There is nothing like going home after a long day to your sassy yet cat signals snuggly feline friend. For those who started to have to work from home arrangements since the start of the pandemic, we are sure that cat parents will all agree how naughty their cats have become. Pets lie in peculiar places like on the laptop, on the keyboard, or even on the books you have been reading. We would like to think that they are catching your attention, but we still are not sure because they still look as unbothered as ever! Sometimes, we think we know a thing or two about our cats but still are not sure. The good thing is that we are going to share with you a few signs, and signals our cats want to say. Here are some of the messages our cats want to tell us!
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Exposing their belly.
Compared with dogs, understanding cats is usually more challenging. One moment, you think they love you. The next thing you know, they are now pouncing on you as if you want to kill you. Another example of this is when your cat shows you their belly. Cats showing their bellies can mean that they are comfortable with you, but sometimes, it also means that they feel threatened. This is why as much as possible, it is important to give your cat their own comfortable space, like giving their pillow, making a makeshift condo, or building cat shelves.
Cats stretch out and roll over when they are relaxed and satisfied. However, they also show their bellies if they feel threatened and cornered. This is why if you misinterpret this as being flirtatious and playful, they might extend their claws and show their teeth. They may scratch and attack you. It means that they are becoming defensive and that they are in fighting mode.
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Blinking slowly.
Do you ever notice when your furry friend blinks at you? If you see that your cat greets you with a slow, delicate blink, that is good news. That slow blink means that your cat is communicating its affection towards you. With cats, closing their eyes when they are with others is a big sign of trust.
If you catch your cat blink at you, you can also show your affection towards them by blinking back. This might sound absurd, but come on, we even baby-talk our cats. Blinking at them, you are telling your cat that you know they are there and you are harmless. You reassure them that they can trust you.
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Staring directly.
Eye contacts hold significant messages with cats. If direct eye contact for us is affectionate, for cats, it is threatening. This is why in a group, cats usually warm up more with those who ignore eye contact.
The cat’s pupils will also tell you if they are fearful. Experts say that the wider your cat’s pupil expands, the more fearful it is. When pupils are dilated, this means that it absorbs loads of visual information as it can. This means that the cat is scared and is planning its escape.
Although, you must also observe their other body movements because you cannot just focus on one detail. The eyes of an angry cat look constricted, but this can also be an effect of your lighting. You will see that your cat is in its threatened mode once it stops what it is doing and starts scanning its surroundings.
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Meowing.
Your cat’s meows also mean something. More often than not, these signals are directed to you because apparently, cats do not meow much to their other feline friends. Experts say that cats’ meowing variations serve as attention-seeking devices. Cats meow to manipulate people to cater to their needs. Their meows mean either just a simple greeting, asking for food, and more. However, experts remind cat parents that every cat is different. The key is to get to know your cat and their vocabulary. It will allow you to differentiate what they need.
For example, purring usually means that they are content. It can also mean that they are looking for comfort when they have just survived a near-death experience. If your cat belches out a high-pitched chat or gurgles, it just means they feel friendly towards you. If your cat hisses, growls or spits, that might be your signal to leave them alone and let them calm down first. If you hear a loud, guttural noise from cats, that must be caterwauling. This means other cats threaten your cat. This is also not unusual for cats who cannot hear.
Sometimes, your cat may even wake you in the middle of the night just because they want attention.
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Destroying things.
We think that part of the deal that we cat parents have agreed when getting a cat is their tendency to knock off our stuff and destroy it. If you know what this means, you can save all your other things. If your cat seems restless and knocks off different items, this means that they are bored and finding ways to amuse themselves. Cunningly, cats also know that doing these things will make you react and pay attention to them.
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Leaving “gifts”
We bet that you almost had a heart attack the first time your cat did this to you. Sometimes, cats will drop dead animals in front of you or near you. It can either be a dead rat, a dead snake, or anything. This can be gross or freaky at first. However, the reason why they do this is because they see you as a family, and they think that you cannot hurt yourself. Yes, this is also their way of saying that you need to work your ass off and also hunt like them. Cats are still hunters, so if they leave you gifts, this also means they care about you.
Be sensitive but give them space!
We think that at this point, we can all agree that cats are such unique creatures. They will love you, but you also need to respect their boundaries. You need to be sensitive to your cat’s needs, but it is also important to provide space only for them where they can be comfortable and feel at home.
Which cat signal did you find fascinating? Let us know!
