I love how the majority of cat body language is telling you to "leave me alone." I know this quirk about cats is what makes many people dislike them but it makes me love them even more, if that could be possible. I love how independent they are, I love an animal with self respect and a healthy amount of sass.
I actually wanted a cat because of how independent and stand off they are, I love dogs but I needed a companion a little bit more like me im social but I get tired of people easily. I got a kitten a couple of weeks ago and now I see how wrong I was, I thought they weren't as in your face as dogs but ohh they're worse at least my sweet boi is lol he's always around me which I love but keeping him off the bed is a nightmare and I'm trying to figure out the best way to do that other than spray bottles
My kitten is always around me. I also thought that most of the cats have "leave me alone" language and I thought it wrong. I love cats that show affection but my kitten does it too much and it annoyed me. I'm the kind of person who easily gets tired from 10 mins play but my kitten is so energetic. I also have a question about how can I stop my kitten to cling to my foot cuz I'm uncomfortable when she's doing it.
My big boy discovered that smacking his tail against things makes noise, so now he does it for everything. If he wants our attention. If he’s bored. If he’s hungry. If he’s happy. Lol
That's so cute! It sort of reminds my of how my brother and SIL's cat has been known to occasionally purposely reach out and knock over water glasses when she wants attention 😂
My gf and I have a system. She will attack him but I never do. When he's feeling lazy he flops near me, when he's feeling frisky he flops near her. I REALLY want to attack him sometimes, but I get a nice pleasant feeling watching him be so comfortable.
My owner loves to get a belly rub for a limited time and only in one certain area of the belly but if my husband does it he is toast. Coco is a funny snail compared to yours. I think your owner is just normal.
I feel extremely honored right now. My neighbour's cat( I don't know the neighbour nor the cat) came in my house, so I accompanied her for a while and of course including some petting. I never had been such a long time with a cat because since I was a kid I was surrounded by dogs. But I always felt a deep connection with cats rather than dogs. And so I invited the cat to sit in my lap, then she starts kneading A LOT on me, it didn't stop, I just keep on petting her, then I gently brush her from her head to her body...she fell asleep.... I think my heart just exploded, a cat I never met , knead and slept in my laps. I'm so grateful and honoured to meet her. I'm not sure if she'll come anymore tho because my grandma accidentally scared her away. I do hope she'll come back soon, I miss her very much. update: I actually convinced my mum to adopt a catto, right now I'm watching lots of videos about cattos to learn more and prepare for her to come home🥰 I want to make sure i know enough things about them so I don't upset them unintentionally, aghhh so excited!!!
I love your story, I adopted two strays and currently female is going into heat, make sure you watch some on that lol, but they are funny little creatures each with their own personality, no cat the same as the last.
My adopted cat literally pushes my hand towards her belly when she rolls over and gets mad if I stop rubbing her belly. Ive never had a cat like this but I love her.
Reminds me of when I went out with a friend one night and stayed over. My friend warned me that their cat I haven't met yet likes to go for ankles and scratch people he doesn't know... I woke up the next morning, opened the door and their cat was just sitting there staring at me, meowed and after a hand sniff, boom. He rubbed up against me and instantly laid on his back for strokes... The face my friend had when she came downstairs watching me play with their cat was hilarious. "he normally hates people and doesn't even play with me".. That's what happens when you have a cat and know what to watch out for.
im feeding and treating them every day, im cleaning their shit every day, i play with them every day, im nice to them every day and i pay/work for everything they get. i feel like i am entitled to a little respect considering they have to do nothing for me but exist edith: haha, everyone seems to think i hate my cats. to be clear, i love my cats and i love taking care of them. i feel like i am taking good care and they are showing their appreciation. it just feels strange to say its an honor when im doing so much for them to have happy lives
It's similar to saying Hello to someone you know, just like you can just say ' hi ' or 'hello, good morning, how are you?' depending on the length of the blink and action right after, if they blink and then turn their head.upside down is like hiii good morning I want some petting!! Pet me! Hehehe
Same. My cat Coco would ALWAYS answer her name. Someone said, "they're just talking because you are", so I started calling it different names, then say Coco, "Meow" then I'd even say names that rhymed. Lolo, silence. Jojo, silence. Coco, "Meow". My 2 cats now come when called (majority of the time) but that Coco, I used to trip people out. I should've named her Speak so I could've said its a trick.
