Lost in Translation - Breaking down Pet Body Language
- Justin Lim
- Feb 15
- 5 min read
Your pet has been communicating with you every single day. Through the position of a tail, the weight of a lean, a yawn at completely the wrong moment. An obstacle we all face as pet owners is trying to make a read of what exactly your pets are trying to communicate. How do we achieve that exactly?
Behind the Gestures
The social media infographics - You have definitely come across posts across social media detailing each individual expression your pet makes and the emotion that it correlates to. Although it might serve as a general guideline, like humans, pets can have layers of emotional complexity hidden under each individual gesture.
Beyond social media, there have been studies conducted across time regarding how pets actually communicate with us. More often than not, pets express and communicate with their whole body. Most pet owners focus on the face, eyes, mouth and sometimes even simple actions such as yawning. And while those matter enormously, reading your pets involve a lot more emotional depth.
One of the more prominent examples would be a cat flopping over to expose their belly. For some cats, this can be an invitation for the owner to rub their belly. For others, its a display of trust, as the cat is now comfortable enough around you to leave themselves vulnerable. In any which case, most of the time its not an invitation to rub their belly, as they can attack in defense. Its an easy tell if its a complete misread, if your cat reaches out to your hand as you try and rub its belly, it's going to attack you back. And vice versa if the cat allows you to continue.
The way dogs express themselves are different. Tail wags are the consistent gesture they exhibit but can be interpreted in different ways depending on how they are postured. A wagging tail is not always joy. A high, stiff wag with a rigid body can show that they are relaxed and are glad with your company, while a loose low tail wag can mean that they are tensed and suspicious.
Aside from the common signs as previously mentioned, there are multiple other pet gestures to be aware of, and here is a detailed breakdown of both cats and dogs:
Cats
(Source: TheConversation)
Happy
Eyes - The eyes of a happy cat may be round or partially closed, and their pupils narrow like slits. If a cat blinks slowly at you, it means they trust and love you.
Ears - Happy cats' ears are upright and facing forward.
Tail - A tail that is pointed straight up with a curl at the tip is a reliable sign that a cat is happy and confident.
Playful
Eyes - A playful cat's eyes will be big and their pupils might be dilated.
Ears - Their ears will be up and facing forward.
Tail - Cats who are engaged in hunting behaviors will often flick their tail from side to side as they watch whatever is captivating their attention.
Stressed
Eyes - A stressed cat's eyes may appear wide or narrowed.
Ears - Their ears may be rotated to the sides (in an “airplane ears” pose) or angled backward.
Tail - The cat may hold their tail close to their body or thrash and thump it when feeling stressed or annoyed.
Fearful
Eyes - A fearful cat's eyes widen, and their pupils dilate due to the effects of the fight-or-flight response.
Ears - Their ears are often angled backward or sideways. The further back a cat's ears are pinned, the more terrified they are.
Tail - A fearful cat may wrap their tail tightly around or underneath their body.
Aggressive
Eyes - A cat who is about to become aggressive may have widened eyes with enlarged pupils, or their eyes might be narrowed. They may stare directly at their foe to keep the potential danger in sight.
Ears - Their ears will be turned back or flat against their head.
Tail - They might flick or thrash their tail.
Sick or Painful
Eyes - When a cat is sick or in pain, their eyes may be squinted or held shut and may appear dazed or glassy. Sometimes, the cat's third eyelid, which is pink tissue in the corner of the eyes, may be visible.
Ears - Their ears may be held low or rotated to the sides.
Tail - Their tail may be held underneath or closely wrapped around their body.
Dogs
(Source: AmericanLifestyleMag)
Relaxed/Happy
Ears - Held in their natural position; pointed ears will stand straight and floppy ears will hang slightly forward.
Eyes - Soft, and the forehead is neutral (without wrinkles)
Tail - Wagging in a wide, sweeping motion that's even with the spine; or, if the dog is engaged in play, wagging slightly higher.
Alert
Ears - Perked up and pointed forward (look at the base of the ear for floppy-ear breeds)
Eyes - Wide open and focused with a neutral, relaxed forehead.
Tail - Extended from the body, even with the spine and possibly wagging slightly.
Fearful
Ears - Tucked back against the head.
Eyes - The dog might turn their head away from a stressor but angle their eyes toward it, causing the whites of their eyes to show (referred to as “whale eyes”).
Tail - A fearful dog will tuck their tail so that it’s pressed up against the belly.
Appeased
Ears - Pinned back.
Eyes - Avoiding eye contact and squinting their eyes.
Tail - Tucked or held low and moving in a slow, tight wag.
Aggressive
Ears - Dogs will hold their ears differently depending on the reason for the aggression. . . A fearful dog will typically hold their ears back and against their head. An assertive, confident dog will prick their ears forward or to the side.
Eyes - Their gaze will be fixed on the stimulus with a hard, unwavering stare, with wrinkles across the forehead.
Tail - A fearful dog may hold their tail low or tucked before an act of aggression but raise it during the act. A confident aggressive dog may hold their tail high above their body, and it will possibly be twitching from side to side in a tight wag.
Human and Pet Communication - Closing in the Gaps
Pets already have a very basic understanding of simple human gestures, however it is hard to say if we really reciprocate the same effort in trying to understand them in return.
This breakdown guide should help pet owners alike to understand what it is that separates us differently from our beloved pets, in terms of the differences between our communication styles and signs.
Perfect Playtime Moments
The ultimate goal of every pet owner is to make their pets as happy as possible. It's easier to pick up on your pet's body language when they're enjoying themselves; or in a good mood. Knowing their moods and emotional states can help you better understand when it's the perfect time to play. Likewise, knowing other emotional states' telltale signs would also benefit you greatly. Coming equipped with this knowledge would allow you to know when its time to comfort them or give them the space they need.
Personal Space and Boundaries
Just like us humans, pets just have buttons you should not try to push. Pets in that regard do not operate under the same social rules and cues as we do, and pet gestures allow us to understand the markings and signs when your pet definitely does not like something.
Flight or Fight
Similarly, our pets do have a fight or flight response, albeit stronger due to their biological nature and through evolution. It is important for us to understand the early warning signs for when our pets are more feisty and or aggressive, as to not provoke them by accident.
In essence, there is depth to pet communication. It is definitely remarkable once you slow down enough to really dissect and pay attention to them. Most of it gets missed because we get stuck observing the bigger, more obvious signals.
References and Helpful Links
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