Listen…your Cat’s Communicating

There are times we all wish  ‘if our cats could speak to us…’ They do, just listen… with a purr, meow, hiss and growl, our sweet kitty is passing thousands of emotions to us.
Saying it with sounds : By listening to your cat and talking back, you can bond better and make your cat more expressive of his feelings. Kitties’ mode of communication is different. With purring, our kitty informs us that he is very happy. But some cats use purring to convey their illness. And when he wants to be left alone or in an aggressive mood, he informs you with a growling and hissing sound.
Saying it with his tail : You can read your cat’s mood by observing his tail. A happy and relaxed tail is horizontally behind or even slightly drooping. A friendly tail is upright like a flagpole. If your cat is friendly but cautious, his tail will be upright but hooked over the top. If your cat is intrigued by something, tail is straight up but tip is tilted to one side. Very excited tail is curved like a question mark. If the tip of the tail quivers or twitches, he is mildly irritated. If the tail is bristled and straight up, it means the cat is angry, aggressive or ready to attack. Attack mode tail is swishing violently from side to side. Scared tail is held low and bristled. Submissive tail is held low and tucked between the hind legs.
Observe his back : Cat’s mood can also be gauged by looking at his back. If your kitty is arching his back and bristling, it is sure that he is frightened and on the defensive and he may attack at this point. In contrast, a submissive cat will shrink into a couch indicating that he only wants to be left alone.
So, now you know what your kitty is telling through his purr, meow, hiss, growl, tail, back etc…
(Sudhersena, a volunteer at the Blue Cross since 1998, an avid animal lover has 9 cats and 3 dogs. She is associated with a number of animal welfare campaigns and programmes. For further info, contact: Blue Cross of India, 72 Velachery Road, Chennai-32, or email: bci@bluecross.org.in)