Behaviour basics · 6 min read
What's Your Cat Saying? It's All Body Language
By feline behaviourist Mitali Parekh
Dogs have been studied for 20,000 years; cats escaped being put to work. Here is what their bodies are telling you.
Why we know less about cats
As a species, we've been living with dogs far, far longer than we have with cats, and that's why we know so much more about them. Humans engineered breeds to suit tasks as we went from hunting to farming to city dwelling. The dog has been by our side for nearly 20,000 years, and there are libraries filled with books on breeds, canine social behaviour, and medical histories.
Cats have been smarter, and escaped being put to work for humans. They started adapting to co-existing with us when humans began storing food in granaries. These food storerooms would be infested with rodents, birds and insects — a buffet for wild cats. Through most of our shared history, cats remained indoor-outdoor pets, and adapted to complete indoor living only in the middle of the last century, with the invention of litter.
Cats communicate with other cats mainly through pheromones — communication hormones. For us to understand each other, we must rely on body language, verbal communication and context.
Confidence and fear
A stiff tail, forward-leaning whiskers and movement towards an object is confident curiosity. The opposite — crouching, turning turtle with all the limbs pulled into the body, whiskers down and ears pinned to the head — means fear.
Rising of fur along the spine, or puffing all the fur up, is a defence gesture: the cat is trying to intimidate by appearing larger. However, the fur along the spine can even puff up in arousal, say when you open up a tube of a rare and favourite treat.
The belly is not an invitation
The “submissive” belly-up gesture we associate with dogs is a gesture of trust in the cat. A beloved pet may stretch and expose her inner torso when you come home, but unlike with dogs, this is not an invitation for a belly rub. Ask those who have tried.
Terror, and illness
A terrified cat will freeze and hold her position. The ears are flat down, the eyes are narrowed, and they crouch. The more they hold this position, the more frightened they are. They are trying to be unnoticeable until the threat passes. Do not approach the cat at this time; it will only send her into panic.
When a cat is ill, she'll hide to stay safe from predators. So if your cat has been seeking out closets and drawers, it's time to go to the vet. She'll cry out when the pain is unbearable — a 10 on 10 — and it is quite possible for cats to die of pain.
Invitations to connect
If you've just met a cat, and she has touched her nose to your outstretched index finger, she may take this to the next level by rubbing her sides against you, with the back arched. This is an invitation to pet her further — the cheeks and behind the ears are a safe place to start.
