by Pamela Merritt

Created on: November 22, 2007

Many cats are vocal, but it's an acquired second language they use to talk to humans. Their first language is their body language.

Many cat expressions are analogous to our own. Wide eyes are surprise, narrowed eyes means the cat is considering something, while half-closed eyes belong to a relaxed, happy cat. Long, slow, blinks of the eyes conveys interest and affection. We can return this message by sending "cat kisses" of our own, and it's thrilling to have the cat respond.

Unlike humans, cats have expressive, mobile ears. Folded back, they are wary, ready to become aggressive. But when they are relaxed, the cat is relaxed, too, and then their ears resemble melted pats of butter sliding off a spoon. Ears tilted forward express interest, and when they "flick" in quick movements the cat is alert to something.

When the cat lets their mouth hang open, they may look amusing, but what they are doing is taking in scent and letting it flow over the Jacobson's Organ in the roof of their mouth, just behind the front teeth. This allows them to make fine discriminations with their very sensitive sense of smell. It's also something they do during play, as they open their senses to better understand all the input.

The whiskers on their nose helps them navigate in close quarters; the width is just right for the very flexible cat to know they can get through an opening. Whiskers drawn back against the face is usually accompanied by a snarl, so steer clear. Broadly spread whiskers means the cat is ready for action, while whiskers pointing forward are a sign of affection.

A crouching cat is ready to pounce, whether on a real mouse or a mouse substitute. Stalking stiff-legged means a wary cat, ready to leap away. An inquisitive cat strolls, head held level with the body. A defensive cat presents their side, arching the back and puffing out their fur to appear larger. The relaxed cat will roll over on the back and present their belly. This is a sign of trust, but be careful about petting that inviting belly. Unless we know the cat very well, the cat can get excited about this expression of vulnerability and grab our hand. We must then gently extract it.

Winding around our legs is a sign of friendliness. Kneading is when cats soften up our laps with their paws. They are recalling their kittenhood, when they kneaded their mother's belly with their paws to stimulate the flow of milk. As adults, it is an expression of trust. Rubbing their heads against us marks us with their scent, saying

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