When I’m at work at the cats-only boarding facility, I often keep up a running chat with the guests. If they meow, I meow back. If somebody hisses, I’ll imitate it. (We have one guest who is missing a few bottom teeth, so when he hisses, his tongue sticks out the side. Yes, I stick my tongue out when I hiss at him!)
The vet who owns the boarding facility passed along an article from The Oregonian newspaper about cats-only services — veterinarians, boarding facilities, and the like. The article had a sidebar about communicating with cats.
Do you know how to say “I love you” in cat? It’s easy — just watch your kitty and give a long, slow blink. I knew that little bit of cat body language before I started work at the boarding facility, thanks to a friend who has two cats. I had even seen it in action — his little girl cat giving him long, slow, sleepy-looking blinks. That right there is kitty love.
There’s also the “I love you so much I can’t even bear to look at you” move — the slow blinks followed by turning your head away. Drooling can also be a sign of affection and contentment, but I’m not about to go slobbering on my favorite cats when they’re feeling cuddly. I’ll stick to the blinks, thank you very much!
When a cat is feeling playful, he may roll his head and look at you upside down. When I see a cat make that gesture at the boarding facility, I’ll often go grab the feather toy! (And yes, sometimes I’ll roll my head, too, so the kitty knows I’m ready to play.)
The warning signs in cat-speak are somewhat easier to decipher. Bared teeth, hissing, ears flat against the skull — those are all ways to say “back off” or “leave me alone”. Proceed with caution, for sure.