Cat Body Language

One of the best things you can do to strengthen your relationship with your cat is to understand their body language. People communicate mainly in writing or speaking while cats use their body and sense of smell and touch. By understanding their language, we can improve our relationship with them and interpret relationships between cats within our home.

By observing your cat, you will see differences in body language by the positions of their body, tail, ears and eyes. The signals of all these body parts combine to give us a clear idea of what they are trying to say. Sometimes fearful cat body language, such as closing their eyes, hunching close to the ground and tucking their tail around them, may be an indication of pain. You should discuss any signs of anxiety, stress, or pain with your veterinarian.

Body Position

Examples of relaxed body language:

• Loose, stretching out on side

• Rolling on back comfortably

• Eyes blinking slowly, casually gazing or closed if sleeping

• Ears in a neutral position or forward if alert/attentive

• Tail in neutral relaxed position, tip might move slightly or upright in a question mark shape

Examples of fearful body language:

• Tense

• Hunching to ground, trying to hide

• Eyes dilated in a light room or averted stare

• Closed eyes but faking sleep may indicate pain/stress

• Ears rotating backward or partially outward

• Tail curled around or under body

Examples of increased fear with possible aggressive body language:

• Arched back with tail hair standing on end, possibly dilated pupils and pinned-back ears (“Halloween cat”)

• Eyes in a fixed stare

• Ears flattened to either side

• Tail twitching, lashing, or tail hairs standing on end

Usage Note

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