My dad always hated cats and was allergic to them, and when I was a kid, I lived with a cat who was very anxious in her home because of how the teenage boy in the house had treated her while she was growing up, so I became pretty scared of cats. Didn't hate em, just didn't understand them and didn't want to interact with them for fear of getting bitten/scratched. And then I started watching My Cat From Hell and seeing Jackson explain how they think and why they do the things they do, and I started to be able to interact in a more positive manner with my friend's cats and lose the fear of them. Now when I go over to my best friend's house, her very standoffish prone-to-anxiety cat hops up to sleep on my lap or lie on my chest.
@@xSophie_ Lol Sara's a little shit that stalks cat videos and makes comments in every one of them she can. I watched 3 completely random cat videos and in 3 of them she has nothing but negative things to say.
People who hate cats always tell me "oH caTS scrATch" but my cat NEVER scratches me You know why? I know how to treat a cat You don't manhandle them like you would with dogs (some more chill cats can enjoy it but most don't) Respect their boundaries and learn to read their body language If your cat doesn't like you You're doing something to agitate them
My older sis thinks our big cat is biased cause it 'only lays down when im the one petting' but this isn't the case at all. Although i tell her how, she doesn't seem up understand cat's body language and i can't help her beyond that
I don't mind when my cat scratches me, cause I know I deserved it. Dog people r used to have a bunch of mindless beings that will love anything and won't defend themselves. If cats don't like something, they will try to harm
@@marianamartins2417 exactly If my cat scratches me I know I went too far with her (except when she pounces and lightly baps at my legs, I know she's playing then) She doesn't just attack me for nothing Also cats can easily hold grudges and remember the bad things you did for a while My (old, not friends anymore) friend used to play with her by putting her in a pillow case and she still hates her for it and for a good reason
In her later years, my grandmother developed dementia with major short term memory loss. She was excellent at petting cats because she was always in the present moment and highly attuned to their reactions. She could even pet the Blubbit, who is very easily and quickly overstimulated and has very sharp claws!
I was never a cat guy... Almost hated cats. I've adopted a baby cat 5 months ago from a garage. I can't imagine my life without him, yes, him and not it. He sleeps with us, sits on my chest, when I come home he runs to me to get him up and give him kisses. Now, thanks to him I adore cats❤️
The cutest thing ever is when you can see that your cat is thinking, trying to understand something. Let's say you're putting together furniture, which you probably don't do very often, and while your cat watches you, they tilt just one ear slightly to the side. That's the "I wonder what's going on here" pose.
...my mistresses like to watch me clean the house. Especially when I clean their toilet corner. Had to put them into their cage when I'm moving furniture, though. Was afraid they'd be crushed or stepped on. They be very stealth.
My husband brought his toolbox in the other night to charge his tool batteries. He normally doesn’t do this, so my kitty was like..”what’s this then? Do I fits inside? Is it mine? Ima gonna sit on it....for now” lol.
@@anthonyvillella9796 duuuude yeah cats loVE clean shit mine doesnt even wait i end up pouring the litter on her because she won't move lmao. then she decorates the box til she likes the shapes of her small desert (which takes a few minutes) then she finally takes a piss. also they roll around when i clean the floors or sit on freshly cleaned clothes so yeah. clean freaks ✨
I think that as a neurodivergent person, I relate to cats. We just get each other. I don't think I've had such a connection with another human; cats are my people.
Its so funny and weird that when a cat shows us their belly our brains go "oh how cute! I wanna pet your adorable belly!!" And they are like "I love you but if you touch my belly ill rip your arm to shreds"
When I was little I had friends with cats that acted kinda like dogs. The cats were really friendly, rarely scratched furniture, they walked on leash, and they always flopped over for belly rubs. I thought this was how all cats acted, so I sure was in for a big surprise when I got my kitten Ginger! First time I touched her belly, she bit and scratched the heck out of me. I still have the scars. After that I made a note to myself: don’t touch the belly of a cat, they’re not dogs, they won’t be happy if you give them belly rubs, instead, they’ll rip your arm off and turn it to pieces
Me: rubs my cats bellies 1st cat: "Ok I don't really like it, but I'm too nice to harm you so I'll just roll on my feet and you can rub my head instead" 😊 2nd cat: "Ooh, iz new toy to nibble on?" 😋 (this is what made me stop doing it, never hurt tho) 3rd cat: "Adios humano" 🐈
@@dawildkitcat1662 cats don't scratch furniture if you clip their claws, its called leash training, and cats are already friendly if you don't piss the off.
