There is something wonderfully comforting about a contented cat. When they curl up on your lap, purring gently, few things can match that sense of calm and peace. As a cat owner, ensuring your cat's comfort and happiness is paramount. While purring is a good indicator of satisfaction and ease, there are other less obvious signs that your kitty is happy.
What are some signs that a cat is happy?
Each cat is unique, expressing happiness in its own way through body language and vocalisations. Understanding these signals helps you gauge your cat's emotional state and strengthen your bond.
The way your cat greets you
When your cat greets you enthusiastically, it strongly indicates happiness. Cats express joy through body language such as upright ears, a raised tail with a slight curve at the tip, and rubbing against your legs. This behaviour shows affection and marks you as an important part of their social group.
Your cat’s vocal cues
Cats use a variety of vocalisations to communicate their feelings. A happy cat often purrs softly when content, especially when sitting on your lap or receiving attention. Each cat's purr can vary in tone and intensity, but the consistent sound of purring is generally associated with relaxation and pleasure. The higher the pitch of a cat's sound, the happier they are likely to feel. Lower-pitched meows can often indicate that a cat wants something or is frustrated.
How your feline sits or lies down
How a cat sits or lies down can reveal much about its emotional state. A relaxed and happy cat typically rests with its feet tucked under its body in a loaf position, eyes partially closed or blinking slowly. This relaxed posture indicates a sense of security and comfort in its environment. Rolling onto their back and exposing their belly is a vulnerable position for cats, but when they do this in your presence, it signifies trust and contentment.
Settling on your lap
Cats often show you that they are happy in subtle ways. But when they come onto your lap and curl up, that’s a good sign that your cat is happy. Your cat may also use their paws to knead your lap, just like it was kneading dough. This relates to when they were kittens and what they did on their mother’s teat to encourage the milk. It’s a clear sign of pleasure, comfort, happiness and trust.
Confident and content behaviour
A cat that is feeling confident will hold their head up and take an interest in the world around them. They will show their curiosity by twitching their tail from side to side and opening their eyes wide. They show interest in everything they come across, even if they just sit and observe everything quietly. It shows that they feel confident in their life with you. Relaxed whiskers and ears facing forward are good signs that your cat feels contented.
Playful behaviour
Cats show that they are feeling happy by displaying their sense of fun and interacting in playful ways with you and other pets in the home that they like and trust. They may lie on their side and twitch their tail, which shows that they feel bonded with you. Cats will also merrily chase after a ball of paper, string, or the light from a laser pen. Cats don’t really need expensive toys; it’s the interaction that makes them happy.
A healthy appearance
How a cat looks is a good indicator of how they are feeling. When they feel happy then they will keep themselves clean and well-groomed. They may also groom other cats, pets in the home or even their owner. This is their way of expressing their happiness and trust. If they feel unhappy, they will likely stop grooming and start to look scruffy.
Sociable sleeping
Cats tend to spend a lot of their lives sleeping, around 70% of their lives is spent snoozing, equivalent to between 13 and 16 hours a day. But when a cat is unhappy, they often hide away and sleep much longer than normal. Happy cats, however, don’t sleep as much and will deliberately choose where they sleep. When relaxed, they will choose to sleep socially, whether curled up next to you on the sofa or with other cats or pets in the house.
A healthy appetite
Cats will ask you for food by rubbing themselves around your legs while meowing. They may even lead you to their food bowl. In their own way, they are telling you that they understand that you are the person who looks after them and they trust you. While cats are clever animals who often have their owners trained to give them treats, this behaviour also shows that they trust you and that your cat is happy and content.
Giving you presents
Whether you like it or not, bringing in ‘gifts’ for you is a real sign that your cat loves you and is happy enough to want to share their hunting bounty with you. It could be a dead mouse, pigeon or even a frog. It may not seem like it, but they are actually paying you a huge compliment and showing you their trust. It ultimately signifies that your cat loves you and wants to give you a special present.
All cat owners dream of having a happy and relaxed cat curled up on their lap, gently purring away. But by watching out for certain behaviour traits and becoming familiar with their unique body language, you can ensure that your furry feline is always content and enjoying life.
