Recently, one of my buyers showed me a video of her one-year-old kitten attacking her while she studied. I was mortified that one of my babies could be apparently so vicious. I mean, Puffy will nip my ankle as I pass by him and he really wants some attention. Or maybe one of the cats would pounce from behind a corner. That just makes me laugh!
But I had never had one of my cats sit at my feet and then lunge at my shoulder and bite me. I was really worried about what was going on until I watched the video a few times. Then I realized that the cat wasn't mad or being vicious really. He just thought his owner was a big toy. I suggested that she get a stuffed animal that she could wiggle at him so he could attack that toy and not her. I also suggested she keep some fetch toys and a wand at hand while she studies so she can multi-task. Her cat just wanted to play with her. Balinese love their people and can be a bit demanding at times.
So how did I know what the cat was thinking? I studied his tail, ears, eyes, and whiskers. Below is a quick chart:
Playful Hunting Mode Aggressive Hunting Mode
Twitching tip of tail softly Smacking tail on ground audibly in annoyance
Ears up and forward Ears flattened and back halfway or fully
Eyes wide and pupils dilated fully Eyes less wide and pupils more of a slit
Whiskers forward Whiskers laid back on face
This is not a complete list of what your cat might be telling you. For example, when they are really afraid for their safety they put their tail between their legs, ears are back, and eyes are dilated. It is a submissive, shrinking posture. But when they are startled and anxious, they may puff their tails up. When they are relaxed, their half-closed eyes will slowly blink when you talk to them. Exposing their belly means they trust you when they are relaxed, but that can also be a defensive position. Lying on their back can mean they are ready to deliver a four-paw scratch-fest. I have seen this so many times as kittens are learning to play and fight with each other.
Cats have so much to say to us. I find it fascinating to try to read the nuances. What is your cat trying to say to you? If you aren't sure, grab your phone and take a video. Then you can watch it enough times to see what the body language is saying.
But I had never had one of my cats sit at my feet and then lunge at my shoulder and bite me. I was really worried about what was going on until I watched the video a few times. Then I realized that the cat wasn't mad or being vicious really. He just thought his owner was a big toy. I suggested that she get a stuffed animal that she could wiggle at him so he could attack that toy and not her. I also suggested she keep some fetch toys and a wand at hand while she studies so she can multi-task. Her cat just wanted to play with her. Balinese love their people and can be a bit demanding at times.
So how did I know what the cat was thinking? I studied his tail, ears, eyes, and whiskers. Below is a quick chart:
Playful Hunting Mode Aggressive Hunting Mode
Twitching tip of tail softly Smacking tail on ground audibly in annoyance
Ears up and forward Ears flattened and back halfway or fully
Eyes wide and pupils dilated fully Eyes less wide and pupils more of a slit
Whiskers forward Whiskers laid back on face
This is not a complete list of what your cat might be telling you. For example, when they are really afraid for their safety they put their tail between their legs, ears are back, and eyes are dilated. It is a submissive, shrinking posture. But when they are startled and anxious, they may puff their tails up. When they are relaxed, their half-closed eyes will slowly blink when you talk to them. Exposing their belly means they trust you when they are relaxed, but that can also be a defensive position. Lying on their back can mean they are ready to deliver a four-paw scratch-fest. I have seen this so many times as kittens are learning to play and fight with each other.
Cats have so much to say to us. I find it fascinating to try to read the nuances. What is your cat trying to say to you? If you aren't sure, grab your phone and take a video. Then you can watch it enough times to see what the body language is saying.
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