What does your cat think about you? Have you ever wondered what cats are thinking? Cats spend a lot of time lying down, relaxing, and sleeping. What do cats think (or dream) about when they lie in a sunny spot? And what happens when your cat lies on your chest and looks at you with those mysterious eyes?
Besides their usual walks around the house, going to the food bowl, and a few bursts of intense activity (evening zoomies are always fun), cats don’t do much for most of the day.
They must be thinking about something throughout the day, but what?
Studies on cat cognition
Although we have much to learn about how or what cats think, several studies have explored feline behavior including memory, how cats perceive things, how well they understand human social signals, attachment bonds, and more. We know that our cats love us and feel comfortable around us.
For example, cats respond more to their owner’s familiar voice than to a stranger’s voice, and cats even look to us for reassurance when they are worried or uncertain in the face of something new.
What does your cat think about you?
It seems that cats see us, humans, as large, clumsy cats that don’t always behave as other cats would expect. John Bradshaw, author of the book “Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet” (2013), came up with this theory.
Bradshaw, who has studied the history of domestic cats and human-animal interactions in detail, says in his book that cats’ behavior towards humans is identical to their behavior towards other cats.
For example, cats approach their owners with their tails straight up in the air and rub against us, just as a cat would approach another cat in a friendly greeting. Cats even lick us to groom us, just as they do with other cats.
In short, your cat sees you as a large, cat-like creature that walks on two legs, inexplicably wears clothes, and often does strange things. Your cat might also wonder what oddity or amusing thing you might do next.
Facial expressions
We may never know exactly what a cat is thinking, but by learning to read feline facial expressions, we might have a pretty good idea of what they feel.
Unfortunately, a recent study found that reading cat facial expressions is quite difficult for most people. Most people do not understand what their cats are trying to communicate.
Reading cats’ body language is another skill you can use to try to get into your cat’s mind. This is somewhat easier than learning to read cat facial expressions. Understanding the meaning of certain feline body positions and movements can provide many insights into what is going on in your cat’s mind.
Cat body language
For example, some signs that indicate a cat feels calm and relaxed include a relaxed body, ears in a relaxed and neutral position (not pinned back), and whiskers in a relaxed position.
Signs that a cat feels slightly stressed include a tense body, head turned away, body leaning back or crouched low to the ground, whiskers pushed forward, and slightly dilated pupils.
Body language indicating a highly stressed, anxious, or frightened cat includes ears turned back or flattened against the head, tail lowered, body crouched very low to the ground, fur raised on the body and tail (possibly with an arched back), and very dilated pupils. A very frightened or aggressive cat may also hiss, growl, spit, and swat with its claws.
Dive into your cat’s mind
Even though you’ll never know for sure what your cat is thinking, it can be fun to imagine what’s going on in its mysterious mind. The next time you see your cat, observe its facial expressions and body language and try to imagine what it might be thinking.
Who knows, your cat might simply be thinking about how much it loves you.
