away from each other, the less comfortable your cat is feeling, says the book!

Whiskers!
When they have whiskers pressed backwards, that’s usually a sign that they may be feeling a bit overwhelmed. Forward-spread whiskers often mean a cat is excited or curious about its surroundings.

Tail!
When you see a cat come towards you and their tail is up like a flagpole, that is a friendly tail, that cat is saying, ‘Hey, hi, how are you?’ 

A cat can have a lower tail and be somewhat relaxed, but in general, the lower the tail, the less confident a cat is feeling about things at that moment.

Tail motion is also revealing.

“If a tail is moving, like wiping [side to side], that’s usually a sign of irritation. They’re getting worked up about something

Eyes!
A relaxed cat or a happy cat will have soft, blinky eyes, their eyes almond-shaped,” Chin said.

When a cat stares with wide eyes, it can mean various things.

Cats are complicated!