This may seem like a simple topic, but after studying my own cats I feel that it can be much more complex than what you may think.
But we'll start with the obvious:
An arched back and downward curved tail means your kitty is scared;
Purring means that your kitty is relaxed or happy;
An arrow straight body and tail along with growling or hissing means kitty is angry or feels threatened;
When kitty rubs the side of her face on you, she's claiming her as her own.
The tail gives a lot away about their moods. For instance, a tail that's curved at the end, like a question mark, means she is confused. A tail that's tucked, like a dog, means she is afraid. A straight up-and-down tail means she is happy or content. A twitching tail means she is anxious, excited or annoyed. A tail with crazy hairs sticking up most likely means that kitty is angry or threatened about something.
Just like humans, the eyes are the window to a cat's soul. When a cat slowly blinks while looking at you, consider you kissed by your cat, as it's the same as blowing a kiss.
Wide eyes with dilated pupils are hard to tell, as it could mean she's excited or mad.
Vocally, cats can say a lot more than what you may think. When she has a short, high-pitched meow, she's saying, "hello!"
When she's meowing multiple times in a row, she's excited to see (or talk) to you! Just like humans do when they're excited to see someone, cat's can "chatter" too.
When she's drawing out her meow, she's complaining about something.
If she suddenly meows, kind of like a scream, did you accidentally step on her tail? Could she be fighting with another cat?
A hiss means she's trying to threaten you. Beware.
A cats head gives a lot away about her mood as well. Licking, touching her wet nose to yours or head butting are all signs of affection. When she sniffs your face, she's trying to figure out who you are.
When her ears are pinned back, watch out. She may attack.
Sometimes her mood is easy to read. What do you think my cats are thinking here?
Hi Whitney, Your Maine-coon is definitely chilling. I picture him in the bush, after a feast. I'm so glad you mentioned the nose touching and head butting behavior of cats. You, and probably your cat, sense affection. Important to me, is the definite expression of inclusion to the animal's social group, very important!
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