How to communicate better with your cat

Farzana.Patowari1@timesgroup.com

As all cat moms or dads know, there are days when your feline might shower you with loads of attention, while there are days when they might ignore you completely. However, there are some easier ways of gauging what’s on your kitty’s mind. Dr Anand Deshpande, head of veterinary services at a pet care brand, suggests some easy ways:

1. Watch your cat’s tail: If the tail is up in the air and straight up or curling and moving slowly, it means your feline is happy to see you. However, if the tail fur is straight up along with a continuous purr, spitting or hissing sound, then your cat is feeling very angry, aggressive or even frightened.
2. Their eyes speak volumes: If you find your catto staring back at you with those dark, deep, all-knowing eyes, it means that he or she trusts you and is super comfortable around you. However,if their pupils are dilated, then they might be feeling either playful or a little fearful.
3. Headbutting and nose rubs: When they start headbutting you or rubbing themselves against your legs, it just shows that they are marking you as their property, and it’s definitely a sign of friendliness. If you are lucky to get a ‘wet nose kiss’ it means that you have finally earned their affection.

BOX:

BE PATIENT: EXPERTS

Talk back to them in a high-pitched voice and make sure you watch their body language and listen to what sounds they make for demands and requests. Eventually, you will be able to understand their meows and purrs to decode their cattitude. Veterinarian Dr Anil Roy suggests that one be patient with their cat. “Feline animals take longer than usual to trust human beings around them, so developing a rapport with them might take time.”