Communicating with your cat: the keys to understanding it

Communicating with your cat first requires observation. Your pet has its own language, which you will learn to decipher over time. Communication makes it possible to understand his current state: is he happy, stressed, or in a playful mood? His behavior – meowing, purring… – also tells you his needs: is he hungry, does he ask for cuddles, is he sick? Finally, establishing dialogue, through play and affection in particular, is essential to create a relationship of trust and a strong bond with your animal, for more well-being on a daily basis. To communicate well with your cat: pay attention to his physical attitude, listen to him and talk to him!

How does the cat communicate with its surroundings?

To communicate with its surroundings, the cat uses its body, meowing and purring. While each feline has its own subtleties of language, certain behaviors are universal: they reliably tell you what your pet is trying to express to you, be alert! The better you understand your cat, the better you address its needs and satisfy its desires: its well-being is at stake, as well as the quality of your relationship… How to better understand your cat? Watch it and listen to it. Discover how to decipher the meaning of your pet’s meows, purrs, and attitudes.

Learn to decipher his meows

The frequency, intensity, and sound emitted when your cat meows vary: listen to it carefully to translate its meow.

Your cat meows repeatedly, emitting a long sound, close to you and possibly rubbing against your legs: he is asking you for something. Ask yourself if his basic needs are met: are his food and water bowls full? Is his litter box clean? If he’s heading for the door looking at you, maybe he just wants to get out.

• The meow is particularly loud and the sound is serious: your cat is communicating its fear or anger. Evaluate the possible dangers that seem to threaten him, calm him down, and reassure him with words and caresses. If he hisses, he may be preparing to attack a small prey or to defend himself against an “enemy” intrusion, be ready to intervene if necessary.
• Your feline meows jerkily: he is expressing his stress. Again, try to identify the source of stress to find the appropriate solution.
• Your pet welcomes you with a soft meow when you return home: it is probably content to show you its joy to find you!
• To communicate well with your cat, it is important to react to its meows. Do not leave him unanswered when he engages in this form of dialogue.

Understand his purrs well

Purring is also a good starting point for communicating with your cat: your pet initiates the conversation by purring, and you give it the expected response. Contrary to popular belief, the purrs of the feline do not systematically reflect a state of bliss…

Your cat purrs when you cuddle him: he emits this vibration of pleasure in reaction to your attention, he feels good, you can continue to pet him. These purrs of pleasure can also occur when you are about to feed your pet: he anticipates the pleasure of food.

In a stressful situation, your cat may purr: purring has a soothing effect, so he uses it to calm himself down. In this case, you also help to reassure him.

Observe your cat’s tail and ears

The body language of the animal is one of its privileged tools to communicate with you. His attitude, the position of his ears, and the movement of his tail, as well as his look, tell you a lot…

Observe the movements of your feline’s tail: your cat raises its tail, straight and vertical? He feels good! Does he wag his tail frantically? This can reveal a state of excitement in the face of prey, or a hint of nervousness: do not necessarily intervene, your cat may simply want to be alone. If its tail is bristling and its ears are flattened back, it is in a defensive position: observe the environment to detect potential danger…

Read in his eyes: the dilation of the cat’s pupils can reflect his emotions of the moment. Are his pupils constricted? He is alert, watching, and getting ready to act. His pupils are dilated, and his eyelids half-closed? Your pet is relaxed.

Decipher his attitudes: your cat rubs against you, possibly purring, he bites you or licks your ears? This behavior is affectionate. The feline shows its love to you, in response to your attention. He lies down next to you on his back, his legs folded over his body? Your cat proves his confidence in you and asks for caresses.

Daily habits

In a crisis situation, when the disorder is intense, your cat may use drastic means of communication. The pet changes its daily habits to alert you urgently, it’s up to you to react appropriately.

The issue of cleanliness

Depending on its habitat – apartment cat or having an outdoor space – the question of cleanliness is not settled in the same way. The indoor cat relieves itself in a litter box. Your cat has integrated cleanliness well, but suddenly starts to relieve itself outside of its litter box? 

Accidents exist, no immediate panic. When these “accidents” are repeated, however, the feline may be trying to Cat Communication with you… 1st question to ask yourself: is its litter box clean, and regularly cleaned? Is the new type of litter suitable for him if you have changed recently? Is the bin easily accessible if you moved it? These practical aspects are essential: check them. If no major problem appears to you, consider your cat expressing anger. This can happen when you adopt a new pet, for example.