8 Tricks to Reading Your Cat’s Mind

Cat lovers understand. Felines are mysterious. One minute they’re nuzzling your face. The next they’re biting your hand. What’s not to love? Here are 8 surefire ways to read your cat’s mind and if not exactly get this animal, at least level the playing field.

Their Eyes—When your cat’s eyes do a slow blink, that means they’re happy. Life is good. They’re enjoying your company. In fact, many believe that’s their way of smiling. However, if kitty’s eyes start to close and stay in a slit, angry-looking position, back up. You might have breathed incorrectly. You may have touched his head at the wrong angle. You may be annoying. Vacate immediately.

Ears—Like a barometer testing climate change, a cat’s ears reflect mood shift. Upright ears are good. Kitty’s cheerful. He’s engaged. But wait a minute. If ears start going back or God forbid, flatten, you’ve done something horribly wrong–again. This is not the time to atone for your sins. Back away. Give kitty space.

Nose—Cats like familiar smells, preferably their food and even better, yours. However, if kitty wrinkles his nose and bounds away, it might mean you put on hand cream. My cat Rocky used to hate when I slathered on the Nivea. Sometimes I didn’t see him for the rest of the day. Many times, I had to lure him back with nibbles of pizza or cheese popcorn.

Tongue—Rocky used to lick my hand with his rough little tongue and I’d think how sweet. He loves me. He’s grooming me. He’s showing affection. Then I remembered I had salmon for dinner. If I tried and removed my hand and pat his head, he’d try and bite me. He wanted that salmon back.

Throat—There’s nothing sweeter than a purring cat. Purring means happiness. Your cat loves your companionship. But purring can have a different meaning. Rocky was long-haired and prone to clumps. I’d try and gently comb them out. The strange thing was Rocky would sit there as I softly tugged, and he’d purr. I knew he wasn’t enjoying this, but he seemed to be saying that it was okay. He knew I was trying to help him. Who knew cats were so nuanced?

Claws—Obviously these babies go both ways. Yes, they can be used for scratching, maiming, tearing curtains, slicing rugs, destroying furniture, and ripping flesh. But they can also be used for when kitty starts settling down *ouch* on your lap and does that *ouch* kneading thing. That’s his way of showing love. The best part is when he stops and settles down. Ahh… much better.

Tail—If your cat has a straight, upright tail, that’s good. He’s in the groove. He’s content. However, if that tail lowers and starts twitching, something bad has happened. Kitty detects a threat or maybe the wind’s blowing the wrong way, or he just had a bad thought. If that twitchy tail is accompanied by those slit eyes, run.

Body—A cat lying on his back is the ultimate sign of trust and affection. Rocky usually did this after breakfast. He was full. He was one with the world. A belly scratch would cap it all off. But I learned to be wary of this position. If I touched his belly at the wrong moment, he thought it was play time. He’ wrap his four legs around my arm, and pretend I was a leopard. He’d kick and bite. The more I tried to pull away, the tighter he held.

And yet…

I miss Rocky, terribly. Sometimes he would come up to me and lean his face close. We’d touch noses. I knew he was saying, “I love you.”

Despite all the complications of cats, I adored having one. Sigh. Maybe someday.

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