It may not seem as though it is happening, however, your Maine Coon does speak to you. Actually, all animals do. They speak by using body language. Of course they do combine this with the vocalizations that are made also. The Maine Coon does make a few different sounds that come across as talking. We need to understand that body language is considered a method of speaking when living with a Maine Coon.
Body language is a very powerful and meaningful method of conversing for a Maine Coon cat. Let’s see if we can decipher some of these meanings from body language. There is no doubt that a cat is certainly a mystery to many of us. However, to live peacefully with this Gentle Giant, we need to understand.
To begin, a Maine Coon has five different zones they use to speak with us. These are exactly what you would expect them to be. They are the eyes, the ears, the mouth, the tail and the body itself.
Eyes
The cat’s eyes can be one of the most gorgeous parts of the cat. They can also be one of the most telling when it comes to how your cat is feeling. Just as with the human, the eyes are the doorway to the soul. No doubt it is easy to get lost when you look into his or her eyes. It probably is not a safe thing to do though.
- Dilated Pupil Stare: This will definitely feel like you are being challenged to a stare down. In a sense, it is. Back away and let the cat win this one. If you continue to stare back at your cat’s eyes, they will think you are challenging them and this can bring aggression to the surface.
- A Slow Blink: The slow blink is one way your cat is showing affection to you. Think of this as your Maine Coon giving you a hug with her eyes. Respond in kind and slow blink back in her direction. This tells them that you love them also.
- Other Dilated Pupil Meanings: Your cat is stressed if the eyes are dilated and he is crouched low to the ground. However, if the cat is rolling around and has his or her paws up in the air and the eyes are dilated, she wants to play. Start slow so she does not think that you are challenging.
- Half Closed Eyes: This may appear that your cat is ready to lay down and fall asleep. However, this is his way of telling you that he trusts you immeasurably. This also means that the cat feels that he or she can completely relax around you.
- Pupils Almost Invisible: There could be two reasons for this sight. Pay attention to the cat to see if he or she is crouched over or just sitting calmly. There could be something that has the cat feeling a bit tense right then, that she may be becoming aggressive. Or, it could be the lighting in the room itself. The pupils do restrict when in bright light, so it may not be anything to fret over.
Ears
Even the cat’s ears can give you a sign of how the cat is feeling at the time. When you learn how to read each signal, you will be well on your way to having a more peaceful life with your Maine Coon.
- Ears Turned Forward: If your furry feline has the ears forward this likely means that she is happy. She may even be in the mood to play.
- Ears Straight Up: When the ears are straight up this is a sign that something has alerted them. This may have been a noise or a movement out of the corner of the eye. They will be aware of everything around them.
- Ears Sideways: If you see a cat with their ears sticking out to the sides, there is something causing them anxiety or nervousness.
- Ears Turned Back: When the ears are turned back they are irritated and possibly overstimulated. This would be a sign of time to take a break from activity.
- Ears Flat Against The Head: This is a simple one to comprehend, if the cat’s ears are back against it’s head they are angry or scared. Step away and allow time for the cat to relax and calm down.
Mouth
Did you know that a cat does not speak to another cat by using a MEOW? That sound is reserved for humans only.
- A Clear Meow: When you hear the meow clearly the cat is informing you that he or she wants to be fed. The longer you ignore the meow, the louder he or she will become.
- One Syllable Sound: When you hear a ‘meh’ or ‘eh’ this is your cat greeting you. In a sense he or she is saying hello. Be sure to say it back so the cat knows you appreciate him or her speaking to you.
- Rolling R Sound: This rolling or mumbling sound is how a mother cat will speak to her offspring. You will most often hear sibling cats speak to each other this way.
- Urgent MOW or OW: This will sound more like a muffled call. There are two reasons that you may be hearing this type of call. One would be your Maine Coon wants you to hurry and come see the prey it has caught for you. The other is the cat's way of saying, ``Where are you?”
- The Delicate MEW: Whether it is an infant cat you have, when you hear a small, rather quiet type of sound out of your adult cat, get to the cat quickly, as this is a sign of distress. Out of the baby kitten, it is a normal sound. At that stage of their life everything means distress.
- The Deep Rumble: Even the name of this one sounds like trouble. This sound means that either you are making the cat mad or it has spotted something out the window that it does not like.
- Purring: When you hear this sound, you will likely have a cat in your lap really quick. This is usually the sound of happiness and contentment. You will generally find that you will hear the purr during the morning.
Tail
The tail usually will speak louder than the vocal abilities. When a cat moves its tail, there is a reason and a purpose behind it.
- When the tail is straight up, this is usually the biggest sign you will see of your cat being happy. Also a sign of a happy and content cat.
- If the tail is up but vibrating, the cat is happy to see you and be around you. There are some who believe that this resembles how the cat appears when it is spraying.
- Tail Straight Down is usually a sign of the cat being scared and nervous. There is something around the cat that it perceives to be a danger.
- Tail Tucked Between Legs: When a cat is anxious they will automatically hold the tail between their back legs.
- Slow Wag Tail: As the cat begins to assess what is happening around him or her, they will slowly wag the tail. It might be best to walk away and give the cat time to settle down a little bit.
- Rapidly Wagging Tail: Your cat is definitely highly upset or agitated about something. This is not a time that you want to try to pet the cat. Leave it alone and give it time to settle down.
- Parallel Tail: There is a mission on your cat’s mind. There is something that is inquisitive about something she or he is spying on and wants to know more about.
- Straight Up Tail with Slight Bend: the cat is feeling optimistic about being around you. He or she feels like you could be friends.
- Tall and Bushy: This is the obvious sign of anger. The cat is either mad at you or some instance that happened around it. Steer Clear and beware. Give the cat time to calm down.
Body
Your Maine Coon body language is all pretty simple to understand. The basic position is laying on it’s belly all comfortably appearing.
- Laying on her side likely means she is happy and content with you and her surroundings. This is generally how they will appear when they are in a deep sleep.
- Laying upright with legs tucked under. This is loafing, she is a happy cat and content with everything around her.
- Body Crouched with a slight: This is what a cat looks like when it is hunting and ready to jump on prey.
- Body Crouched With Wide Eyes: The cat is feeling anxious. Something has made it a little jumpy and scared.
- Laying on the Back: When a cat is relaxed, and feeling content. This also shows that the cat has a deep trust in you.
Cats are fickle creatures, they are difficult to understand sometimes. Now that you know what to look for, you will have an easier time understanding what it is that your Maine Coon is trying to tell you.
