Communicating With Your Cat

The Tail
A cat's tail can act as a very good indicator of her moods and feelings. A happy, relaxed cat will hold her tail straight up; the higher the tail, generally speaking, the happier the cat. She will come to greet her owner or feline companion with her tail held high, often just bending over slightly at the tip.

A cat who is fearful or unsure will carry her tail half raised, and an unhappy cat will carry her tail low. A scared or angry cat may fluff her tail up to try to make herself appear larger or more threatening to adversaries. A cat's tail will twitch when she is excited or playful, and some cats may twitch their tails out of sheer pleasure when being petted.

If a cat is swishing her tail from side to side in broad movements, this can signal annoyance. If she does this when you are playing with her, you may wish to stop or she may follow up with a physical attack. A cat will lash her tail rapidly back and forth if she is really agitated or angry, and an attack may certainly be imminent, so be aware!

If a female cat crouches down, making treading movements with her back legs and holding her tail to one side, she is making a sexual invitation and is likely to be on heat.

Ears
A cat will hold her ears upright and forwards when relaxed and happy, or greeting her owner or other companion. If they are very upright, she may be alert and listening to something she finds exciting or intriguing.

An unhappy cat, however, will hold her ears back, indicating nervousness and possibly impending aggression. Twitching ears can also indicate a cat who is unsure about the situation in which she has found herself. A cat who's ears are flat back against her head is definitely feeling aggressive; it is thought that this posture offers the ears protection against attack or in a fight.

Eyes
If her eyes are wide open, she is alert and interested. A cat who half closes her eyes is feeling sleepy and relaxed.

If she takes a long and slow blink, this means that she is feeling very relaxed and content; a cat will communicate affection for her owner or feline companion by looking into the eyes, averting the gaze and slowly blinking. If you do this to her, she is likely to reciprocate the gesture.

Other body language
A cat will arch her back and bristle her fur when feeling threatened or aggressive, to try to appear as large and threatening as possible to enemies.

A cat who is feeling totally relaxed and at ease will roll over onto her back and expose her belly- this is her way of showing that she has complete trust in you, as she is potentially exposing herself to attack. Be aware though that cats do not like having their bellies rubbed- do this and you are likely to feel her claws!

Cats will often greet a feline friend or owner by touching noses, or rubbing their faces along cheeks or ankles. As well as being a sign of affection, they have scent glands in their cheeks, so this action marks you with their scent as a sign of 'ownership'. You will probably see her marking items of furniture this way, to establish her 'territory'.

Cats will also lick each other in a sign of mutual grooming and affection. A cat will often lick her owner to show her affection. If you take time to study your cat's body language, you should get a much better understanding of how she is feeling.

How to Make Your Cat Adore You

Cats are capable of making a wide variety of sounds, ranging from howls and purrs to chirping noises. Here is a quick guide some basic cat sounds and what they mean;

Meowing is the most common sound a cat will make, and can mean any one of a number of things depending on tone, pitch or volume. A soft meow is usually a greeting to her owner or a cat companion. If the meow is more strident in tone, it is usually a demand for something, ie food or attention. The louder and more strident the tone, the more urgent the demand. Sometimes a soft, higher pitched tone is used, if she is asking more politely. A repeated, loud meow is also a strong demand and is very difficult to ignore.

A scream will indicate that she is in pain, or very distressed. Screeching is used when emotions are running high, such as prior to a fight. And we have all heard the unearthly wailing of two cats trying to intimidate each other prior to conflict- often in the middle of the night!

A purr is used to show contentment, although cats have also been known to purr when injured. It is thought that the vibration purring causes aids the healing process and soothes cats. If she meows whilst she is purring, she is feeling very relaxed and content.

A cat will growl as a warning, for instance if you are playing with her and she wants you to stop. Persistence will usually result in physical attack, so be warned. Hissing is used as a serious warning or intimidation; the cat's next move would almost certainly result in an attack.

A soft chirruping call (known as the chudder) is used to attract attention, or as a gentle greeting.

You may see your cat watching birds through the window, and making an odd little 'chattering' sound. This is very common when they are watching prey they cannot reach, and it is not known whether this is meant as a threatening sound or caused by frustration.

Domestic cats tend to vocalise more than cats in the wild, probably because they have learnt that this is the best way of attracting human attention. If you observe your cat over a number of weeks, you should become very familiar with her own unique 'vocabulary'.

How to Make Your Cat Adore You

Cat Clip Art

Secrets Of Bonding With Your Cat

There is no doubt that owning a cat can be a very rewarding experience. This article contains tips and hints to help you to get the best out of your relationship with your cat.

First of all, remember that staring directly into a cat's eyes can signal aggression to them. The first step to bonding with your cat is to look into her eyes, then look away whilst blinking slowly. This is how cats show affection to a feline companion or owner, and if done regularly will help the bonding process.

Pet her often, if she enjoys this. Take the time to find out where she likes being stroked; this is easy as she will purr louder when these area are being petted. Try under her chin, her forehead and the bridge of her nose. Most cats enjoy daily grooming, especially if introduced to it at a young age. Always be gentle when grooming and stop when she has had enough.

Make sure you keep to a feeding regime; cats thrive on routine, so feed her at the same time each day and she will love you for it.

Don't try to pick her up unless she likes this, and don't do this when she has just eaten or if she is not in the mood; she may try to struggle free and hurt herself. Never try to restrain her against her wishes.

Never punish her by hitting her; cats can not equate physical punishment as a consequence of their actions. She will become fearful of you instead. Bad behaviour is much more effectively punished by withholding treats (not meals) or by saying 'no' loudly and clearly.

Ensure her needs are met, give her plenty of fuss and show her the respect she deserves, and you will have a happy and healthy cat who thinks the world of you!

How to Make Your Cat Adore You

Do you want your cat to adore you? Would you like to learn how to transform her into an adorable ball of fluff who will follow you everywhere, purr everytime you glance at her, keep you warm at night and reward you every day with her loving attitude.

If you want your cat to adore you, you must first adore your cat. If Kitty falls in love with you after you learn to follow this "courtship" plan, you had better be willing to have a 'feline fan club' - even if there is only one cat in it. You don't want to make her love you then let her down with a betrayal if you change your mind.

Click here to learn these secrets and make your cat adore you!