SolveYourProblem.com Article Series: Cat Care
Cat Care Tips
Understanding
Your Cat's Body Language
There
is so much that can be told about a cat's mood by observing
his body language. A happy cat will
have his ears held high and a tall, straight tail. Ears that
are slightly swiveled to the side, or a tail held high but
bent over at the tip towards his back show that the cat is
very happy. A tail that is carried horizontally means that
the cat is feeling average; a drooping tail means that he is
unhappy or unwell. A bottle-brush looking tail means that a
cat is ready for battle or is very frightened.
A mother cat will usually allow her young kittens to play
with her tail, but when she gets tired of this it will thrash
wildly, and teach them to leave it alone. Therefore, the thrashing
tail indicates that a cat is about to lose his temper, while
a slowly wagging tail means alertness.
Fear
or anxiousness is also displayed by lip-licking and possibly
purring. Rapid blinking can show anxiety, a sign that a cat
has friendly intentions and does not pose a threat to another
cat. Half-closed eyes or slow blinking display contentment,
and many owners believe that blinking at their cat , if the
blink is returned, is the feline equivalent of giving and receiving
a kiss. Large pupils indicate interest, while smaller ones
mean that the cat is not so alert.
The whiskers
drawn forward displays a sign of pleasurable
anticipation. When a cat is about to be fed, or when he catches
a prey animal, then they will be almost wrapped around the
body. Whiskers are drawn back tightly against the face to emphasize
the snarl when two cats confront one another. And in the cat
world yawning is not a rude behavior, but rather a sign of
reassurance.
You may be infuriated when your cat refuses to use his cat
flap, and instead, calls for you to open the door. However,
this too is a valuable survival technique. A cat will not enter
or leave a room unless he can see his way clear, and that no
larger predators are lying in wait for him. For this reason,
he prefers his owner to open doors wide so he has a clear view
of what lies ahead. He will wait a moment or two, checking
out the territory, before going through the open door.
Cat flaps do not allow for this because as soon as a cat begins
to go through the flap, he is committed. He cannot turn around
and get back in because he will be trapped by the flap. This,
and the fact that flaps have to be opened by pushing the head
against them, accounts for the reluctance of most cats to use
them. And if it is raining at the front door, chances are your
cat will ask to be let out the back door, thinking that it
might not be raining at the other side of the house! #
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
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