Ever been confused by your pet? The chances are high, especially if you’ve not had your pet for long and are still getting used to their quirks. Both cats and dogs have their unique ways of communicating with you and other animals, with their body language a key part of this. They may bark or meow, but when they aren’t making a noise, the way they stand, sit or behave can give subtle hints of what is going on.
As sometimes this can mean a potential issue such as with their health or if they are feeling anxious, it’s important to pick up on their body language and understand different things. To help, below are a few of the signs to look for and what to do if they are acting unusually.
Cat Body Language
Cats can be much more subtle when compared to a dog communicating, but there are a few ways they will change depending on how they are feeling:
● Tail movement – a cat’s tail can be very expressive, so you will notice different movements and shapes such as a question mark in the air to being straight behind them, upright, or even tucked underneath their body. They may also twitch their tail or heavily swish it. All can mean different feelings from friendly and playful, to agitated or worried.
● Ear positions – some cat breeds will move their ears to also express how they are feeling. If they are upright and pointing forward they will feel relaxed, but if turned in or turned back flat, this can indicate something’s caught their interest or a problem.
● Eyes – As they are usually the first thing you may see, cat’s eyes have different shapes and movements to express their feelings. From squinting to slow blinking, as well as wide-eyed and enlarged pupils, you’ll know when your cat is happy or less so.
● Whiskers – Whilst not as obvious as the others, their whiskers can also indicate whether happy or scared. Usually, this will be in combination with their eyes, ears and tail, but you may notice whiskers pulled back on their face or even fanning forward.
● Body stance – How your cat is moving or sitting can be a clear indicator of something going on. If they seem alert or anxious, their posture won’t appear as relaxed.
Dog Body Language
Dogs can be very expressive and more vocal than cats whether excited, playful or angry, so noticing the differences can help you understand them:
● Tail wagging – a happy dog will wag its tail, but how it moves this, and the speed can mean different things. The shape of the tail is also a key sign of how your dog is feeling. Fast wagging when playing or welcoming you is a good sign, whilst a tail tucked in can mean they are nervous or worried. Similarly, a tail straight up will mean they are alert.
● Posture – Like a cat, if they are comfortable they will be sitting or standing normally, but when worried they may have a lower posture. If playful, they may stand with their bottom in the air and their front legs on the ground, but when anxious they may be making themselves small.
● Ears – A dog’s ears will move around in different positions depending on the situation, and each breed will differ on how this looks due to either having small ears or large hanging ears. They should appear normally if relaxed but may point straight up or forward when alert, or be folded back if worried.
● Facial expressions – Dogs will pant to cool down, so this is normal when active after running around or even when sitting relaxed. Their mouth will be open and their tongue hanging out, but if their lips are curled and teeth are showing, they will be feeling less than friendly. Their facial movements along with posture and tail movement can all combine together to show how they are feeling.
I’s important to look at each of these things together in context of their general behaviour. Their whole body will indicate how they are feeling rather than just the ears, tail or eyes. It can also be easy to misinterpret your cat or dog’s body language when not looking at the whole picture, so being able to spot signs of stress or discomfort is important. Speaking to your vet can be a good idea if something doesn’t seem right.
If your cat or dog is behaving differently and showing signs of stress when there is no clear reason why, your vet will be able to look into this further. Sometimes it could be a behavioural problem instead of them being unwell. Having pet insurance that covers behavioural treatment as well as emergency care can mean if you do need to speak to an animal behaviourist, you can get coverage to help them. If they are in pain or discomfort, you can cover the vet fees for any emergency appointment or treatment to help them feel their normal self again.
How to Tell if They Are Under Stress or In Discomfort
A dog wagging its tail or a cat purring isn’t always a sign of them being relaxed. Similarly, if they are showing their belly whilst lying on their back, they are not always inviting you to give a belly rub. Cats and dogs can be difficult to understand, but there are some obvious signs something is wrong:
Cats:
● A cat may crouch or tuck their tail when feeling anxious or stressed, keeping their body close to the ground. If feeling very unhappy, their posture may change to being very tense and arching their back to appear larger.
● If feeling scared, their tail will be tucked close to them but may also flick to express annoyance.
● Their eyes may be wide and have larger pupils, and their ears will be pointed and facing outward. Their whiskers will appear flat on their face too.
Dogs:
● A dog feeling stressed or unhappy may have a low or tucked tail between their legs or they may also be slowly wagging their tail to indicate feeling worried or anxious.
● Their body will appear tense and either be trying to be small and low, or they may freeze when standing. They may also look away from you and avoid eye contact when feeling unhappy.
● They may show their teeth and curl their lip when feeling very unhappy, which can be accompanied by being more vocal like growling or barking.
There will be other behaviours such as hiding or running away or even clear discomfort like limping that can indicate an issue too. This may be with other symptoms, so as mentioned, it’s important to look at their whole body and the context of the situation. That way, you can understand why they might be feeling happy or unhappy, whether it’s from meeting new people or other animals, or if they are acting unlike their usual selves.
Learning How Your Pet Reacts To Different Situations
If pet ownership is new to you, it can take time to pick up on all the different ways your dog or cat behaves. Eventually, you will be able to tell when your pet is feeling relaxed and happy and when it isn’t. This gets easier with time and also when your pet is experiencing new situations.
Maybe they are meeting your friends and family from outside of your household for the first time – keep an eye on how their behaviour may change and if they seem ok or more anxious. With a dog, if taking them for a walk, take note of how they react to strangers or other animals they may encounter. Again, you’ll notice if anything is different to their usual behaviour.
Naturally, some breeds are more sociable than others and their upbringing as a puppy or kitten will influence how they behave too. If you see a change in body language and you are not sure what the issue may be, speak to your vet – they’ll be able to offer peace of mind that it isn’t something more serious such as illness or injury, and offer further expert advice.
