Cats have a reputation for being aloof and mysterious. But they’re actually skilled communicators with many ways to show how they feel.
A team of veterinary researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia asked 368 volunteers to take a test on feline emotional behavior. Even though seven of the tasks were based on everyday cat scenarios, many participants struggled to accurately interpret cat body language.
The study found that a major problem is that people often confuse playful behavior with signs of stress.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
Participants watched videos showing cats interacting with people and displaying both positive and negative emotions. Their task was to identify the cats’ emotional states.
What looked like play was actually play in fewer than half the clips; most situations were stressful. Participants had trouble recognizing the subtle negative signals of feline discomfort.
When cats showed negative behaviors like sudden tension or avoidance of touch, only 48.7 percent of volunteers labeled the mood as negative. And when clips included overtly negative signals (hissing, biting, or trying to escape), participants misclassified them as positive in 25 percent of cases.
Even when volunteers correctly identified stress signals, many continued interacting with the animal, which added to the cat’s stress — for example, by petting its belly or playing with its paws.
How many will you get right? Take the test: mark each cat as positive or negative, then check your answers below.
- The cat is chasing a toy, keeping its eyes fixed on it. Its ears and tail are held high.
- The cat’s ears are pinned back and spread sideways. Its brow is furrowed, and its whiskers are stiff.
- The cat keeps turning to bite the person’s hand. The person is trying to play with it. The animal is swishing its tail, and its ears are pinned back against its head.
- The cat is in a hunting position. It is intently watching the person standing opposite. Its pupils are dilated, and its ears are raised and pointed forward.
- The cat has climbed onto its owner’s stomach and is nudging its head under the owner’s arm to be petted. The animal’s tail is held upright and slightly curved.
- The cat allows chin scratches, but its chin is pressed against its neck, and its face is turned away.
- The cat is lying on its back with its belly exposed. If touched from the side, it rolls over, swatting with its paws.
Answers
1. Positive — The cat is engaged in play and not showing nervous behavior.
2. Negative — Although the cat is reacting to the toy, it shows signs of stress and is clearly not enjoying itself.
3. Negative — Even if the cat appears to playfully bite, it is stressed. It may perceive your hand as a threat rather than a toy.
4. Positive — Dilated pupils here indicate focus and excitement. In this clip, the cat looks playful rather than stressed.
5. Positive — Cats often initiate contact when they want attention. This cat is rubbing its cheeks and head against the person, and the raised tail signals friendliness.
6. Negative — Cats can tolerate unwanted touches for a short time. This cat isn’t enjoying the chin scratches, so it presses its chin to its neck and turns its head away.
7. Negative — A cat lying on its back can look inviting, but if it rolls away or swats at your hand, it is signaling stress.
How to Play Safely with Cats
Live Science shared the researchers’ recommendations: watch for the earliest signs of feline displeasure and stop contact immediately. Once those signs appear, the cat is already stressed.
Among the first signals are turning away, flinching, blocking attempts to touch, tense body posture, ears pulled back or sideways, licking lips or nose, and nervous tail movements.
Touching
Avoid touching sensitive areas like the belly, paws, or base of the tail. Pet cats on the head and neck instead.
Don’t teach a cat to view your hands as toys, since that raises the risk of accidental bites or scratches. Use proper toys for play.
Tail
Tail movements don’t always mean a negative mood; they usually mean the cat is emotionally stimulated. That stimulation can shift into stress, though, and sometimes the tail is used simply for balance. Read tail signals together with other cues.
If the tail speeds up or starts swishing during play because of your touch, it’s probably time to back off.
Ears
Cat ears act like antennas. If they flick and then relax, the cat is just listening to its surroundings. If the ears are pinned back or turned sideways, that’s a sign of stress.
Vocalizations
Chirps and trills usually mean playfulness, while hissing, growling, and yowling signal stress. Purring can seem positive, but sometimes cats purr when they’re anxious.
If you notice signs of unease, give the cat space. Stressed cats avoid touch and contact; if a cat returns to you and resumes interaction, it’s likely comfortable again.
Photo: Openverse
