‘Cat’ch her in the act

NOV-DEC 2009

WRITTEN BY VARSHA VERMA

If you observe your kitty closely, you can know exactly what she has on mind. Here are a few behaviours she displays and what they mean…

If you are blessed with a cat, you inherently know when she is happy to see you and when she is angry, fearful or upset. Here are a few common signals which tell you exactly how your kitty is feeling.

Watch her head… 

If your kitty rubs her head on your body, she is expressing love, wants to be caressed or simply relaxing.

Hear the ears… 

You must have seen that even when your cat is sleeping, the faintest sound pricks up her ears but she doesn’t react all the time. She reacts only if her mind detects a predator or a prey. Watch her ears closely to know more about her feelings.

If your kitty’s ears are upright and pointing forward, she is alert but nothing to worry, as she is relaxed as well. If her ears are pointing sideways, she’s attentive to what’s happening around but she is not relaxed and if you see her ears upright and pointing backwards…then she is actually disturbed and may turn aggressive.

Ears pointing back and flat against the head indicate that your kitty is scared but she may become aggressive. And if her ears are flattened sideways, she is in an aggressive mood…don’t go near her.

Eyes you can’t miss… 

If you see two cats staring at each other, it is threatening but if one of them breaks the eye contact, it means there is no dispute.

If you see your kitty’s dilated pupils, she is either fearful, aggressive, excited or in pain but if her pupils are narrow, she’s angry but self-assured.

Observe her eyelids also. If they half-closed or fluttering, she is sleepy and if she looks at you at this time, she is displaying trust in you.

Trailing tails… 

If your kitty’s tail is upright and quivering, she’s pleased to see you – she’s communicating friendliness and contentment. But, if her tail is upright and bristling, with hair on her back standing, then she’s probably upset about something…beware.

Also, a tail held half way up indicates that the cat is friendly but she is not confident of the person or cat who is approaching her.

If you have ever scolded you cat, you must have noticed that her tail is between her rear legs; sometimes curled inwards…she is submissive at this point.

And as you know these beauties have a lot of attitude too, so if you see tail hair upright with a little flick with just the end of the tail, she is acknowledging you but she has other better things to do than you!

Hissing and meows... 

If your kitty gives a hiss or a snarl with an open mouth, she is communicating defensive aggression. When your kitty meows, she is probably greeting you or requesting you for some favour.

Though all these are mere signals to show what your cat means, it is important to observe the whole body language of your kitty to know what’s exactly on her mind.

When it’s time to call a vet…

Your proud sweet feline is losing weight or is unusually lethargic…he is throwing up or is showing an abnormal behaviour…do not wait, call your vet immediately…your feline is probably sick. Here’s how to know if your kitty needs a professional care.

Kitties can’t talk but as a pet parent, you can analyse when your kitty needs a professional veterinary care. Here’s a list to make it easier for you to know when to call a vet:

• Hiding in a quiet, dark place
• Is lethargic, sleeping more than usual
• Yowling or crying
• Has become quiet all of a sudden
• Unexplained weight loss or gain
• Unusual aggressiveness
• Breathing problem
• Sneezing or coughing
• Has ticks or fleas
• Has ear mites
• Suffering from mange
• Has yellow skin
• Has bad breath
• Cannot digest anything, throwing up
• Has diarrhoea
• Loss of appetite
• Very thirsty or not drinking water
• Showing abnormal behaviour
• Does not react when you touch or pick her up
• Change in physical appearance
• Cannot move easily
• Lumps on the body
• Taking more time to heal wounds, blemishes, etc
• Has stopped grooming herself
• Discharge from any body opening
• Not urinating at all or blood in urine
• Excessive urination
• Excessive licking of genitals
• Litterbox issues – change in colour or consistency of poop

…there may be many more. You know your kitty best, observe her regularly and contact your vet immediately if you find any abnormalities. Remember, early detection of cat illness symptoms increases the likelihood that treatment will be successful, besides cutting down on the vet bills.

Love expressed

We all have different ways to convey our love to our dear ones. Here’s how our felines express love to their pet parents and how we can reciprocate, in a way they can understand.Each individual is different…so is the feline…her ability to express her affection would depend on her personality and of course her upbringing. But there are some ways in which your kitty will express her love for you…you need to look for the signs that she is affectionate. 

Happy to see you back: What does your kitty do when she hears you are home? Does she get excited on hearing your car or your footsteps? Does she dash to the door to see you? Then, be happy…your kitty loves you and has missed you and is glad you are back. 

Kitty kisses: Ever seen how your kitty looks at strangers or other cats? She stares at them, unblinking. But when your cat looks at you with slow eye blinks, she is actually giving you ‘kitty kisses’ – a sure shot sign of love. Simply give her the kitty kisses back and enjoy the bond of love. 

Grooming you: You must have seen two cats bonding with each other… When your kitty grooms you, she is sending the message that you are part of her feline family and she is caring for you. 

Tails up: When your kitty greets you with an upright tail or a question-mark shaped tail, she is showing affection and trust. 

I’m comfortable: When your kitty rolls over and exposes her belly to you, it means she trusts you and she’s comfortable showing her vulnerability to you. 

Kneading or rubbing you: Have you seen a kitten kneading her mother to stimulate milk flow? This is a sign of love and affection. When your kitty kneads against your body, she adores you. If this is accompanied with drooling… it is a true act of love! 

You are mine: Love sometimes means possession. When your cat rubs her face on you, she is actually marking her territory…making you ‘her’ property. When she rubs her face on your body, the glands on her face secrete pheromones, which is unique for each cat…hence signaling that ‘you are mine.’ 

Two’s company: If your cat loves your company, she would follow you everywhere. She will love to sit in the same room where you are. 

Time for gifts: When your kitty brings you a dead mouse or a bird, she is actually gifting you something she feels will please you. Do not scold her at this time; just take care to keep her indoors to discourage this behaviour. 

So, that’s how a cat expresses her love to you…it’s time you reciprocate her love…in ways she can understand. 

The caring touch: Nuzzle up to your kitty… she would love your touch every now and then. 

Pet her: Depending on your cat’s liking, pet stroke, scratch her gently under her chin, cheeks, back and behind her ears. 

Play with her: Bond with your kitty by playing with them with balls, paper bags, cat toys…anything that amuses her. 

Groom her: Though cats love to groom themselves, you can also bond with her by grooming her. Just introduce grooming sessions at an early age so that she gets used to it soon and looks forward to a great time with you. 

Do not tower her when expressing your love: Last but not the least, whenever you choose to pet your cat, sit or squat at her level. Never loom over her…it will make her nervous. 

Love is in the air…get the nip of it.