Being autistic, I can absolutely relate to being overstimulated--and what's more, is the fact that my body will respond to such overstimulation before my logical mind can formulate a rational response. Like, I will start stimming or getting irritated and even though I might understand that I am being rude or a little ridiculous, I literally *cannot* help it. Experiencing overstimulation myself definitely makes it easier to understand where a cat is coming from. Thank you for this informative video! I'm picking up my first ever cat today and I'm so excited to bring her home. I've been watching your videos for a while now to research and I've really learned a lot. So thank you!
Wait so if someone is, say, bullying you, and you get really mad, and you have a knife in your pocket, would you accidently kill the person before forming a rational response? Like on instinct? Or what
As someone with autism, I find it super interesting that cats can get overstimulated too! I definitely know the last thing I want when I feel overstimulated is a back rub lol
My husband say I'm a Labrador human being. I am always up for a game of ball, hiking, biking, etc. I'm easy to get along with. But if you touch my "bone" (=french fries) you're likely to get bit. Maybe you guys are feline human beings? Do you also like cramming yourself into small spaces when you don't feel good? Do you take a really big stretch before, during, and after, a nap? Do beams of sunlight call to you? Do you have short bursts of energy where you run around the house like a Tasmanian devil? If you answered yes to more than one of these, you may be a feline humane being.
My moms half maincoon kitty actually wags his tail when he's happy. We all think he learned it from his adopted mommy. She was a Staffordshire Terrier.
One of my cats seems to have been traumatized in kittenhood. She ALWAYS walks around with her tail down and is timid (but very loving and otherwise happy)
Mine too. She was a stray and she's very anxious. She's super clingy (prefers to be in my lap 24/7) but walks around pretty on guard most of the time. I haven't had her too long so I'm hoping she starts to realize that she's safe.
It’s possible but more likely it’s an ongoing behavior to do with its current situation. People way overestimate the extent to which animals become mentally damaged in the human sense
Sometimes I’ll be petting my cat and take a break usually to give my hand a breaking she’ll look at me like “no human, more” then she runs her head along my hand to tell me to pet her more and it kind of cute
If I want to stop petting my cat, I have to put my hands under my blankets when I am in bed. She knows not to harass me any further at that point, and just lays down and accepts that it is bedtime. Most anytime of day she will come to me when I call her from my bed.
I think the important thing is understanding your cat's temperament and preferences. One of my cats shuts his eyes and purrs like a baby for belly rubs and the other hates if I touch her belly, paws or ears.
My cats are also the rare belly rub preferred babies. They HATE having their heads touched and love having belly rubs. It felt so weird at first since it's normally a huge no-no. I love how every cat is so unique and different like that. I've had cats that would DESTROY you if you ever touched them anywhere besides their back & just didn't really like physical affection in general and then I have these boys who want their belly rubbed and sleep under the blankies with me at night. If I'm sitting on the couch in a long skirt/dress they'll even try to get under there bc they think it's another blanket lolol
AWE!! When I went to the shelter to see cats one in particular stretched himself out to me and was purring super loud and pressing his face all over me. Such a sweetie!! We plan on adopting him on Monday. :D
My resque cat was an agitated mistrusting foodstealing biter, coming from a home where he had been mistreated. I had to go to the docter twice to get wounds cleaned and to get tetanus injections. Following your advice and really looking at my cat allowed me to treat him differently. Now he falls compleatly asleep next to me, showing his belly, allows petting on his head and eats out of my hand. It took me 2 years to get him to purr. Now he even comes to sit on my lap, well, only to ask for food but still. Thank you so, so much for your advice. 😺
@@toriless The roughness actually doesn't really relate to how they drink. The hooks are made of keratin and scientists have found that those hooks deposit saliva onto the strands of hair in the undercoat to help them cool off since cats don't have many sweat glands. The hooks also tear up raw meat and store little bits of meat in them. Cats drink water by using the property of surface tension. They curl their tongue into a c shape so that it lays flat against the surface if the water. This creates tension that pulls water up into their air when they pull up their tongue. They then catch the water in their mouth. If you watch this process up close it is super cool.
