This cat rocks!

Before reading, I want to stress that I am not an authority on cats, and that I think we can all agree that our cats are very unique in personality and behavior. However, I wanted to post these as they are tidbits of information I've picked up through the years of spending my time with Baxter growing our relationship. I want to stick to calling them information rather than facts, because I feel that us as cat owners know our cats best. However, maybe if your cat displays some of these behaviors and you notice they are similar in how I describe them, you can take some joy from knowing a little more about your relationship with your feline friend (or friends!)

Communication between cat and human

Cats often communicate to us through a classic "meow" as well as use of body language. This body language can really help you strengthen the bond between you and your cat if you understand it a bit.

Slow blinks - Often jokingly referred to as eye kisses, cats slowblink at us and other cats to communicate that they are friendly and not looking for conflict. Slow blinking at your cat can be a great way to break tension if they are anxious or to just let them know you love them. Baxter and I often exchange slow blinks when he is getting settled in the box I have in my office. I do this to let him know I love him and as kind of a way to say "sleep well" as I know a catnap is incoming. This can also be a great way to ease tension if you are meeting a friend's cat for the first time, as slow blinks mean you do not want conflict and wish to be friendly with the cat

Tail thumping, thwacking - New cat owners often learn the hard way that a wagging cat tail is not the same as a wagging dog tail. In many cases this is true, but it is always important for us as cat owners to pay attention to all aspects of our cat's body language. Baxter will often thwack his tail in his box while I pet him, but all other body language indicates he is content. He is purring, his ears are not back (airplane ears) the tail is not puffed, and he is slowly moving his head to allow me to reach other spots he would like petted.

Brr or trill type meow - This is a type of communication often reserved for cat to cat communication. Cats use these sounds occasionally with their body language to communicate with other cats. However, I include these with human communication as it can mean something quite special if your cat is using these with you. Through what I've read, it can mean that your bond is very tight with your cat, and they are choosing to communicate with you as if you were one of their own. While I don't know the validity of that, it is certianly nice to think about.

Laying upside down, exposing the forbidden fluff - As a cat owner you will know best whether your cat is friendly to belly rubs. Baxter is not, but when Baxter and I got our own place, I noticed he would occasionally lay upside down exposing his belly. I knew his belly was off limits for pets, so I often used it as a chance to get a picture as he looked quite silly stretched out and often seemed content. After reading a bit I learned that Baxter could be communicating that he feels safe and comfortable in his environment. So I would say if your cat does this but doesn't like belly rubs, take comfort in the fact that your cat feels so safe with you that they would expose an area of themselves they would protect at all costs in the wild.

That's all for now, I do hope to add more soon!

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