Is My Cat Happy?

Your cat plays with you, snuggles you, eats normally, grooms normally, and never really seems to do anything funky with his/her ears. In fact, the tail is always sassily moving, like a typical cat. Nothing out of the ordinary here means your cat is happy!

Occasional ears pushed back, occasional antsiness, and sometimes hiding for long periods of time. Changes in eating patterns, and perhaps some vocalized complaints. But all in all, your cat seems to spend more time with you than not, and will still groom and eat normally. Sounds like the cat is happy enough, but something is definitely bothering him/her. Could be a new pet, a new schedule, or even new food.

Low-pitched, mournful yowls, ears held back, tucked tail, overly aggressive or clingy and hiding. Excessive sleep, poor grooming habits resulting in very unkempt looking coats. Not eating, or spending too much time scratching. All signs point to unhappiness, which is often the result of either an illness or injury, or the loss of a loved one. However, cats are sensitive to changes in their environment. Bringing home a dog, for instance, can change things significantly for the cat.