How much do you know about your cat…really? Maybe you’ve had several cats over a lifetime, and have gathered a lot of experience. Your friends even ask you for cat advice. You may think you have all the important cat knowledge you need. But my human has a saying: “Always be teachable.” So I have 10 quick facts that may not be all that familiar to you.

1. Want to know a cat’s frame of mind? Check their tail.

You probably know about the friendliness of a raised tail, especially one that ends in that question mark type of curve. And everyone knows about a puffed up tail from those Halloween illustrations. But watching your cat’s tail movement on a day to day level tells you a lot about their ups and downs. If your cat seems a little off, or if they’re not completely acting like themselves, check their tail. Is it lower than usual? Tucked close to their bodies? Are they flicking it aggressively when you pet them in certain places? A cat’s tail, combined with the rest of their body language, can help you assess what they’re feeling.

2. Ear and whisker movements tell you a lot about what a cat sees in its surroundings.

We’re all amused when a cat makes airplane ears. But it’s not always funny. If something is truly annoying or scaring your cat, those airplane ears could flatten into something more fearful, and fearful cats can turn aggressive. A happy cat has ears that are rotated forward with relaxed whiskers. But if those whiskers are pointing forward, something really has their attention! And maybe you want to know what it is. I’ve helped my human find an unwanted critter or two that she didn’t even see at first.

3. Don’t interpret a slow blink all by itself.

Although slow blinking is generally a friendly, relaxed social signal, you still need to look at the whole cat. If their body is tense, their ears are flattened or their pupils are hugely dilated, don’t assume one slow blink means they want to be touched. Other body language may indicate they’re stressed, frightened or highly aroused.

4. Unless you really know your cat’s behavior and routines, you may not realize they’re in pain.

Assessing your cat’s day to day habits is important. Since they are so good at hiding pain, you may not recognize it unless you know what’s normal for your cat. If you’ve ever had a cat that was unwell, look back at their behavior leading up to the vet visit and you may realize they were giving off subtle signs long before you realized. Changes in sleeping, jumping, socializing, eating, litter box habits or even where your cat chooses to spend time can all be clues.

5. A cat’s changes in grooming can also signify something is wrong.

When you feel sick, you don’t take care of yourself the way you normally would. The same goes for your cat. If they start looking more unkempt than usual, they may feel unwell. And if they suddenly stop grooming certain areas, or excessively groom one particular spot, it’s something worth discussing with your vet.

6. A cat’s territory is layered.

Most people with cats know about giving them vertical space in the form of cat trees and shelving. But territory is in reality more complex. It also means having safe routes through the home and making sure one cat can’t block another cat’s access to food, water, resting spots or litter boxes. Multi-cat homes can overcome conflicts by rethinking and rearranging territory to suit the family members.

7. Slow introductions aren’t enough; you also need to set up the territory properly.

Yes, you need to go slow when bringing a new cat into a family that already includes one or more cats. But after the introduction, what then? Make sure each cat is given their own preferred privacy spots, plus eating, sleeping, and litter areas that are apart from the others. Many multi-cat conflicts involve access to space and resources, so it’s crucial to stay on top of those issues.

8. Rubbing against objects isn’t necessarily your cat claiming something as their property.

Yes, your cat’s depositing scent when they rub their cheeks and face against objects…or against you. But feline facial scent is also part of creating a familiar, reassuring environment. So think less “This belongs to me!” and more “This smells familiar and safe.”

9. A cat that’s quiet in the carrier while on the way to the vet may not be calm. They may be frozen with fear.

Some cats complain loudly when you’re driving them off to the clinic. But when you hear quiet, the cat may be no less upset. Some frightened cats respond by freezing or becoming very still in their carrier. So don’t think that when you bring your cat home, they will be right back to their normal selves. If your cat was silent out of fear, they probably need time to hide and decompress. So let them. They will come out when they are ready.

10. Cat enrichment isn’t just pampering — it’s part of keeping a cat healthy.

Cats are never set-and-forget pets. They need entertainment, companionship, a multi-tiered territory, and just in general, a full, rich life. Chronic stress and an environment that doesn’t adequately meet a cat’s behavioral needs have even been associated with feline idiopathic cystitis, a painful inflammatory bladder condition.
 
So what did you think of these facts? Have you noticed how any of them work in your life with your cat? Let me know in the comments.