Standing straight, flat, or turned back… Your cat ears can tell a lot about her emotions. Learn more about it and learn to understand your cat better!
We all try to understand our cats. This is normal, as we want to listen to them to provide better care and good nutrition. Therefore, it is interesting and important to know what the various positions and movements of the cat’s ears mean – an integral part of her communication. By the ears of a cat, you can determine its emotional state and the degree of anxiety. Ethology – the science of animal behavior – explains the behavior of cats as follows:
- The ears are straight, and the tips of the ears are directed forward – the cat is calm.
- The ears stand straight, and the tips of the ears are directed to the sides – the cat is angry.
- The cat’s ears are pressed to the sides – she is alarmed and ready for defense.
- The cat’s ears are fully flattened and turned back – it is angry or frightening.
- The ears are erect, and the tips of the ears point back when sniffing – an automatic and involuntary posture.
Ears are not the only signal.
The position of the ears is an important guide, but you should not rely on it alone to determine the cat’s emotional state. If you want to be more specific about a cat’s emotions, study its facial expressions, such as the movement of its whiskers and pupils.
If your cat’s ears are fully flattened and turned back (a phenomenon called “mydriasis”), your cat is frightened. However, if the pupils are constricted (“miosis”), the cat is angry and can display aggression. Other behaviors, such as the body’s position, whiskers, and tail, or making sounds, will help you understand how your cat is feeling.