CBS3 Pet Project: How To Tell If Your Cat Is Mad At You
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Do you ever think that your cat is mad at you? Usually, with your cat, you can know the range of their behaviors so that if something is out of whack you would know it. But you know they won't be super mad or attack you.
Animal advocate Carol Erickson joined Eyewitness News with some tips on how you can tell from the Tuft's Catnip Newsletter.
Starting with the pupil size of your cat's eyes, if you start to see that the pupil in their eye, the black part starts to dilate to the point that it's almost blocking most of the cat's eye, they are in a fight or flight mode.
Also if the cat is staring at you without blinking from a distance, they're probably pretty annoyed.
So you may be keeping a second eye of your own on that particular cat.
Also, rotating ears, if they're threatened or uneasy or very angry, those ears can go flat or to the sides.
It can also mean they are about to attack.
Even if it's a friend's house or outside and want to approach a cat, look for a couple of those signs.
Also the swishing tail, most people know a swishing tail back and forth it's not like a dog's wagging tail which generally means they're friendly.
The swishing tail, the flicking back and forth means they may be ready to pounce or they're not in a good mood.
Because even a cat that is standing with a lowered tail, they're probably annoyed and it might be time to say this cat's had enough of my attention.
Also suddenly looking bigger, the fluffing up that they do, that's obvious, they're trying to make themselves look big and at that point let them be big and give them space.
Also purring, you think purring is the greatest thing in the world. However, along with some of the other signs of stress, it means the cat doesn't want any more attention. So a purr is not always contentment.
And when their whiskers become very prominent and their face muscles tightened they may feel threatened and defensive so give them some space at that point.
Watch the video to see this week's full segment.
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