4 tips to help you read your cat's feelings



Some people who have had cats get angry at the next moment when they are screaming, or they want food but they don't even look at it. There should be many people who have had the experience. Inverse, an overseas media, has summarized the results of interviews with four experts on cat gestures that can be a hint to know when a cat feels happy or when he wants to stop stroking. increase.

What are cats thinking? Experts explain 4 communication signals

https://www.inverse.com/science/how-do-you-know-what-your-cat-is-thinking

According to Kelly Hicks, a veterinarian at Oregon State University, cats mainly use four things for communication: 'visual,' 'hearing,' 'smell,' and 'tactile.' Among them, the visual sense is the easiest for humans to communicate with cats. 'Visual signals and postures, or body language, are communication signals that can be used both close and far from cats,' said Catherine Pankratz, a certified veterinarian at the American Association of Ethologists, interviewed by Inverse. I'm talking.



When catching the visual signal emitted by a cat, the 'posture of the cat's body,' 'ears,' 'eyes,' and 'tail' are clues. According to Molly Devos of Cat Behavior Solutions, which works to reduce cat behavior problems and reduce delivery to shelters, cats'eyes and tails are the most commonly used body parts for communication. That. For example, when a cat greets you, the tail is raised.

Also, Michael Delgado, a consultant on cat discipline, said, 'People tend to interpret the signs of cat stress at their own convenience, so it is important to know the signs when the cat is comfortable.' talked.

Based on the advice of these experts, Inverse has classified the typical emotional expressions of cats into four categories, and summarized the points to distinguish each of them as follows.

◆ When the cat is happy
Here are some typical signs that cats show when they are happy:
・ Your ears are facing straight forward
・ Blink slowly
・ Knead with your front legs
・ Shake the tail slowly
・ Crying
・ Drool

Also, when the cat is relaxed, the whiskers turn positive, and conversely, when feeling anxiety or fear, the whiskers turn toward the face, so the direction of the whiskers is also a point when estimating the satisfaction of the cat. It seems to be.



◆ When the cat is angry
When a cat is angry, it growls and screams, and also gives the following signs.
・ Your ears are facing backwards
・ Hit
·hide
・ Shake the tail fast

While eye contact is a sign of trust between humans, it can be a signal of attack or vigilance for cats. Also, the cat will scratch his hand the next moment when he is satisfactorily stroked, but in order to detect such a whim, it is better to pay attention to the tail.

'Cats shake and twist their tails when they are frustrated or when they want them to stop, so looking at their tails tells us when to stop stroking them,' said Devos. According to Devos, when a cat is frustrated, it's best to keep a physical distance and give it more time and space to be one.

◆ When the cat is scared
The signs that cats are afraid of are:
・ Lower your posture or stiffen your body
・ Open your mouth or make your breath sick
・ Bloody eyes
・ Turn your ears back or sideways
・ The tail is wrapped or shaken

'If my cat walks with its tail down, it's a sign that I'm wary of something unpleasant or something, and like humans, shy cats have a stubborn waist. Sometimes I try not to look at each other so that I don't think it is. '



◆ When the cat is sick
According to Hicks, avoid contact with others when the cat is stressed due to poor physical condition. That's why Delgard said, 'When a cat doesn't come out from under the bed, it's a sign that something is dangerous or something is wrong,' he said. I recommended it.

However, experts warn that just because you're not hiding doesn't mean you're not feeling sick. Because cats are animals with a strong personality, a sign of happiness for one cat can be a sign of pain for another, and vice versa.

In that case, it seems that there is no clue to know the condition of the cat after all, but especially signs of illness and stress appear as changes in food intake, play, and other behaviors. So, Delgard said, 'When you see a change in your pet's usual behavior, something may have gone wrong.'

According to experts, when you don't understand the meaning of the sign issued by the cat, you should first keep a distance from the cat, remember the circumstances, and think about what caused the behavior and behavior. Experts advise that veterinarians should be consulted immediately when the cause seems to be a sign of some problem.

in Creature, Posted by log1l_ks