How do you know if your cat is happy or sad? This is a question that permeates the minds of many guardians, and that seems impossible to answer at first, but - amazingly! - it is not. Felines do have a mysterious and reserved air that is much more difficult to interpret than a dog, for example. However, it is possible to understand the facial expressions of cats.kittens - especially if you already know cat behavior very well.

To reach this conclusion, science has gone further and carried out several researches to try to understand what goes on in the heads of our mustachioed and, mainly, how to identify the different physiognomies of these animals. Are you curious to know more about the different cat signs and their expressions? Then come with us to dive into this fascinating universe!

Happy, sad or scared cat: why is it important to know how to interpret cat signs?

O cat behavior Who has never caught their pet doing something unusual or unexpected, like running around the house out of nowhere? But along with animal behavior, there is also what we call feline language, which is nothing more than the way cats have of expressing themselves and communicating with the world around them. For this, felines usethe most different tricks to show what they feel and what they want. The movement of the tail, the ear, body posture, vocalization... all this influences the message that your four-legged friend wants to convey.

And the facial expression, where does it come in all this? It's simple: just as body movement can indicate a number of situations, the feline countenance is also very significant for a better understanding of our pets. Some people find it difficult to be able to interpret these facial expressions. cat signs Once you can identify whether your cat is smiling, happy, sad or bored, it's much easier to know how to deal with them and the situation in general.

Cat signals: see what science has discovered about feline facial expressions

Science always tries to unravel various mysteries, and with the behavior of cats it was no different. According to a research conducted by the University of Guelph, Canada, felines have facial expressions that change in a very subtle way, but some people can, yes, decipher them. The study was done with more than 6,300 volunteers from 85 countries, and the methodology used was quite simple:each of the volunteers was asked to watch 20 short, silent videos that focused on close-ups of cats' faces. From this observation, people were asked to identify whether the feline mood in the videos was positive (good humoured) or negative (bad humoured). As a result, 13% of the respondents performed well and managed to get 15 or more answers correct out of the total.

To get a better idea of what the experiment was like, the videos watched showed cats in positive or negative emotional states. In the case of positive ones, they were situations in which the cats felt happy, such as after being stroked or given a treat. Negative situations showed animals with health problems or frightened by something. As the idea was to show thecat behavior out of context, each video was cut and focused mainly on the physiognomy of the kitty - eyes, muzzle and mouth.

Interestingly, in this same study it was possible to observe that women performed better than men in deciphering cat signs. Professionals with veterinary experience also stood out positively. Another point that was also analyzed is that young people had an easier time than older people in interpreting feline facial expressions. Overall, it was found thatfound that it is possible to learn how to tell if a cat is happy, sad or stressed - all it takes is closer observation.

Here are 8 facial expressions that say a lot about cat behavior

1) Happy cat: how to identify?

Don't think that you'll find a cat smiling when it's happy because that's quite difficult to happen, although not impossible. So our tip to know how to decipher if your cat is happy or not is to watch out for the following cat signs: if its eyes are half-closed when you're around, it's because it feels very good in your company. If you pet and pet it, it's because it feels very good in your company.if your cat closes its eyes, this is proof that it is very happy and really loves you! There are also other signs that indicate this in everyday life, such as when your cat sniffs its owner's nose, kneads bread on your lap or purrs whenever you pet it.

2) The angry cat is easy to recognize

This is perhaps one of the most well interpreted cat signs by humans. The angry-faced cat has very specific characteristics: both the ears and the whiskers are turned all the way back, which is a way of protecting these regions in case a fight happens. The cat's eyes also tend to become narrower, staring at the one who would be its "target". BesidesIn addition, the angry cat also often shows its fangs to intimidate the enemy, being one of the most typical signs of when the feline is about to attack.

3) Cat with fear: the eyes say it all

Caring for a scared or frightened cat requires a lot of patience. To identify such a cat, you just need to pay attention to its face: the cat's eyes are wide open and its pupils are fully dilated, while its ears are turned back or lowered. The cat's head may also be lowered in a submissive position, and the whiskers are back or down.The scared cat may also adopt a different posture and go on the attack, even though they are scared. In this case, the feline countenance is more like that of an angry cat, and the attack position they assume is basically self-defence.

4) The anxious cat can emit several signals

Many situations can make a cat anxious, so it's important to know how to identify when this happens to try to get around the problem and make it more peaceful. One of the main ways to find out if a cat is anxious is by observing its facial expression: the animal's eyes usually stay open all the time, without blinking. The pupils also take on a more oval shape, partly in the shape of the eyes.The cat's ears move independently: while one may be facing forwards, the other may be facing sideways. This means that the kitten is so anxious that it can barely control the information it wants to receive. The whiskers also hang back or wiggle forwards, as if the animal is on alert.

5) Curious cat is on the alert

Felines are animals with an insatiable curiosity, so finding one curious cat Usually when the animal is very interested in something, its facial expression says it all: the eyes are open and the pupils are contracted, while the ears and whiskers are projected fully forward. As the cat wants to catch the sound of everything around, it is in a pure state of alertness and observes everything that happens attentively. If something specific iscaught his attention, he may also stare at the object in question.

6) Stressed cat is a sign to stay away

Many people may confuse a wild cat with a stressed cat, but there is a slight difference between these two situations. In the first case, the animal usually adopts an attack posture, while in the second scenario, the cat is just impatient and annoyed about something - but will not necessarily attack someone for it.

Changes in routine are usually the main culprit, but it could also be that your cat is stressed because he didn't get something he wanted. To tell if your cat is stressed, watch for him walking around the house with his pupils dilated, ears forward and whiskers straight forward. His head may also be slumped, and certain sounds are often made, such as if he'sIf this happens, something is bothering the pet.

7) The relaxed cat doesn't give a damn about anything

This is the typical posture of felines in everyday life. One of the signs of a cat that shows it is in a state of relaxation is when its eyes blink gently or are partially closed, as if it were resting. The ears are also relaxed and turned to the side or forward, always in an upright position. They may move if the cat hears any noise around the house, butif the kitten is really relaxed, it won't even notice and will continue to enjoy its moment of peace. Cat whiskers are also relaxed and slightly away from the cheeks, which can simulate a small "smile" on your four-legged friend.

8) The bored cat has the typical "blasé" expression

Relaxed or bored? It's hard to understand. These expressions are very confusing because when the feline is deeply relaxed, it can also look a little bored. However, the most attentive can notice that the bored cat has a facial expression of indifference, as if nothing arouses much interest or draws its attention. In this way, the ears are always maintainedpositioned in the same direction (usually forward, regardless of any noise), whiskers relaxed and eyes half-closed at all times.

TIP: To pick up on cat signals, observe feline body posture in conjunction with facial expression

It is not always possible to determine how an animal feels just by analyzing its facial expression. This is the case with a dog. When anxiety and stress dominate the cat, the cat's behavior speaks much louder than its physiognomy. Compulsive attitudes become more and more frequent and the animal can show several other "symptoms" such as lack of appetite, excessive sleepiness, marking territory or even aggression.

In addition, it is also important to analyze the cat's body posture, regardless of the situation. Of course, the facial expression helps a lot to understand the signs of cats, but do not forget to also observe other behaviors of your little friend to try to understand him better.