Decoding your cat’s facial expressions
Decoding Your Cat's Facial Expression
Cats are notorious for hiding their emotions and to the untrained eye, they often appear aloof or mean-spirited. But as cat parents, we’ve become attuned to even the most minute facial expression and tail twitch. No one could possibly be closer to our cats than we are, but even then, they are experts at concealing pain. So, how do you read cues that your cat might be feeling under the weather?
After extensive research, The Université de Montréal developed the Feline Grimace Scale. Grimace scales, which gauge an animal’s level of pain based on its expressions, are incredibly useful for identifying pain in animals who don’t exhibit any outward symptoms of discomfort. You can determine whether your pet is in pain by paying close attention to the position of the ears, the orbital tightening (narrowing of the eyes), the muzzle tension, the position of the whiskers, and the position of the head. There’s even a free app that anyone can use. Visit felinegrimacescale.com to read more about this incredible breakthrough in pain assessment and to download their free training guide. You can also download their free app here.
While some cats may not demonstrate any signs of pain, they can show their anger, and others may choose to hide in unusual places. It is important to rule out any illnesses if your cat is exhibiting strange behaviours, so we suggest taking them to the vet. Our guide, which is designed to be helpful, provides numerous examples of the various facial expressions your cat may display when it is feeling happy, excited, nervous, angry, or unwell.