Cats communicate constantly – they just don’t broadcast it like dogs do. Where a dog will wag its whole body to make a point, a cat will tell you the same thing with the angle of an ear or the pace of a blink. Learn to read the signals and you stop guessing at what your cat wants. This is cat behaviour explained, end to end, with no fluff.
Cat Body Language
The Tail
The tail is the most reliable indicator of mood in any cat:
- Held high with a slight curl at the tip: confident and happy. A cat walking towards you with its tail up is saying hello.
- Puffed up (bottle-brush): startled or threatened. The cat is trying to look bigger.
- Tucked tight under the body: anxious, submissive, or hurting.
- Swishing or thrashing side to side: agitated or hunting. This is not the same as a dog’s wag – back off.
- Slow, gentle twitch at the tip: mild interest or concentration.
- Wrapped around you or another cat: affection and trust.
The Ears
- Forward-facing: alert, curious, relaxed.
- Rotated sideways (airplane ears): conflicted – usually nervous or unsure.
- Flat against the head: fearful or about to lash out. Treat this as a clear warning.
The Eyes
- Slow blink: the feline equivalent of a kiss. Return it.
- Dilated pupils in normal light: arousal – could be play, fear, or aggression. Read the rest of the body to know which.
- Hard, unblinking stare: a challenge, usually directed at another cat.
For more on what cats actually see when they look at you, see our piece on cat vision versus human vision.
Cat Behaviour Meanings: Common Behaviours Decoded
Kneading (“Making Biscuits”)
Pushing paws rhythmically into a soft surface is a kittenhood behaviour carried into adulthood. It signals contentment and a sense of safety. If your cat kneads you, take it as a compliment.
Head Butting and Rubbing
Cats have scent glands in their cheeks, chin, and forehead. Rubbing on you is a way of marking you as part of their group. It is one of the strongest social signals a cat gives.
Bringing You “Gifts”
Dead mice, lizards, or in some Highveld gardens, the occasional bird, deposited at your feet are not insults. They are either a teaching gesture (your cat is showing you how to hunt) or a sharing gesture (you are part of the colony).
Chattering at Birds
That strange jaw-clacking noise cats make at birds through a window is thought to be a frustration response and a vestigial “killing bite” rehearsal. Researchers documented by the cat communication research summary still debate the exact cause.
Knocking Things Off Tables
Cats use their paws to test whether something is alive and worth pouncing on. The world is full of motionless objects that, in a cat’s mind, might be prey. Knocking your glass off the counter is investigation, not malice.
Vocalisations
- Meowing: cats almost exclusively meow at humans – adult cats rarely meow at each other. It is a communication channel they developed specifically for us.
- Purring: usually contentment, but also a self-soothing response when sick or stressed. Don’t assume a purring cat at the vet is happy.
- Hissing and growling: clear warnings. Give the cat space.
- Trilling/chirruping: a friendly greeting, often used by mothers to call kittens.
- Yowling: distress, mating call, or in older cats, sometimes a sign of cognitive decline.
Social Behaviour
Cats are not the solitary loners they were once thought to be. Feral colonies form complex social structures, and most domestic cats benefit from companionship – either human or feline. They are, however, territorial. Adding a second cat without a careful introduction is one of the most common causes of cats fighting in the home.
The NSPCA recommends a minimum two-week separated introduction period when bringing a new cat into a household with an existing cat.
Problem Behaviours That Are Usually Misunderstood
Spraying
Spraying is not a litter problem – it is communication. Unneutered males do it most, but stressed or anxious cats of either sex will spray when they feel their territory is under threat.
Biting During Petting
Many cats have a clear tolerance threshold and will tell you when they have had enough. Watch for the tail flick, the skin twitch, or the ears rotating sideways. Stop before the bite, not after. Our guide on how to stop your cat from biting covers this in detail.
Sudden Aggression in an Older Cat
This is almost always pain. Book a vet check before assuming it is behavioural.
Building a Better Relationship
Understanding cat behaviour is the foundation. The next step is putting it to use – through a sensible training routine, the right enrichment for indoor cats, and patience. Cats are not small dogs. They respond to respect and consistency, not dominance. Get those two things right and your cat will tell you everything you need to know.
