Body language cat

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Body language

Cats rely strongly on body language to communicate.

y Disgust The lifting or constant shaking of a paw or paws. The more times the pawis shaken, the stronger the cat's feeling; this can sometimes be a four paw affair with

each paw being lifted and shaken in turn. This behavior is possibly related to theidentical action displayed after stepping into water. Displeasure at a situation can be

shown by moving the ears back and rapidly swishing the tail.[citation needed]

y Agitation orAggression the swishing or sweeping of the tail in a wide swath, inmid-air or against a person. Tail flicking indicates inner conflict, while wide tail

swishing shows external conflict. Further irritation may result in the cat moving or

leaving the room and even physical aggression.[citation needed]

y Contentedness Kneading with the paws on a person or, for example, a favoriteblanket or sleeping spot. Young kittens knead their mother's nipples to stimulate the

feeding reflex so that her milk flows. Cats may knead for a short or extended period oftime; the extended period is sometimes interpreted by people as a sign of discomfort

or restlessness, but it is more likely that the cat is happy. Most cats will demonstratethis for about ten minutes at the longest, although some have been known to knead and

suckle on their favorite human's shirt or ear lobe over the course of an entire night.Researchers at Oxford University have demonstrated that cats derive immense

pleasure from kneading, similar to the relaxing sensation for humans from snacking onfavorite foods or being massaged.

[citation needed]

y Relaxation sprawling on the side or back and, possibly, rolling about; this may beseen, for example, when a person enters the room or stirs from their seat. Sometimes

they roll over onto their back and shake their paws in the air. This behavior shows

complete relaxation. The cat may display this at the same time as the person'smovement.

[citation needed]

y Affection a pressing of the face or top of the head against a person's body (headrubbing, nuzzling), leaving a scent to mark the cat's territory; or rubbing in quick

succession. Cats may also blink slowly as an expression of affection or security.[1]

Many cats also use a question mark-shaped tail to show desire to greet someone they

are fond of. They will also stretch to show they are content with their surroundings.Cats may also lick their owner or another person to show affection.

[citation needed]

y Submission Upon being approached, it will fall down on its side, indicating it is notseeking attention and is unwilling to put up a fight.

[citation needed]

y Interest and Rejection The position of the ears communicates the degree of desireto engage with the situation around them. Ears up and moved slightly forward showsreal interest in what is going on, while ears moved backward shows distaste and desire

to not engage with the situation. Cats show disapproval by moving their ears back, anequivalent of a human frown. They also crouch and turn their back to the situation to

indicate disinterest or unhappiness. A cat will either move a little or give a faint"meow" if it does not want to be picked up.

[citation needed]


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y Desi e for Attention To soli it attention (for food or affection) from humans, catswill rub their bodies againstthe human's legs with back arched and tail raised. Less

often, a cat may reach out and touch a human with its forepaw to get attention

Meowing

A cat meowing

"Meow" redirects here. For other uses, see Meow (disambiguation).

A meow is a vocali ation used by cats to signal a requestto their mother. Adult cats do not

normally meow to each other, and so the meowing to human beings that domesticated cats

exhibitis likely partly an extension ofthe use ofthis plaintive signal.[3]

When communicating

with human beings, adult cats express variations ofthis tone to demand food or attention,

register complaints, and convey bewilderment. An alteration in tone, pace, or punctuation

changes the meaning, however slight.[4]

While cats occasionally vocali e to one another withpurrs, growls, and screeches, theygenerally communicate with one anotherthrough body language. When preparing to fight an

adversary orto frighten one away, cats can emitlong, articulated meows. Most vocali ations

recogni ed as "meow" are specifically for human interaction.[5]

The word meowis itself an onomatopoeia with various spellings including meow, miaow,

miaou, mrow, mau, me-ow, and myow, and sometimes other sounds such as reow, or

booreow.

[edit] Purring

Main article: Purr

A purris a sound made by all species offelids. A tonal buzzing can characterize differently

between cats. Domestic cats purrin a frequency of 25 to 150 vibrations per second. Purring is

often understood as signifying happiness;[6]

however, cats sometimes purr when they are ill,or during tense, traumatic, or painful moments.[7]

Although purring is a universally recognized phenomenon, the mechanism by which cats purr

is elusive. This is partly because the cat has no unique anatomical feature thatis clearly

responsible forthe sound.


