ByNothing can be more heartwarming than to be welcomed by our feline little friends.
But what if, after a hard day when you get back home, you find out no welcoming gestures from your cat?
The next day you bring home her favorite smoked salmon or maybe treat her with the favorite cat food she can hardly resist.
Still no cheer-ups and worst of all, not even a look!
These are all the tell-tale signs of a sad, miserable cat. Sometimes providing shelter, a warm place to sleep, or providing extra food is not what keeps them happy after all.
Now, this must call for a reality check.
Cats are playful beings- be it an indoor feline friend or a wild, untamed feral cat we are talking about.
If your cat starts showing off those tell-tale signs and particularly lack enthusiasm in anything at all, then definitely there is something wrong.
Chances are your cat has grown sad, and luckily, there are ways to cheer up a sad cat that all cat owners must take advantage of.
You see, owning and growing up with a Maine Coon and a Persian over the years has taught me nearly everything feline.
From understanding severe behavioral issues to giving our cats the best possible life, I know for sure about some of the most pressing concerns among us cat parents. And, that is – “Is my cat happy, at all?”
So, this segment is dedicated to all cat parents who are trying to figure out their cat’s contentment and cherish the cat’s happiness- so to speak. And, some great advice from pro cat parents in cheering up the sad feline ones.
But before jumping into instant ways of keeping cats happy, it is also essential to understand our cats for a better, more comfortable relationship.
So, let’s now get to know about the usual signs of a happy cat.
What Are The Signs Of A Happy Cat?
Just like us, our pet friends also express their emotions in versatile ways. And when it comes to expressing their love, devotion, and happiness, each cat is very different.
But how can you understand that your cat is happy?
Figuring out these feline expressions can be tricky, but then again, many signs tell your cat is happy after all.
So, let’s explore all the definite signs of a thrilled cat.
10 Definitive Signs Of A Happy Cat
1. Cat Purrs of Happiness
Cat purrs are one of the signs of cat happiness for you to look out for.
But, a cat purrs in so many different ways, and not all the purrs mean the same.
A purring cat is not always a happy cat, and it takes time to master what each kind of cat purrs means.
So which one is the cat’s purr of happiness?
One way to figure that out is by giving your cat a good-good belly rub or a good dose of stroke in different ways.
Your cat will purr for sure, and rest assured, you’ll be able to decode the cat purrs of pure happiness.
2. They Knead a lot
Happy cats knead a lot, and that means they knead onto blankets, pillows, and even their owners from time to time.
3. The Tail Talks of happiness
While it is difficult to understand what every single purr, growls, and meows mean, it is quite easy to decode a cat’s mood through the nonverbal cat language.
So, look for the happy cat tail signals. Speaking of which, cats move their tails in many different ways, and cat parents can read their cats’ moods by understanding these cat tail talks or tail movements – so to speak.
But what kind of tail movement is a definite sign of happiness? As it turns out that a happy cat’s tail stands straight up with the tip slightly curved aside.
If your feline friend greets you with tail flicks, then you must know for sure that your cat is happy to see you after all.
There’s more to understand about a cat’s way of tail movement.
So, hang in there as you’ll be finding more about cat tail language right in here.
4. It’s difficult getting your cat to sleep
A happy cat is a hell of an active creature full of life and energy.
While on the other hand, an unhappy cat lacks activity and is undoubtedly a sleepy cat.
An active and happy cat neither sticks to her habit of getting a nap time nor goes to bed on time.
So, if you are having a tough time getting your cat’ a good night’s sleep, rest assured, you know that your cat is happy.
5. They want too much
Happy cats often become demanding and always want to be the center of attention of their cat parents.
Also, a happy cat is a hell of a cuddly one. But, hey, that’s not bad! Apparently, not so bad.
Not so bad until you find out that after years of sleeping on its bed one night, she leaves it all together and starts curling up next to you.
This means during bedtime, he won’t go anywhere else other than your duvet and blanket.
But, what’s the fault in that? Since you know for sure that it’s a happy feline bed partner after all.
6. Giving you tons of kitty licks
Cats love giving their owners small licks of gratification. And best of all, these feline creatures turn themselves into affectionate lickers whenever they are happy.
This means they would lick your eyebrows, elbows, and whatnot!
7. Rubbing noses all over you
If you notice your cat is rubbing the nose, ears, and face all over you, you know that your cat is happy and expressing his emotions to you.
On the flip side, a cat rubbing its bottom too much on the floor indicates something else and needs veterinary attention.
8. Slowly blinking at you from time to time
Cat blinks may seem like the most natural motion to us cat owners, but slow blinking is a beautiful demonstration of cat love and happiness.
