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When you hold a conversation with your cat (or indeed any other), clearly your cat isn't going to respond using the same language. But by reading your cat's body language, you can get a pretty good idea of what he's on about.
For instance, if you see a cat in the street during the day, and the cat doesn't quite know whether you're a friend or not, his eyes will become rather large, like big dark circles. This is the 'fight or flight mode'. Either the cat is scared, or if this expression is exhibited in a friendly environment, the cat is about to pounce / run / do something stupid, like run halfway up a tree just for the hell of it.

Cats have the same expression with big black eyes during the night, but this doesn't mean he's scared, it's just like how your pupils dilate when there's no light.

If a cat has its tail directly upright, it means he's happy. It's a bit like a greeting, but is a gesture of goodwill and friendship also. Stroking a cat will prolong this - as stroking is a very friendly cuddly thing to do for a cat. They love it. Some cats don't like being stroked a certain way, but they'll tell you by walking off. If the cat turns and bites you or claws you a little bit but doesn't change the rest of his body language, he's basically saying 'I want to playfight'.

If a cat's eyes are half closed, or if he slowly blinks at you like he's fed up, he's not. He's saying 'I like you'. More accurately he's saying 'I don't feel threatened by you, you shouldn't feel threatened by me". Another sign that a cat feels comfortable around you is when a cat yawns. As odd as it may seem, yawning at a cat is your way in cat language of saying "i'm not going to hurt you". Combine this with slowly blinking at or around the cat whilst keeping your eyes no more than half open will go far to put a wary cat at ease.

Some cats may get a bit annoyed if you keep trying to get attention from them. This is why it's best to go up to a cat, say hello, and then retire to your area. If a cat wants more love and affection he'll come to you. Although quite often they don't mind a good stroke every so often, don't overdo it, some cats don't like that. Indeed, others may never leave you alone. Just like people, therefore, some are their own person, some are clingy. You'll find the right balance.

On the occasion that you approach a cat and his ears flatten (sometimes accompanied with a lowering of the head, or a low whining sound), this means he's scared. Leave well alone.
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