Communicating with your Cat

Cats are thought to be very complex and independent creatures, so understanding their method of communication can be tricky. Each cat actually develops their own unique and fascinating way of speaking to their owners. Here are some ways that your kitty may be speaking to you. 

Body Language
One way a cat communicates their mood is with their tail. When the tail is held straight up, it expresses confidence. When your cat wraps it's tail around your legs, it communicates friendliness. If it is tucked between their legs, it signals anxiety. 

So, when you come home from a long day at work and your cat rubs up against you and wraps their tail around your legs, that's their way of saying "I missed you!"

Facial Expressions
When felines interact, responding with a slow blink is an official sign of trust. Like a wink between friends, your cat may close their eyes in your presence to show that they are friendly and comfortable with you. It is a signal of acceptance that a cat may only communicate with their owner. 

Vocalizations

Cats develop a vocal language that is unique to them and their owner. Your cat may meow as a way of greeting you, requesting food, or asking for approval. Purring is also a way for your cat to communicate with you. Purring is a sign that your cat wants to be comforted and/or cared for. Pay attention to the different sounds your cat makes, so you can better understand their specific way of speaking to you. 

Cats can easily sense their owner's mood. If you are sad or anxious, your cat most likely knows. Understanding and responding to your cat's language can help deepen the bond you have with each other. 

Source: DailyMail, nymag, webmd, huffingtonpost

How Does Your Pet Say “I Love You”?

On our blog “If They Could Talk,” part of our goal is to help interpret what your dogs and cats are trying to tell you. When it comes to affection, however, your pet is already speaking to you in a language anyone can easily understand. By learning to read your pet’s signals, you can always tell just how much they love you!

Licking: There’s a reason we call our pet’s licks “kisses.” As the blog Miniature Paws explains, though there are lots of reasons that dogs lick; one of the reasons is to show that they love you. This type of licking, which often occurs while you are greeting your pet, can easily be compared to human kissing as it has an affectionate meaning behind it.

Upright Tail Wagging: A swish of a dog’s tail is often the first thing people notice when their dog is happy. The Daily Puppy warns that not all tail wagging means your dog is pleased; a low swing of the tail can often indicate uncertainty or fear. If your dog’s tail is wagging quickly and in an upright position, however, you can be sure that they are happy to see you.

Barking and Jumping: Just like humans, excited pets are prone to jumping around and making a lot of noise. Barking, leaping at you, and even nipping are ways that your pooch expresses their affection and excitement to see you. This indicates that your pet sees you as a friend, and is how they would play with other dogs. There is a fine line between affectionate and dominant behavior when it comes to barking and jumping, however, so make sure you only encourage it when your dog is calm and obedient. For tips on controlling barking, read our recent post on recognizing why your dog barks.

Rolling Over: A dog that offers you their belly for a good scratch is completely comfortable around you. Displaying this kind of security is a sign from your dog that they are happy to be with you!

Trying to get your attention: Dogs and cats do this by pressing against you and calling out to you. You know the way they act: a cat will weave between your legs; a dog will press its head into your lap. These pets love you and want to be with you. They will often follow you around, not wanting to let you out of their sight for even a moment!

Smiling! We are often surprised to find our pets with an expression on their face that looks a lot like a human grin. It turns out this twitch of the face might be an intentional smile. Miniature Paws references a McGill University neuroscientist named Jeffrey Mogil, who said that animals feel many of the same emotions as we do and use the muscles in their face to show it. If you think your dog or cat looks like they’re smiling at you, you might be right to assume they are shooting you a smirk. It means that your pet is happy, filled with love and ready for a perfect photo!

What other things does YOUR dog or cat do to show you their love?

What’s Your Pet Thinking? Pet Psychics Aim to Provide Answers

It happens to every pet owner. Your dog pulled the curtains off the window, your cat won’t come out from under the couch, or your new puppy has a thing for eating bugs. All that crazy pet behavior leaves you looking into their innocent eyes and asking yourself, “What on earth are they thinking?”

According to today’s Pet Psychics, we just might be able to find out.

Heidi Schulman is a part of the growing profession of pet psychics, people who work to bring pet owners closer to their animals by communicating directly with their pets. Whether or not this telepathic communication can deliver real answers is a matter of opinion and belief, but the prospect of gaining insight into your pet’s psyche is certainly tempting for many pet owners.

A recent Huffington Post “Weird News” article on the subject explained that for Schulman, the inspiration began with her rescue dog, Bosco. She said that she could sense a nonverbal communication between herself and her dog, and found herself wondering what he would say if he could talk. The result was “The Original Dog Tarot: Divine the Canine Mind,” a guidebook and series of 30 tarot cards for helping pet owners communicate with their dogs.

Pet psychics throughout the country describe their abilities in many different ways, from tarot card readings to, as “The Secret Language of Dogs” author Jocelyn Kessler says, communicating energetically with the canine or feline mind. Sonya Fitzpatrick, another pet psychic who hosts a popular radio show on Sirius XM, says that clients can call for telephone consultations or even reach out to her for help finding a lost pet.

Like many psychic professions, this one has its skeptics. Veterinarian Jeff Nichol, referenced in a Washington Post story on pet psychics, warns against turning to nontraditional methods for treating your pet’s behavior or health problems. 

But what about just for fun? Would you try a tarot reading or pet psychic with your pet? 

We can’t claim to read a dog’s mind, but we can advise pet owners on how to read the nonverbal signals your dog displays. Keep reading “If They Could Talk” for weekly tips on working with your pet, and feel free to explore our previous posts for advice on reading dog body language.