Barks and Meows: How to Understand What Your Pet is Saying

Cats and Dogs–our furry friends who beg for treats, hop on the table, and keep us second guessing if we left food out on the counter. Heaven knows where we’d be without them and it makes one wonder how exactly we turned wild animals into the ideal snuggling companion. Well it all begins with language. Unlike wild animals, there is some sort of connection between us and our pets (for the sake of the article I'll only be referring to cats and dogs), a language that’s never spoken yet understood. For example, when we see our dogs’ tail wagging or hear our cats purring we know they’re happy, and this goes both ways. When we shake the food container or a treat bag both cats and dogs come running knowing we intend to bless them with sustenance. This article will teach you some of these animalistic languages so you can understand what your pet is trying to tell you and maybe even get them to do the same for you. 

Cats:

Cats are funny creatures. They utilize their adorable traits to manipulate us into getting what they want and probably wouldn't care less if we disappeared–asides from not being fed on a regular basis. The first way cats express themselves is through their voice. Meowing, hissing, and purring are sounds all cat owners are familiar with, but what do they mean? When a cat meows at its owner it means they either need assistance or want something. For example, my cat meows at the door whenever it wants to go outside, and even louder when it's bowl is out of food. Purring is a trait we usually associate with a cat’s good mood, and is usually brought on by pets and scratches. This means the cat is happy and relaxed, but it can also be a way to calm down in times of stress. If your cat doesn’t purr, it doesn’t mean they’re unhappy, it might just mean they are so well adjusted to their environment that they don’t feel the need anymore. 

Another form of communication among cats is what they do with their eyes. Wide eyes could mean trust, while slitted eyes could mean anger or aggression, and if your cat's eyes are droopy and tired, it means they’re relaxed. Holding eye contact with a cat could be taken as a sign of aggression, so look away every now and then to assure them you’re not a threat. Funnily enough, cats kiss through their eyes. It sounds odd, but you can give your furry friend a “cat kiss” by blinking slowly, and if they respond the same way, they’re kissing you back. 

Tails are another way of cat communication. When a cat wants to be seen or interacted with, they might hold their tail high, but beware, a sporadically wagging or thumping tail-which might seem playful–means you should probably stay away at that time. If a cat’s tail puffs up, it’s in defense mode, and if it raises its puffed tail it’s ready to throw claws. 

The last form of communication we’ll address is the body. Cat’s use their body similarly to their tail. If a cat rolls over on its back it’s welcoming you to interact with it, but be careful touching a cat’s stomach as, unlike dogs, they’ll probably attack or run away. A cat's stomach is one of its most vulnerable areas (that’s why most cats have a saggy stomach called a primordial pouch–it’s there for protection, flexibility, and warmth) and touching it, even if you mean well, could be taken as an attack. 

Dogs: 

Dogs, unlike cats, are much more obvious about what they want from their owners. They see us as a pack member and won’t try to manipulate us (as much). The first and most obvious form of communication for dogs is their tail. Most people associate a wagging tail with happiness, but this is a common misconception. A wagging tail could mean multiple things, like excitement or frustration. Think about the wag when your dog greets you–a slow, body shaking wag–versus the wag when a dog is trying to get a toy from under the couch–it’s much more sporadic and twitchy. The classic tail-between-the-legs indicates a dog's fear and submission, whereas dogs with tails held high and proud indicate assertion and confidence.  

Dogs too indicate emotions with their bodies. A cowering dog usually is usually afraid or anxious, and wants to appear less large and threatening. A dog rolling over on its back could be a sign it wants you to give it an ol’ belly rub, but it can also mean the dog is stressed out or scared (usually in smaller dogs) and in some cases, the dog will even urinate. If a dog is leaning forward in the position of “downward dog” it means it’s in a playful mood. 

One of the reasons many find dogs so loveable is the way they use facial expressions to communicate, however, they don’t do it in the same way we humans do. Take a dog’s smile for example. While showing one’s teeth in human culture is taken as a friendly gesture, in most other animals, especially dogs, it serves as more of a sign of aggression or a warning. Dogs can still smile as a welcoming sign or to show satisfaction, but knowing the difference between a happy smile and an angry one is important when approaching a dog. Usually, snarling is a key indicator that a dog wants nothing to do with the current situation or–even though it might look excited–you. 

Eyes and voice are also very important parts of a dog's “dialect.” Barking is how a dog vocalizes what it’s thinking, so whenever your dog barks at the mailman, it’s basically shouting “Mailman! Mailman! Mailman! Mailman!” as a way to alert you. 

The same goes for a whimper, which indicates a dog's distress, whether it be an injury, fear, or a lack of treat supply. Similarly to a cat, consistent eye contact can be perceived as threatening, so dogs break eye contact to break the tension.

Now that you’re equipped with the basics of dog and cat lingo, try to use your new skills to better communicate with your furry friends by learning what makes their tails wag, throats purr, and especially what makes their hair stand up. Although they can’t talk about movies or new album drops, our pets can still pull off being great communicators–as long as they have food in their bowls and a comfortable bed to curl up on.