The slow, languid blinks of a cat are interpreted as a sign of relaxation, trust, and happiness.
Cat blinks are also referred to as “cat kiss” Sometimes, it is also a way of telling “I love you”!
So, if your cat is slowly blinking at you, then congrats! Just be sure to flashback, too, as it’s a great way to nurture the bond.
9. Bringing you hunting bounty and gifts
If you have ever found out that your cat is sharing her hard-earned bounties with you, that means you have earned it.
A cat bringing gifts is one of the most indicative signs of happiness and is a way of expressing gratitude to the owner.
10. A happy cat’s body language
It is necessary to pay attention to your cat’s behaviors, strange actions, and particularly the body language from time to time.
It is because these are the most indicative indicators of your feline friend’s happiness.
If you don’t know what cat behaviors reflect their happiness then, look for happy cat body language.
Happy cats are easy to recognize. Joyful ones are those who flick their tails straight up with the tip slightly curved aside.
Apart from the most apparent sign of tail happiness, a happy cat’s eye is heavily lidded, and her ear is usually pointed upward, seemingly relaxed.
On the flip side, if your cat’s ear is pointed forward, it’s a symptom of frustrated cat behavior, and this calls for your attention.
How do I keep my indoor cat happy?
Nearly all cat parents wonder if their cat is genuinely content. And no matter how you slice it, we all want our cats to be joyful pet ones!
But how do you make your indoor cat happy?
Well, it is time to straighten up and do your part in making your kitty cat happy with the way things are.
Here we have rounded up tips for all cat parents in cherishing all-around happiness with their happy cat.
6 Ways To Your Cat’s Happiness
- A happy cat wants to stay safe and secure
If you want to bring happiness to your feline friend, then provide her with a cat-friendly secure environment or create a safe haven to make her feel safe and secure.
Also, make your cat feel secure by building trust.
- A healthy cat is always a cat happy
Feline obesity causes associated stress diseases resulting in an unhappy cat, according to Ariel Mosenco, DVM, of the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine.
This means keeping your cats happy for a long time is essential to keep them active too.
- Keep your cats well-entertained indoor
Encourage physical activity by keeping your cats well engaged with cat toys and puzzle games.
It is pretty standard for indoor cats to get bored playing with the same toy again and again.
This is why consider rotating your kitty’s toys and treating them with a tasty treat after each game from time to time.
- Cats & Kitties in pair
A socially confident cat is a happy cat. But how do you make your indoor cats socially sure?
In this case, your best bet would be having more than one cat or kitty.
This makes them socially confident and keeps them super busy and interactive nearly all the time.
- Scheduling Visits to the Veterinarian
When it is about what keeps my cats happy, there is one thing that I know for sure. And that is both my cats are so glad and content till there are no vet visits.
So, scheduling regular visits to the vet is indeed a big no-no for apartment cats like mine.
In fact, at times of even their sickness, I have to make the vet pay a visit.
This I do only for the sake of their happiness.
- Create a bird watching station
Cats love watching birds and seeing birds make them happy.
Consider providing your indoor cats with a bird watching environment.
You can do this easily by simply creating a bird watching station by creating a cosy sitting corner for your cat on a window near a chair or a couch.
Outside your windows, place birdfeeders strategically or plant native plants near your window.
If creating a bird watching station sounds troublesome, then simply purchase a bird watching DVD.
The good news is that there is already a good collection of birds on YouTube for cats to watch on YouTube.
Play one of the videos for once, and you’ll be amazed to find out how happy your cat becomes.
Conclusion
Is my cat happy?
In the quest to nurture the cat’s happiness, it is not uncommon to ponder whether our cats speak to us or not.
But do you speak to your cat? I do talk with my Main Coon from time to time.
Also, at times, I do ask him whether he is happy or not! Sometimes he purrs, and at other times, he simply gives me a blink and plays cool.
But does he understand me at all? Well, taking a cat phonetics crash course only to figure out if my cat understands me or not is the last thing I would ever want to do.
But when it comes to keeping up with my cat’s happiness, I must share one piece of helpful information with all my cat folks.
What turns out is that cats’ secret language is not actually how they meow at us but rather how it is their body language to look out for.
If you are looking for the most indicative indicators of your cat’s happiness, pay attention to body language.
Pay attention to your cat’s tail movement and look for the above explained 10 signs of a happy cat.
Finally, as responsible cat parents, we should always do our best to bring up a healthy and happy cat.
So do your best not only to meet the basic needs of your feline friend but also to cherish your cat’s happiness.
Because at the end of the day, who doesn’t want a joyful pet cat?
