Understanding your cat’s body language and behavior is key to strengthening your bond and recognizing their needs. Cats communicate through tail movements, ear positions, vocalizations, and overall posture.
Understanding Your Cat’s Body Language
- Tail Language: An upright tail with a curve at the tip or wrapped around you expresses happiness, trust, and affection.
- Ear Position: Ears forward or relaxed communicate curiosity, playfulness, and relaxation.
- Eye Signals: Slow blinks are a sign of trust and affection.
- Vocalizations: Purring usually indicates contentment while chirping or trilling is a sign of excitement.
- Body Posture: Laying on their side or back shows they feel safe and secure.
- Kneading (making biscuits): This indicates comfort and contentment.
- Rubbing against you: This is a sign of affection and territory marking.
Common Cat Behavior Questions
Why does my cat meow excessively, and how can I reduce it?
Some breeds, including Siamese cats, are normally more talkative than other cats. They will use their meow to have conversations with their people. Increased meowing or yowling, especially at night, can be a sign of pain, underlying disease, or cognitive dysfunction in older cats. If your cat has had a change in vocalization, it is best to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause.
What does it mean when my cat purrs?
Purring is most often a sign of contentment. They will often purr when they are happy and comfortable. However, cats can also purr when they are stressed or in pain.
Why does my cat knead its paws on soft surfaces?
Kneading is often a sign of comfort and contentment. They also have interdigital glands on their paw pads, which is a scent glands that produce a pheromone that is used to mark their territory.
Why does my cat suddenly run around the house at high speeds?
Zoomies (sudden bursts of energy) are a normal way to release energy. Cats may sprint around the house, especially at night.
How can I stop my cat from scratching furniture?
Scratching helps cats stretch, mark territory, and keep their claws healthy. It is also a much needed anti-anxiety or self-soothing behavior. Providing multiple scratching posts and surfaces can prevent damage to your furniture.
Why does my cat hide when guests come over?
Many cats enjoy quiet, enclosed spaces for security. When strangers are in their environment, it is normal for them to hide until they feel their space is safe again.
What should I do if my cat is aggressive towards other pets or people?
If your cat is showing aggression toward other pets or people, it's important to identify the cause and address it appropriately. Cats can become aggressive because they are fearful, territorial, or in pain. They can also become aggressive because of frustration from another source.
Why does my cat refuse to use the litter box?
- If your cat refuses to use the litter box, it could be due to medical, behavioral, or environmental factors. Identifying the cause is key to resolving the issue.
- It is important to always give your cat the ‘medical benefit of the doubt’ when there are changes in litter box habits. They can often avoid the litter box with they associate it with pain or discomfort. This can be from urinary tract infections, bladder stones, arthritis, kidney disease, diabetes, or other digestive issues.
- Cats are picky about their litter box setup, and they prefer a clean space. Scoop litter daily. The box should be in a quiet, accessible area and large enough to accommodate their need to turn around and bury their feces.
- Be sure there are enough litter boxes. The rule of thumb is one box per cat, plus one.
- Cats may avoid the litter box due to stress or changes in their environment. New pets, people, or moving homes can cause stress. Other cats in the house may also block their access.
What does it mean when my cat brings me "gifts" like dead mice or insects?
Bringing you ‘gifts’ like dead mice, insects, or even toys is a natural behavior rooted in their instincts and social bonds. It can indicate that they see you as family, and they are trying to teach you how to hunt or share their food with you. Cats have a strong prey drive, and when they catch something, they deliver it to a safe place, which in their mind is near you. They may also be looking for praise or acknowledgment for their hunting success.
How can I tell if my cat is stressed or anxious?
Cats can exhibit a wide range of behaviors when they are stressed or anxious. These can include urinating outside the litter box, destroying furniture or other objects, excessively grooming themselves, decreased appetite, increased hiding, increased vocalization, vomiting, and more.
If you are concerned that your cat is exhibiting signs of stress or anxiety, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out serious health conditions as the source of the stress.
Why does my cat lick or chew on non-food items?
Cats lick or chew non-food items for a variety of reasons. Anxiety, boredom, and stress can cause obsessive behaviors like licking and chewing. Oral pain due to periodontal disease or teething in kittens can lead to chewing on things to help alleviate pain. Some medical conditions can also cause abnormal eating behaviors. Some cats that were weaned too early as kittens can develop wool-sucking behavior and may chew on fabric.
How can I help my cat adjust to a new home or environment?
Helping your cat adjust to a new environment should start well before the move when possible. It takes time and patience for them to acclimate to new environments. Providing a safe space in a quiet room with their essentials, keep a consistent routine and use familiar scents to help them feel comfortable. Allow gradual exploration of their new space, ensuring there are hiding spots and vertical spaces to retreat if needed. The use of calming pheromones such as Feliway can help reduce anxiety.
What does it mean when my cat shows its belly, and should I pet it?
When a cat shows its belly, it's usually a sign they feel safe and comfortable. It means they are trusting and relaxed, and in some cases can even mean they are in a playful mood. However, it can also be a defensive position, so be sure to read their facial expression and claw position! Some cats enjoy belly rubs, but others instinctively react by grabbing your hand and biting.
How can I train my cat to stop jumping on counters and tables?
- Cats love elevated spots, so they will seek out these surfaces wherever they are available. The best way to prevent them from jumping on counters and tables is to provide them with better options. Cat trees, wall shelves, and window perches provided elevated areas for them to monitor their environment, as well as enrich of safely viewing the world outside the windows.
- You can also make counters less appealing by putting double-sided sticky tape or aluminum foil on the surface, having motion-activated deterrents that emit a puff of air when activated, and using natural citrus scents like lemon or orange peels as cats do not like them.
Why does my cat follow me around the house?
Cats form strong attachments to their humans and may follow you simply because they enjoy your company. They are also very curious creatures and like to keep tabs on what is happening around them. They can seek attention when they want interaction or play. If your cat has a sudden change in behavior, it may also indicate that something is wrong, and if it continues, they should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
Is there a type of specialist I can see for cat behavior problems?
Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorists specialize in evaluating and treating behavior problems in cats.
What should I do if my cat is exhibiting abnormal or weird behavior? How do I tell if it’s an emergency?
Any time your cat is exhibiting abnormal or weird behavior, it is worth a trip to your veterinarian. Changes in behavior can often indicate a medical condition.
Will different breeds of cats exhibit different behaviors?
Different cat breeds can exhibit different behaviors. For example, Siamese, Burmese, Bengal, and Main Coon cats are more likely to be more talkative than other breeds. Abyssinian and Sphynx cats are known to be more playful and interactive than other cats.
Are there medical problems that will affect my cat’s behavior?
Absolutely! There are many medical conditions that significantly impact a cat’s behavior. Changes in thirst or frequency in urination, vocalization, grooming behavior, appetite, and general energy levels can indicate a wide array of diseases, including kidney disease, thyroid disease, bladder infections, pain, and more. If your cat is showing changes in behavior, it is important to have them evaluated by their veterinarian to ensure the disease is caught early for more optimum outcomes.
If you have questions, we would love to answer them for you. Please give us a call at the office at (503) 968-2911, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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