Answer: A cat is able to communicate its mood to other animals and humans by the posture and movement of its body in particular in the position of its tail and ears, the appearance of its eyes and sound it makes.
A contented cat will have relaxed mescal and it may just its site quietly, through its erect areas (‘prick ears’) indicate that its alert and carefully watching what goes on. Contented cats and tend to wash themselves with long, slow licks. Washing with short, sharp licking movements occur when the cat is upset about something and its body is more tense.
Pleasure at seen the owner is often is indicate by standing with the head lowered, the hind quarters raised and the tail held and straight up and often what is tip bent slightly forward and moving slowly from side to side. In this posture the cat moves slowly, rubbing its cheeks, whiskers and tail against the owner and often wending between the owner’s legs or the jumping on to his lap. Purring is the usual accompaniment. This behavior is strikingly similar to that of the sexually respective female cat who crouches with her rear end held high and her tail down to one side. As mentioned previously, purring is usually an indicator of pleasure and the cat may at the same time make rhythmic treading movements with its feet, similar to those made by kittens whilst feeding.
When a cat is upset, its body muscles are tense. In the presence of the strange cat or other animal, e.g. dog or human, the cat will remain motionless while its assesses the situation, keeping its eyes fixed on the Stanger.
If the cat is very anxious and afraid as this Stanger approaches, the pupils of its eyes open wide (dilate), and its eyes dart rapidly from side to side looking for escape route. It may adopt a submissive posture, crouching down with its ears flattened sideways across its head its chin drawn in and tail held low. This submission may have the effect of the appeasement if the aggressor is a cat, who then withdraws without attacking. If the aggressor comes nearer, a submissive cat will roll on its back, but a paw will be raised and will ultimately be used to defend itself. Or the cat may try to make a run for it. But if it finds itself cornered it will be obliged to adopt to a defensive posture. In this it combines signs of fear with those of aggression. The cat growls, hisses and ‘spits’ displays its canine teeth and arches its back. It tries to stand sideways on to the Stanger and raises the hair on its back and tail, all to make itself appear larger and more threatening. The tail is usually held upright.
If all these warning signs are ignored and the strange animals approaches closer then a yard into what is called the ‘flight distance’ when there is no escape route, the cat will attack. It should its tail straight out behind, crouches down and, with claws extended and fangs bared, leap out.
However, the cats may adopt a dominate, aggressive stance from the start. In the offensive mood, the pupils of the eyes are constricted and the cat will attempt to ‘stare out’ his opponent. He faces the Stanger with head stretched slightly forwards, his ears erect and his back stretched out straight. The hairs on the tail bristle only moderately and the tail is held in a characteristic ‘straight down’ position with the tip often flicking from side to side. He moves very slowly nearer his potential adversary, growling and howling, and salivating so much that he is obliged to swallow. Eventually the two cat are only short distance apart. Then after a long period of facing each other, during which the tail movements become more violent and howling rises and falls, one cat may suddenly attack the other with a bit and the fight begins.
As will as the sound of purring and what are called ‘strained intensity’ sounds, i.e. those of fear and anger, hissing and growling, cats can make many other sounds. Up to sixteen distinct sound have been distinguished. There is a trilling sound used for greeting and by mothers to encourage kittens to suckle, and a verity of ‘miaows’ used in conjunction with a questioning look to ask for things or to indicate anticipation, pain or disapproval. And in the breeding season, the caterwauling of males and the yowling of females may shatter the quite of the night. Most of these adult vocalizations can be produced by cats after three months of age. Some breeds, particularly the Siamese, are extremely vocal, whereas others such as the Abyssinian are naturally much quitter.
When feeling ill and watched, the cat keeps its tail low, has miserable facial expression and spends a good deal of time hunched up, often not even bothering to eat or wash it self.
Cats in an agony of indecision about how to behave in a perplexing or frightening situation may start to groom themselves, jus as humans may scratch their heads or bits or their fingernails; an example of so-called displacement activity.
A cat that wants something from its owner will usually continue to look directly at him or her, often ‘miaowing’ at the same time, until it gets what is want or is shooed away, or else give up. However, cats themselves have a dislike of being looked at directly. If a cat that is being secretly observed become aware of the cat it will stop whatever it is doing an will re-continue its activities only in an obviously self-conscious and more hesitant manner.
