Cat Body Language

Heart
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Tail High In The Air

My cat Jacques almost always has his tail straight up in the air as he trots down the hallway. This is his way of saying, “I’m happy and absolutely ready to play if you wanna.”

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Low, tucked tail

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When cats are afraid, they try to make themselves as small as possible. A tucked tail make them tinier targets and show us they’re not into whatever is happening.

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Tail Flicking Back And Forth

You might get an ominous feeling looking at your cat’s tail flick back and forth like a metronome. That’s because she’s a little agitated and telling you to leave her alone. In certain contexts, it could simply indicate she’s on high alert

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Arched Back

An arched back combined with bristling fur and an alert expression is a sign of aggression. Your kitty is alarmed. Cats will try to make themselves as big as possible if they feel threatened.

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This seems like something cats might do on the regular, but positioning their bodies sideways or moving to a position that only exposes one side of their body means they are ready to run if needed. In a word, they’re fearful.

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Standing sideways

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Facing head on

Unlike canines who may see a head on interaction as a sign of aggression, cats do this when they are feeling self-assured and positive.

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My cat Foxy will often waltz into a room and sit down facing away from me. It feels like an absolute insult; she could not be less interested in what I’m doing and needs me to know it. In reality, she’s demonstrating how much she trusts me

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Facing away

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Crouched

Again, crouching is simply preparation to leap out of harm’s way. An alert crouch means your cat is anxious.

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Stretching, belly up

Exposing the belly is a huge sign of trust! It means your cat feels totally secure and relaxed around you. As Cat Protection warns, it doesn’t mean she wants you to rub her belly, though. No. She’ll protect that by biting and scratching. Try it!

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Rolling around, belly up

Even if your cat seems healthy, you should visit the vet at least once a year. Annual visits give the vet a chance to catch any potential health issues in their early stages, administer vaccines, and clean your cat's teeth

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