Understanding your cat’s body language: 10 signs that reveal their mood

Whether you are a veteran cat owner or a new one, the question that pops up often in our minds about our feline friends is “why are they doing that?” Cats can be warm and loving in their own way and yet, be independent - longing to go out every day to explore the great outdoors, even if they are living in an urban jungle.

It can be confusing to figure out a cat’s emotions and feelings towards you but that’s because they have their own way of communicating. For instance, adult cats meow only for humans which shows that they are definitely trying to communicate and have a relationship with their owners.

Even now, there is a lot about cats that perplexes us, compared to dogs - who seem to be transparent in their love and worship towards humans. Some say that it’s because cats were domesticated much later than dogs.

Cats are believed to have been domesticated some 12,000 years ago while dogs have been living with humans between 18,800 and 32,100 years ago. That says a lot, doesn’t it! They have had more time to adapt to humans than cats - who are still considered wild. Not a lot has changed in cats physically and genetically.

So, if you are among those who puzzle over your domestic cats’ behaviour, here are some clues about their behaviour:

5. Showing belly

If a cat shows you its belly, they are showing that they trust you, but be wary about touching said belly because you never know if it was an invite to touch or not

6. Hiding

If your cat is hiding, then they are scared of something. It could be that they are scared of someone in the house or loud noises, could be anything. Just make sure they have a safe space to hide in

7. Meowing

An adult cat meows to say hello to humans or to ask for something or to say that something is wrong

8. Wide eyes

A cat that is worried is likely to have wide eyes and pupils because they are trying to focus on the perceived danger

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