Cat Psychology - Is My Cat Happy?

As cat owners, we do worry that our cats are happy and want to do whatever we can to make them so. One of the best ways to make sure your cat is happy is to understand their body language and the signs of happiness to give you reassurance and to help spot potential problems.

Signs of happiness

Cats are quite good at body language because that's how they communicate with other cats. Cats have a range of vocalisations that they use to tell the world what they fell and think and when it comes to happiness and contentment, the purr is one of the most obvious. Cats purr when they are happy, feel loved and are comfortable and even if you can't hear them, you can always feel a purr as it rattles through their whole body. Other little noises can be signs of happiness, depending on the cat, little trills and chortles that show they are relaxed.

The physical signs of happiness in their body language is also quite obvious, more for their lack of signs. An angry cat is visibly angry with erect fur, wide eyes, ears forward and a tail slashing the air. Likewise a frightened cat may make themselves small, curl their tail around themselves and duck down to be submissive and less threatening. Yet a relaxed and cat happy cat will have their ears erect to listen to what's going on or swivelling around to follow the conversation. They will tuck their tail loosely around them or leave it lying across the floor. Their fur is smooth and their whiskers sit comfortably.

Happy behaviours

A sleeping cat is often a happy cat as this means they feel comfortable enough in their surroundings to have a nap. If they felt threatened or in danger, they would remain awake and on guard. Similarly, grooming is a sign of being happy. Cats groom themselves to keep their coats in order and do derive pleasure from the act. By concentrating on their grooming and not their wider environment, they are vulnerable to attack therefore will only focus wholly on their grooming when they are happy in their home.

Eating properly is a sign of happiness and healthiness. While cats might try to 'greed' from people for treats or other morsels, this isn't because they are hungry but more a type of game. They may really fancy a little of the fish you are eating but not because they are desperately hungry. A happy cat is one that eats normally, though different cats have a different sense of normal. Some eat their meals in a single sitting while others are grazers who come and go to the food bowl.

Happy kittens

Sometimes with kittens, they may seem angry or vexed at something but this may merely be a part of their play. Kittens learn about the world around them through play and most everything around the house will be a part of this. So while they might hiss or spit at something, whip their tail around or even bite and scratch something, this doesn't mean they are angry and unhappy but simply that they are working their instincts.

Credit: Angela Tempest