A Quick Guide to Cat Behaviors

If you notice your cat doing weird things like hacking up hairballs, crouching like a jungle cat or wandering around with its tail in the air, don't be alarmed. There are many cat behaviors that are completely normal and are part of its nature.

Don't be upset if your cat hacks up a hairball. Ever notice that your cats tongue is rough? That's how cats clean themselves - they lick their fur and pick up bits of dirt and loose hairs. That hairball is made up of their own fur. While a hairball every once in a while isn't a bad thing, if it's happening more than once a month, your kitty may need to be brushed. Regular brushing can keep hairballs away.

If your kitty is crouching down like a lion and watching something carefully, that means that it's about to pounce. If you watch closely, you might even see your cat do a "butt wiggle" right before it takes off! Cats like to pounce on things. Even if your kitty is an indoor pet that has never even seen a live mouse, its nature is to stalk and hop on toys or other animals. If it were outside in the wild, that's how it would feed itself, but since your kitty is an indoor cat, that's how it plays.

Your cats' tail displays its moods. When your cat is happy, it walks around with its tail comfortably up in the air and it looks relaxed. If its tail is straight up and stiff, it might be alarmed about something - did you just make a loud noise or startle it? You'll notice that when your kitty is crouching down and about to pounce, its tail is swishing from side to side. That is normal stalking cat behavior. An angry, upset or scared cat keeps its tail between its legs, almost like it is trying to make itself smaller.

The same thing goes for your cats' ears. If its ears are back, that means your cat is angry. When its ears are straight up, he is happy and relaxed. Watch your cats ears - if he hears something in the distance, they will twitch back and forth. It's pretty funny to watch!