Guide To Cats – Body Language
7th July 2016
If a cat fluffs up its tail and arches its back it is probably being defensive or aggressive and may be making threatening sounds – a sort of combination of a meow and a growl, but to really understand what is happening look at the eyes and ears.
Ears lying down flat are defensive; the pupils will be wide open. It will be crouching low or lying on its back ready to defend with back legs.
The aggressor’s ears will be lying flat but with the tips of the back visible from the front and its eyes will be narrow slits. Its posture will be to approach the other cat sideways on, head turned towards it.
If the standoff develops into fight, the defender’s ears remain flat but the aggressors’ will flick as it dives. They will remain in the aggressive position if the conflict continues but if the point has been made the ears will return to the normal position as the cats retreats.
Tail Signals
- Upright (curved tip) – neutral
- Upright and straight – greeting, usually followed by rubbing
- Cat lying down tail out straight at 90° – keeping cool
- Upright and quivering – urine spraying of a male
- Cat sitting with tail flicking – checking nothing behind
- Tail wagging – ranges from small irritated flicks indicating emotional conflict or torn between intentions to a more pronounced swishing between male cats preparing to fight and this is often accompanied by growling
- Tail down, rump elevated – aggressive stance near another cat
- Arched, fluffed-up tail – torn between aggression and defensiveness. If the fluffed tail is straight out or pointing down the cat is erring on the side of aggression
- Tail down, wrapped around body – contented cat but if the cat feels intimidated it is more of an aggressive posture, so back off!
- Cat on back, tail vertical – defensive posture, ready to kick.
Next time – Affection and Aggression