I have been a cat lover all my life, things just aren’t the same without a feline companion. I love seeing them around my home, they are moving works of art. Every cat I have ever had has been truly unique; no two are ever the same. If you have never had a cat, you are really missing out!

If you pay attention, your cat will tell you what they want. When our big white cat (Mr. P) wanted to go out, he would find me and meow loudly until I looked at him, then he would scurry towards the nearest outside door. He would look at me, then the doorknob, then back at me. All the while, saying “Me-out”, he would continue this until I started walking toward the door with my hand out ready to turn the knob, once the door was open, he would run off.

Your cat's behavior will depend on what they need or want. It is important to know what needs your cat has, so you can encourage the behaviors you want.  If you are venturing into the world of cat companionship there are some things you should know. Cats like a routine, they are more comfortable knowing your schedule. They expect to be feed at a certain time, have their litter box clean, have plenty of fresh drinking water, and a quiet, comfortable place to sleep. When these things are available, they are mostly content, but beware, your cat has other needs too, and if they are not fulfilled, watch out!

Food and water must be kept in clean containers in an area accessible to the cat. If you have dogs, this should not be on the floor. My cats favorite place to eat was in a windowsill, they could enjoy the view, and eat at the same time! Cats need a high protein food, they are carnivores, not omnivores like dogs. The intestines in a cat are not designed to eat grains, so read the labels. Many cats I have had, could tolerate a little grain in their food. My current cat, Tina, must have a food without any grains in it or she develops what look like cold sores on her lips and mouth. Cats prefer it if you give them fresh water every day, make sure the container  is washed out every time, this makes the toilet less inviting! If water is not available (toilet or otherwise) your cat will seek you out and lead you to the water dish. If you work long hours, please check your cat's water supply before leaving, especially if they eat dry food.

Cats despise a messy litter box, keep it clean, or they become very upset with you! One of my cats, Tina, refuses to use it until I clean it out. She will look for me and lead me to the litter box, as if to say, “Look, human, it’s dirty, clean it out now!” She waits until I clean it and leave the room, then in privacy she takes care of her business. 

Indoor cats and young cats especially need to play, so make time for it. My cat's favorite toy is a bright green mouse, filled with catnip, on a long string. I make the mouse move; they attack and proceed to chew on it. They will play at this game of “catch the mouse” for upwards to ten minutes, before they get bored and wander off to do their cat business. Many things make a good cat toy, the plastic rings from gallon milk jugs, small wads of paper, string, and any other items that are fun to "bat" around with their paws. Cats love to lay on paper, newspaper, homework, books laying open, etc. So, don't be surprised when your cat lays down on the files you brought home from work. Conversely, they hate the sound of plastic grocery bags. If you don't want your cat running off in terror, avoid rattling the plastic grocery bags you just brought home. Be careful of string, some cats like to swallow it, and this may or may not be a problem depending on the age of the cat and the type and length of string. It is best to keep it where they can't get at it and take it out only for play time. 

What is cat business? Every cat has their own unique interests: Climbing trees, jumping on top of the tallest furniture, exploring dark narrow places, finding the most quiet comfortable places for a nap, bird-watching, bug hunting, playing soccer with whatever they find on the floor, and so forth. 

I had one cat that always managed to catch any fly that ventured into my apartment; I guess the fly didn’t figure out that all it needed to do was stay out of leaping range to stay alive. Well, flies aren’t known for their smarts.

Cats are always learning new things about their environment. Mr. P is a master of opening doors, I would think a door was shut all the way, but he would reach under it and pull (or push) it open. Another favorite trick of his is to slip between the hanging closet doors and hide out in the closet.

The trick to understanding cat behavior is VEET, Vocalizations, Eyes, Ears, Tail. By listening to and watching your cat, you can figure out what they are telling you.

Cats have a variety of vocalizations, the ubiquitous meow is the most common, but they also trill, chirp, growl, hiss, and best of all, purr. For your sake, I hope you never hear them growl or hiss, it can be scary. Especially when you are holding them and a strange dog comes running up! Since Growls and hisses are usually accompanied by teeth and claws, these sounds are not welcome when you are holding a feline. Male and female cats differ in the pitch of their sounds. A female may have a much higher pitched trill or chirp. Where a male cats pitch is deeper and more "throaty". Trills are often a sign that the cat wants attention, either from you or the opposite sex. It is a pleasant sound that indicates a feeling of comfort and familiarity. The purr is my favorite sound of all. It is such a genuine expression of contentment. Usually cats purr when they are relaxed, happy, and socialble, however, I have had cats purr when they are injured and I am holding them in the vets examining room. This tells me, that even though they are scared, they trust me and count on me help them. 

