Cat behavior is often misunderstood because of our inability to read their body language correctly. Cats, just like us humans, use body language to communicate and broadcast information about their feelings and moods, desires, likes and dislikes. Understanding the meaning of various body signals can help you understand your cat’s behavior better, build a better relationship and even predict its behavior in the future.
Cat's feet are useful items and not just for walking and body support. For example, cat's paws knead when happy, or sometimes, if they're really nervous. Kneading goes back to when they were happily nursing close to their warm mothers. Their paws also are able to transfer their scent when they knead or rub them on things. The pads on the bottoms of their feet help to absorb the shock of landing after jumps or falls. Claws extend to attack or can extend when they need to be sharpened.
Vocalizations vary from cat to cat. Some breeds, like the Siamese, are known for being chatty, and will often “talk” to their family. Other breeds are mostly quiet. As you get to know your cat over time, you will learn what the different sounds mean. Your cat may meow when she is hungry, content, or playful. Purring generally indicates contentment. Hissing, spitting, and snarling are expressions of fear, anger, or dissatisfaction. Yowling is a cat-to-cat communication, and is often a cry of the female in heat
Rapid blinking can show anxiety in some situation but it can also be a sign that a cat has friendly intentions and does not pose a threat to another cat. Half-closed eyes or slow blinking is generally a display of contentment. Some cat owners believe that blinking at their cat, if the blink is returned, is the feline equivalent of giving and receiving a little kiss. Like humans, large pupils (dilation) indicate interest, while smaller pupils mean that your cat isn’t very alert or attentive.
A cat that is ready to fight will try to make herself seem as large as possible. The fur along her spine will stand on end, and she may arch her back. Her eyes will be narrowed to slits and her ears will lay flat back. Her whiskers will stretch forward.
By misreading your cat’s body language and by responding to its signals in wrong way your cat could develop certain unpleasant behavior problems, he could loose trust in you, become timid, aggressive and unpredictable. If you already have troubled relation with your cat then observing and understanding his body language can provide important information about his feelings and reasons and can be very helpful in solving your cat’s behavior problem.