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Breeds

BreedCountr

yOrigin

Body

typeCoat Pattern Image

Abyssinian Ethiopia NaturalOrient

alShort Ticked

Aegean cat Greece NaturalStanda

rdSemi-long Bi- ortri-colored

Australian Mist

Australi

a Crossbreed

Moder

ate Short

Spotted and Classic

tabby

American

Polydactyl

United

StatesNatural

Orient

al

Short/Lon

gAll

American

Bobtail

United

Statescrossbreed

semi-

cobbymedium all

American CurlUnited

StatesMutation

Short/Lon

gAll

American

Longhair

United

StatesLong all

American

ShorthairUnited

States Short all


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American

Wirehair

United

StatesMutation Rex All but colorpoint

AntipodeanNewZealand,Australi

a

Asian Semi-longhair

BalineseUnited

StatesCrossbreed

Orient

alLong Colorpoint

BengalUnited

StatesHybrid Short Spotted/Marbled

Birman Burma Natural Long Colorpoint

Bombay

[India] Crossbreed Short Solid

Brazilian

Shorthair

Brazil Natural Short All

British Shorthair

United

Kingdo

m

Natural Cobby Short All


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British Longhair

United

Kingdo

m

Burmese Burma Natural Short Solid

Burmilla

United

Kingdo

m

CrossbreedShort/Long

California

Spangled Cat

United

States Crossbreed Short Spotted

Chantilly/Tiffan

y

United

States

Chartreux France Natural Cobby Short Solid

Chausie

France Hybrid Short Ticked

Cheetah

United

StatesHybrid cross Short Spotted

ColorpointShorthair

Short

Cornish Rex

United

Kingdo

m

Mutation Rex All


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CymricIsle of

Man

Natural/Mut

ationLong

Devon Rex England MutationOrient

alRex All

Domestic

shorthaired cat

United

StatesShort All

Donskoy orDon

SphynxRussia Hairless

Dragon Li China Natural Short Striped tabby

Egyptian Mau Egypt Natural Short Spotted

European

Shorthair

Sweden-

ItalyNatural Short

Exotic Shorthair UnitedStates Crossbreed Cobby Short All

German RexGermany

Mutation Rex

Havana Brown

United

Kingdo

m

Short Solid

Himalayan/Colorpoint Persian

United

Kingdo

m

Crossbreed Long Colorpoint


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Japanese Bobtail Japan NaturalModer

ate

Short/Lon

g

All but colorpoint

and ticked

Javanese CrossbreedOrient

alLong Colorpoint

Korat

Thailan

dNatural Short Solid

Kurilian Bobtail

Russia NaturalSemi-

cobby

Short/Lon

g

LaPerm

United

StatesMutation

Moder

ateRex All

Maine Coon UnitedStates

Natural LongAll but colorpointand ticked

Manx Isle ofMan

Natural/Mutation

Short/Long

All but colorpoint

Minskin

United

StatesCrossbreed

Semi-

cobby

Short/Hair

lessAll

Munchkin UnitedStates

Mutation

NebelungUnited

StatesSemi-long Solid


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Norwegian

Forest Cat

Norway Natural Long All but colorpoint

OcicatUnitedStates

Crossbreed Short Spotted

Ojos Azules United

States

Oregon Rex United

StatesMutation Rex

Oriental

BicolourBicolour

Oriental

Shorthair

Orient

alShort All but colorpoint

OrientalLonghair

Oriental

Semi-long

Persian

Greater

IranCobby Long All

Peterbald Russia Crossbreed Oriental

Hairless All

Pixie-bob

United

StatesNatural Short Spotted


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RagamuffinUnited

StatesCrossbreed Cobby Long All

RagdollUnited

StatesCrossbreed Cobby Long

Colorpoint/Mitted/

Bicolor

Russian Blue Russia Natural Short Solid

Russian White,

Black and Tabby

Australi

aCrossbreed Short

Savannah

UnitedStates

Hybrid Short Spotted

Scottish Fold Scotland Natural CobbyShort/Lon

gAll

Selkirk Rex

United

States

Mutation/Cr

oss

Rex

(Short/Long)

All

Serengeti cat

United

StatesHybrid cross Short Spotted


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SiameseThailan

dNatural

Orient

alShort Colorpoint

Siberian

Russia Natural Cobby Semi-long All

SingapuraSingapo

re*Natural* Short Ticked

Snowshoe UnitedStates

Crossbreed Short Colorpoint

Sokoke Kenya Natural ShortClassic tabby withticking

Somali

UnitedStates

Mutation Long Ticked

Sphynx

Canada MutationOrient

alHairless All

Sumxu

ChinaNatural/Mut

ation

Thai/Old-style

Siamese

Thailan

d Natural Short Colorpoint

Tonkinese

Canada Crossbreed ShortColourpoint/Mink/S

olid


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Toyger

Turkish Angora

Turkey Natural Semi-long All but colorpoint

Turkish Van Turkey Natural Semi-long Van

TurkishVankedisi

Turkey Natural Semi-long All white

Twisty

Cat/SquittenMutation

UkrainianLevkoy Ukraine Hairless

Ussuri RussiaNatural

hybrid*Short Spotted

York Chocolate

Cat

United

States

BreedCountr

yOrigin

Body

typeCoat Pattern Image

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Body language cat