Understand Your Cat's Body Language – 6 Signs Your Cat Is Happy

As a cat owner, you want to ensure your beloved cat is happy and content. After all, these little furballs love us unconditionally, and it's our job as responsible cat owners to make sure they thrive and are well.

But how do you know if your cat is well and enjoying its home? It can be difficult to tell, as cats, unlike humans, cannot directly communicate that they are happy, displeased, unhappy, or in mental and physical balance. Luckily, a cat's body language and sounds reveal a lot, and it is through these methods that your four-legged friend communicates with you.

With that in mind, we thought we'd use this article to give you insight into understanding cat language – as this way you can get a unique insight into your cat's mental and physical well-being. Because if you understand your cat and can tell if it is stressed, anxious, or otherwise unhappy, you can use simple methods to calm your cat and ensure your four-legged friend is doing well.

1) Running around happily: One way your cat shows its joy for life is by suddenly jumping through the garden or home for no immediate reason. At this stage, cats are in many ways very much like children who wildly and without reason run and jump around.

2) Your cat purrs: There can be several reasons why cats purr, but often it is positive. Purring can also indicate pain or stress. But you know your cat best, and therefore you also know if the purring is out of joy or a sign of illness, anxiety, or stress.

3) Your cat actively seeks your contact: It's a sign that the cat is happy and content if it even approaches you on the sofa and wants to cuddle or snuggle. It will do everything to get your attention, and that is a clear signal that your cat is in top form and in a good mood.

4) Your cat ”talks” a lot: Meowing is often positive, but can also be negative. It is therefore up to you to interpret the signals – and if your cat meows more than usual, it could be a sign of something serious. But if the cat meows normally, it is often a sign that it is doing well.

5) Healthy appetite: Does your cat happily eat its cat food and enjoy the treats you give it? Congratulations! Then it is a sign of happiness. For a happy cat is a hungry cat that is neither picky nor suffers from food refusal.

6) Raised tail: If your cat greets you with its tail raised, it very clearly shows that it is content.

Now that you know how your cat shows happiness with its body language and sounds when it's happy and content, it's also important to know how the cat shows the opposite – that is, when it is stressed or anxious. Therefore, here we give you five clear signs that your cat is stressed or anxious.

1) Your cat hides or avoids human contact: This is a clear sign of health problems or stress. If the vet has ruled out that the cat is hiding due to any illness, then you should make sure to make your cat feel safe and secure in its own home.

2) Urinates/defecates outside the litter box: This is a clear signal from your cat that something is wrong. This can either be because the litter box needs to be cleaned. If the litter box has just been changed and it is clean and hygienic, it can also be a sign of an illness. So if the behavior of urinating/defecating outside the litter box continues, you should consider taking your four-legged friend to the vet.

3) Changes in appetite: If your cat is stressed or anxious, it may lead to it not wanting to eat, becoming more picky, or eating too much.

4) Aggressive behavior: If your cat suddenly becomes aggressive, see it as a desperate cry for help. And if the vet denies that the aggressive behavior is due to illness, then you must find out the cause of the cat's stress. It could, among other things, be a new pet or family member in the home or that they feel threatened.

5) Starts to become noisy: An extremely howling/meowing cat is often a sign of a stressed cat. However, it is also something that can come quite normally over time as the cat gets older and can experience stress due to senility and confusion.

With the points we have mentioned above, it can help you see if you have a happy and content cat, or if your cat is unhappy. Fortunately, there are many things you can do yourself to get a cat in mental balance.

1) Look for signs of stress or anxiety: The first step to helping a stressed or anxious cat is to recognize that it is stressed or anxious. So if its behavior and body language show that it is not content, it could be a sign of dissatisfaction.

2) Eliminate the cause of stress: If possible, you can completely or partially remove what is stressing the cat. For example, if another (stray) cat comes into the house to eat your cat's food, then make sure to keep doors and windows closed.

3) Use natural supplements to calm your cat: A good option is Animigo's Soothex specifically formulated for cats. The supplement contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that help calm your cat in stressful situations. Soothex has no sedative effect and is perfect for helping the cat relax and calm down, which is exactly what your cat might need if it is experiencing stress or anxiety.

4) Give your cat a safe space: Use a bed or build a ”cave” to give your cat a safe space, so your cat can retreat and be alone if it feels stressed, overwhelmed by sounds or the like.

5) A relaxed cat owner makes for a relaxed cat: Your cat reacts to your emotions, and if you are stressed and anxious, your cat is likely to become stressed and anxious. So be relaxed, it gives your cat peace of mind. Also make sure you have regular routines with your cat – that also helps calm the cat.

If your cat suddenly and unexpectedly changes its behavior, it's a really good idea to contact a vet to investigate further. Because altered body language and sudden aggression can be a sign of an underlying illness that needs treatment.