Their eyes will tell you a lot, are they wide or narrow, are the pupils dilated, are they looking at something? All of these tell you what they are feeling, and where their attention is. In general, wide eyes show that they are paying close attention to what is happening around them. This could mean that they are watching you fill up their food dish, or wondering if you are going to pick them up for the 599^th time today (in which case, they are ready to bolt to the nearest exit).  Wide eyes can also mean, “Hey, I see you, how about a chin scratch?” (As in the photo.) When a cat's pupils are dilated, it is either really dark, or they are a bit "freaked out." Watch the pupils in combination with how open or closed their eyelids are and the amount of tension their body is displaying. When a cat gives me "love eyes" they slowly open and close their eyelids while trilling, it is the cat equivalent of "batting" their eyelashes. Their eyes have very soft, gentle look accompanied by friendly body language like an "s" curved tail, rubbing, or marking. 

Cat's ears are erect, but show a lot of movement in response to their environment. Many times, I have noticed my cats ears swivel towards the front door right before someone knocks or rings the doorbell. My cat has also been able to find my missing cell phone much faster than I can, the minute she hears it, she runs towards it. At first, I thought she liked the sound, but she just wanted me to turn off that awful sound! The angle of their ears can give you an idea of what direction they are going next, either toward the sound or as far away from it as they can get! If a cat’s ears are lying back against their head (or heading in that direction), they are MAD, this along with eyes closed to a slit and hackles raised means, “Don’t mess with me, I’m armed, dangerous, and very pissed off! Back off!” 

If you fail to notice everything else about your cat’s body language, you don’t want to ignore the tail. When a cat is relaxed and comfortable in their environment, their tail is either raised up like a flagpole, or swooping down behind them. The tail in either of these positions will have soft curves to it, sometimes resembling a question mark in the raised position, or, a gentle slope in the lowered position. If the cat’s tail is straight, they are very tense, either they have been startled or scared. At cat twitching their tail can mean a variety of things depending on the context. In general it means the cat is stimulated or excited. When cats are playing, they usually swish or wiggle their tails back and forth prior to pouncing on their target. If you are petting your cat, and their tail starts to swish, they are stimulated by the stroking and are probably planning their departure, whether claws get involved is usually up to you. Stop petting them and see what happens, if they want more stroking, they will usually turn their head and look at you, “Why did you stop? I was enjoying that!” If they have had enough, they will leave, hopefully without extending their claws. 

For years, I thought this behavior was my cat saying, “I love you, you are so wonderful, pet me, pet me now!”  or “Look at me, aren’t I the most beautiful cat you have ever seen?” I guess that I’m so egocentric that I thought they were “groveling” for my benefit. That was a mistake, it is not all about me, it’s all about them! Many animals, enjoy rolling around on their back with their paws up in the air. It’s just that cats look so much more graceful doing this that we think they are doing it for our benefit. I have come to realize that “groveling” is something that cats do when they feel safe and relaxed, and if they’re in the mood they will allow you to touch them, but that is not their goal, they’re just having fun!

A cat has to establish their territory, they do this by marking (and spraying). Marking is where the cat rubs their face and body against something to leave their scent. When you get home and you cat rubs your legs, don't be mad, be glad. They think enough of you to take ownership by leaving their scent on you. If they didn't like you they wouldn't do it! On the other hand, if they smell another animal on you they feel it is their duty to cover up that other scent with their own. Either way marking is a cat's way of showing you that you are important enough for them to notice. OK,  I know that they also marked the chair, the door, and the stick laying out on the deck, but hey it's a cute behavior anyway!

Most of all, enjoy your cat and respect them as an individual. You will have a great relationship with them if you pay attention to their signals and respect their individuality. I have had known many cats over the years and each one I meet shows me that there is so much more to learn about them. Having a cat in your home is an enriching and rewarding experience. But, while you are learning, it doesn't hurt to keep Neosporin and Band-aids around the house, just in case!

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Copyright 2009, MarilynDuPont