How to Interpret Your Cat's
Body Language 202




    This page goes along with How to Interpret your cat's body language 101, which is
    about normal and friendly behavior.  How to interpret 202 is about angry and
    fearful behavior.

    Angry or fearful behavior
    We need to be able to recognize a cat’s angry or fearful body language.  The same
    language is used to speak to us or to other cats or pets.
    Whiskers are a message from the cat’s body.  When they are pushed forward or
    laid back it means the cat is ready to pounce if we get any closer.           
    The tail is another indicator of a cat’s mood.  A wagging or twitching tail tells us to
    stay away because the cat has become irritated.  This sometimes happens when a
    cat decides that it’s had enough petting.  When you see the twitching tail, stop
    petting and let the cat leave.  A thumping tail means the cat is upset.  A fat tail with
    all the fur standing straight out means the cat is upset and going on a rampage.   
    It’s ready to fight and is making itself look larger to scare us.  This kind of tail is
    called a bottle brush tail.   
    Another way cats makes themselves look larger is to stand sideways, arching their
    backs like Halloween cats.  They erect all the hair on their body, which is called
    raising their hackles.  They show their teeth and they may hiss, yowl or growl.      
    They’re ready to bite.  They lower their head.  If the enemy doesn’t go away, the
    cats flatten their ears against their head to protect them during the imminent fight.
    Your cat's eyes can indicate fear or anger.  When the dark pupil is as small as a slit,
    your cat may be afraid and may react in anger.  When the dark pupil is a large
    round circle, your cat may be taking the role of the aggressor.  But don't forget,
    that a relaxed cat's pupils will be slit-shaped in bright light and round in dim light.  
    Take the situation into account when you try to figure out the cat's
    emotions.               























    Too aggressive
    When normal cat play becomes too rough, we can try to redirect the cat's play by
    tempting it with another object.  But, two male cats fighting tooth and nail with hair
    flying is a fearful sight.  One or the other may end up going on a quick trip to the
    vet.  Act quickly to prevent worse problems.  An excellent way to separate cats that
    are already going at it is to throw water on both of them.  The cats will scatter and
    the water will eventually evaporate from the floor, rug or furniture.  Stay around for
    a few minutes and then take one or the other out of the room.
    I’ve been in this situation.  I try to keep my alpha male cat, Pinky, away from one of
    the other males.  When I fail to do this, they fight terribly.  They run at each other
    and scream and claw each other, aiming for the face and eyes.  They bite fur off
    each other and fight like crazy.  No sense in letting it go on until one is injured
    badly.  I know my cats, so I grab the alpha cat to get him away from the other as
    soon as I get there.  
    I’m not advising you to do that.  Throwing water is safer.  
    You can browse through images of Pinky by clicking on my page, Oder Cards and
    Prints.           

    The cat hurting you
    If a cat clamps his teeth or grabs a hold of you with his claws, stay put.  Do not pull
    away.  The cat will win.  You will lose some important part of you that you had
    wanted to keep intact.  Instead, talk gently and softly until the cat lets you go.  It
    may be possible to grab the cat by the scruff of its neck and the cat may assume
    the normal relaxed kitten-held-by-mother position and let go of you then.

    Young children may not realize how gently they must play with a cat or kitten. They
    need to be supervised.  Cats have lightening speed combined with sharp claws
    and teeth.  Keep your children's eyes and your own eyes away from the cat's claws
    unless you’re wearing glasses.  

    The cat that's hurt
    Be careful of the cat that is injured.  They may not understand that you want to
    help them.  They may strike out to protect themselves.  You can help by throwing a
    blanket or towel over them and then grabbing them quickly and assertively.  Bring
    them to a place where you can safely find out what the problem is.  
    When a cat becomes fearful for some other reason, a good idea is to leave it alone
    for a while.  If you really need to catch it, try throwing a blanket or towel over them
    and bringing the cat to a safe room.
    When a cat is in pain, it pulls back its ears.  It may rub, lick or paw at the place of
    pain.  It may hang its tail between its legs.
How to Interpret Your Cat's
Body Language 202