How to tell if your cat is happy
Cats are quieter about how they feel than dogs, but they are not hard to read once you know where to look: the tail, the eyes, the ears, and what they choose to do when you are near. Here are the signs of a content cat, and the ones that mean they would like some space.
The tail
- Held straight up, often with a small hook at the tip. A friendly greeting. Cats raise their tail as they walk toward someone they like.
- Wrapped around your legs, or around another cat. Affection.
- Held low, or tucked under. Unsure or frightened.
- Puffed up. Frightened, and trying to look bigger.
- Swishing, lashing or thumping. Irritated, or overstimulated. A cat’s moving tail is not a dog’s wag. It usually means stop.
The eyes
- The slow blink. A cat who looks at you and closes their eyes slowly is relaxed in your company. Researchers at the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth found in 2020 that cats were more likely to approach a stranger who slow-blinked at them first. You can try it: look at your cat with soft eyes, close them slowly, and wait.
- Half-closed eyes while lying near you. Relaxed and at ease.
- Wide pupils in ordinary light. Excited, playful or frightened. Read them with the rest of the body.
- A hard stare without blinking. A challenge, most often between two cats.
The ears
Ears pointing forward mean interested and relaxed. Ears turned sideways, flattened, or swivelled back mean irritated or frightened. The flatter they are, the stronger the feeling.
The body
- Rubbing their head or cheek on you. Cats have scent glands on their face, and this marks you as one of their own.
- Kneading. Pushing their front paws in and out on a blanket, or on you. Kittens do it while they feed, and adult cats keep doing it when they are content.
- Lying on their back with the belly showing. A sign of trust, though rarely an invitation to rub the belly. Many cats will grab and kick if you try.
- The loaf. Sitting with all four paws tucked underneath. Relaxed, but ready to move.
- Being in the same room. Plenty of affectionate cats are not lap cats. Following you from room to room and settling a few feet away is their way of keeping you company.
The sounds
- Purring usually means contentment, but cats also purr when they are stressed, unwell or in pain. A cat purring on your lap is happy. A cat purring while hiding and refusing food needs a vet.
- Trilling or chirping is a friendly hello, often as you come in the door.
- Meowing is mostly for people. Adult cats rarely meow at each other, so a cat who talks to you is talking to you.
Signs a cat would like some space
During petting, watch for the tail starting to twitch, the skin rippling along the back, the ears turning back, or the head turning to look at your hand. Any of those means stop for now. Many cats enjoy short strokes on the head, cheeks and under the chin far more than long strokes down the back.
Over days rather than minutes, look for changes from their normal: hiding more than usual, eating less, grooming less or much more, or using places other than the litter box. These can be stress, or the first sign of illness, and are worth a visit to the vet.
What makes a cat content
- Let them come to you. Offer a hand at nose height and let them decide.
- Play every day. A few minutes with a wand toy, ending with a catch, gives an indoor cat the chase they would otherwise go without.
- Give them height. Shelves, a cat tree or a window perch let a cat watch the room from above, which is where many feel safest.
- Keep to a routine. Meals, play and bedtime at about the same time each day.
- Give them a place of their own. A box, a covered bed or a high shelf where nobody disturbs them.
A happy cat is mostly one who feels safe. Once you learn your own cat’s normal, the changes from it are what tell you the most.