General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCats do have facial expressions, but you probably can't read them
Washington PostWe generally assume a purring cat is a contented cat. Its safe to say a hissing cat, its ears drawn back, is not pleased.
But aside from the visage of Grumpy Cat who may not have been grumpy at all feline faces dont tell us much about how cats feel. Or rather, as a new study on the topic found, most of us are pretty terrible at reading cats expressions.
Cats have a reputation for being inscrutable, the researchers say, and their results mostly back up this notion. More than 6,000 study participants in 85 countries, the vast majority of them cat owners, watched brief cat videos and then judged the animals moods. The average score was just under 60 percent correct an F, if cat videos were a school subject.
However, 13 percent of participants did quite well, scoring 75 percent or above. The researchers dubbed these achievers cat whisperers and said their results are important.
trueblue2007
(17,202 posts)on his face. Honestly, he loves me 100000000000000%
Nevilledog
(51,060 posts)Could be "When Gary Met Sally"
She already has a boy cat named Cooper
Lucky Luciano
(11,252 posts)japple
(9,819 posts)video clips were poor. Certain breeds, like Persian, Sphinx, some Siamese always look a bit grumpy to me even though they are most likely very nice cats.
Kashkakat v.2.0
(1,752 posts)curiosity, pain and fear, all kinds of emotions.
Most cat owners are familiar with the cat "kiss," the cat gazing at you with half closed eyes
Position of the tail is very important too in how cat expresses itself.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,659 posts)You have to watch the ears.
2naSalit
(86,508 posts)they serve as eyebrows and the corners of the mouth. Cats are wonderful people.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,659 posts)2naSalit
(86,508 posts)I have the great fortune of a pretty male who lives next door and sleeps in my garage when he's not in his house. He demands that I pet him, has ever since I first came to look at the place. Came right up and told me to move here. So when I need a cat fix, I go outside, he's usually right there in a minute.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,659 posts)Or, I should say, they have me. Love 'em!
2naSalit
(86,508 posts)when I moved in, the landlady has a couple horses, a couple dogs and the cat. The one dog, a heeler, never leaves her side except to come and say hello, then she goes right back. And today I saw deer tracks in the fresh snow near my door. I have to be around animals, I prefer wildlife but this little gang of farm animals will do for now... especially the cat he follows me all around the yard and pouts when I get in my car and leave.
chowder66
(9,066 posts)flor-de-jasmim
(2,125 posts)eppur_se_muova
(36,257 posts)Ms. Toad
(34,057 posts)and isolated the face for the tests.
E.g.
cat about to toss semi-digested food = negative
cat being restrained in a vet's office = negative
cat playing with a favorite toy = positive
cat abotu to get cat treats = positive
orleans
(34,043 posts)i was thinking the same thing!
jpak
(41,757 posts)Sad
Wrong cat food
Happy
Mad
I love you
Mischievous
Play time
Silly
FuzzyRabbit
(1,967 posts)Yea! I am a cat whisperer.
spooky3
(34,425 posts)LeftInTX
(25,208 posts)I used to have one, but she's been gone since 1982
How can you post on this board and not have a cat!?
But you still read threads about them.
OK, back to the main topic. A couple of my cats are curmudgeons. They just love to grouse about this, that or the other thing. They will jump on your lap and mrow away for five minutes and then leave like they just finished their psychotherapy session.
LeftInTX
(25,208 posts)I own a cat vicariously!
Better vicariously than not at all!
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)included some clues to what to look for. I doubt I'm among the specially wired 13%.
brooklynite
(94,483 posts)...why did you wake me up?
IcyPeas
(21,856 posts)they don't even give you one free article.
Now I am missing out on this exciting article.
LeftInTX
(25,208 posts)IcyPeas
(21,856 posts)oops I didn't do very well on the quiz.
brooklynite
(94,483 posts)perdita9
(1,144 posts)Watch a dog's expressions sometime. It's all in the eyebrows. Cats don't have eyebrows, which makes it very hard to read their moods.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,659 posts)wryter2000
(46,029 posts)They need facial expressions to get along with their packmates. Cats aren't social and so don't have to express themselves to others around them.
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,462 posts)They interact with other cats and they bond to us like human infants do.
Kashkakat v.2.0
(1,752 posts)and position of ears and tail is important too. Squinty eyed gazing at you is LOVE
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,462 posts)Looks into my eyes my heart melts.
I observe him closely and I can tell his moods by his eyes,his facial tension.
I surprised myself taking this test. There is an advanced test afterwards I surprised myself with that one too. Didn't think I'd do as well as I did.