LOL well you can't see the tip curves or twitches, but you can see the overall position and major movement of the little stub. And gotta say the war pompom when they puff up is adorable. (A friend has a cat whose tail had to be amputated after an accident. She gets puffy during playtime.)
Jackson, I'm a proud black cat owner. She is my pride and joy very comical. She has a little what I call a Spud for a tail about 1" long. What other signs that mimic the tail if any. I love her to death she has an awesome character. I really appreciate your show thanks for the help.
my cat really lives up to the phrase "scaredy cat" if we walk around a corner too fast he puffs up his tail and body and then sees its me and goes "oh ok its just you, i thought you were someone else!" and then comes and rubs up on my legs and asks for chin and neck scratches. I call him "squirrel-y boy"
Sometimes when me or my sister walk past the couch or around a corner when one of my cats is near or on it, he bolts off in another direction which scares my sister lol
I always think its like being ticklish - if you don't stop when asked eventually the person being tickled is likely to fight you off of them. But then I used to be seriously ticklish as a kid and am very sensitive to environmental changes and sounds. I think it's why I've always been good with most neuro-divergent people (and cats) - I can empathise with that hyper-sensitivity. Our weaknesses can become our strengths if we work out how to channel them 😁
This makes me glad that my cat has never gotten agitated nor angry at me. I always try to follow her lead with body language and force visitors around me to do the same. In turn she's super needy and shows off those grateful forms of body language. I never had her hiss. Always pay attention to your cat's body language, it's worth it even if you have to fight off your own urges.
Cat tail language is a whole chapter. My old girl has the most expressive reversed question mark that waves languidly back and forth (happy). When we have company she arrives to greet her subjects and the tail does a fast quiver (excited). She's now17 and having health problems so I don't see either any more.
My old girl (also 17) has NEVER had a perky tail. Had her since a kitten, and she is happy, and spoiled, and I have always known how to respect her "communication" style. It took about 8 years before she liked, and actually invited, having her belly rubbed (after being jealous watching her brother get so much attention ;). But her tail has always been in that lowered, sad, position (#3 in Jackson's video). I don't know if she experienced something negative when she was a wee baby and it permanently affected her.
It's really interesting how much I've learnt from my cat, and she's also learnt a whole lot about communicating without using her tail (it was kind of hard when I adopted her because she was born with a broken tail and she cannot move it much). I learnt how to read and recognise other little details of cats body language, which I find so amazing, how they are able to communicate that well if you actually pay some close attention to them day by day. She's turning 5 in December, I feel so blessed for having her as part of my family. Cats are awesome.
No she is a moggie/mixed/domestic long hair whatever. She used to freeze or squirm a bit but now she is willing to be picked up and just starts purring and puts her head on my chest 99% of the time
Jah B do you really think that will stop? Its actually become more and more tolerant of affection. Also i guess its not 99% of the time. Its whenevrr she isnt zooming. When she is running sround if i tried to pet her she would like tru and play with my finger or bite it however the rest of the time i can cuddle her. Sometimes she doesnt wanna cuddle for ages
I am so jealous! My kitten is 4 months nd she HATES being pet, carried, or cuddles 🥺 I recently adopted another kitten of 3 months but he’s the complete opposite.
my cat loves to bunny kick me without the claws extracted. He has incredible restraint while playing. With any other cat I've seen and had, there might be a claw slipping into my skin while playing. With him it's all fluff and zero scratches. Also he loves to come at my leg. He's still a kitten though, and extremely playful.
Although it may seem cute and be an easy form of play right now, in a year or two when the cat grows up your gonna regret not breaking that behavior now. A fully matured adult cat has razor sharp teeth and claws more so than a kitten, the cat now has been thought that attacking a leg is considered playing. Where the problem going to come n is when the cat attacks you or small child around you ; because you said you're allowing him to do it while not having his claws extracted he is now learned that this is the correct way to play. your legs and arms will get badly scratched up. Which leads up to wanting to get rid of the cat because you think the cat is violent , when it'll reality you're making your kitten violent at this very moment by not breaking feet and hand attacking behavior. But don't take my word for it. Raise that kitty to the BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE! It's not like I work for pretty partners certifing service cats for a living or anything .. .. . Oh wait. ..... . .. . I do
Yeah you should really be directing the cat to a toy instead when they start doing that as kittens, they’ll learn that your hands and arms are not toys when they’re adults.
@@LongDickLowry27 thanks for this, my kitty cat still 1month old, he play bites me all the time then play paws on my toes then licks me afterwards, guess I'll be buying him a toy haha
After watching, studying and praying I am finally getting a cat! Sorry this is irrelevant but it’s amazing for me because I have wanted one for 5 years now!
I'm consistently amazed how much I instinctively know about cats. I have a 9 yr old big boy and a 3 month old little girl and I thought I just lucked out without what amazing cats they are. Thanks to your videos I am being reminded how often my husband and I just made cat friendly choices with both of them so we all just get along. (So glad I found your channel, I missed watching you on AP but I haven't in cable in YEARS)
The best person I ever saw with a cats was a 9 year old girl. I would have trusted her with a cat more then most adults. Not everyone is the same when it comes to cats. You earn a cat. Dogs will love any loser, not cats.
I have watched your videos for about 3 years straight just to learn about cats and how to love and understand them and now that I finally have my fur baby, everything that I've learned has provided the most awesome relationship with me and my little baby! Thank you! ;)
Has someone who has grown up with dogs my entire life I am very glad I watched this. I recently got a 1 year old from the shelter and I had no idea that wagging tail means leave me alone.
Meanwhile I’ve had cats my entire life and just recently got my first dog. I have to keep reminding myself that I can’t default to interpreting her body language like I would a cat 😂
My late cat was 17, and her tail was never above body height in the last couple of years. I was concerned about her mood to begin with, but she was still walking around with confidence like she owned the place, she was showing various signs of trust and still enjoyed getting a deep rub, so I assume it was just too much effort for her to keep it any higher at that age
Hey Jackson, I know tail movement is a big indicator to cat mood. I'd love it if you could do a video on bobbed tail cats or no tails. A cat could be bred that way, or through an accident necessitating an amputation. I find I can read my Japanese bobtails fairly easily, but my cat-friendly friends and family have trouble telling when my kitties are getting too stimulated.
Yes, my cat also doesn't have a tail do to an accident. I learned to completly read every little movement of her body, so we're a good team now, bit the first couple of years where ruff...
I've had my cat for 15 years now and it's amazing how knowledgeable you become about their behaviour and finding out what they like and dislike. The affection i get back is enormous and knowing my cat is safe and content means the world to me.
First time cat mommy here! I've always had dogs and the learning curve is a hard one, I know the basics because my sistet owns three but there is much to learn! I'm glad for videos like these are out there. Thank you for this andyour advice! 💜
When my cat enters the house after having been outside, her tail will be parallel with the ground, the apprehension position. Until she finds me and it goes straight to the question mark position. It’s so lovely to see. When she walks out of the room, it goes back to the apprehension position. Ooooh but when it’s dinner time? Her tail does this quick quiver, straight in the air. Gosh she’s happy at that moment!!
Schuyler Durant thank you. She was having a go at me how it’s extremely irresponsible to let my cats outside and that they won’t come back alive one day. WTH. What an awful assumption to make.
Myn That’s so terrible! It’s completely okay to let your cats outside if you live in a relatively safe and secluded neighborhood, and it’s YOUR decision to make, not hers!
Schuyler Durant it’s how we got her. She was mistreated, ran away and found us. And even though OH and I are both very allergic to cats, we took her in, in agreement with her old owners. She loved to go out, and she loves to come back. This cat definitely isn’t suitable for indoor only life. Maybe others are, which is fine. And ours isn’t. Which is fine too. Anywho, didn’t mean to ramble on. Have a lovely day!
My cat used to attack me out of nowhere. I've learned it's when he has too much energy and wants to play. Now that hes an old man we've learned to communicate with each other better and hes learned to give me a warning nip if I'm not noticing hes had enough petting. Once you find a rhythm with your cat, it's an awesome thing ^_^
Blue Jellybean My friend had a cat like that! He told me to go up and give lots of pats because he likes it, and I was super unsure because that tail was *flappin*, but kept assuring me that he loved lots of pats. He did, in fact, like the pats
i´ve seen so many friends squeeze their cats to the point they get scratched and be like "the hell are you so agressive for?" Me : i- it´s your fault kathy.
I'm a first time cat owner! It's been a week since my cat and I are living together and have watched at least half the videos in this channel 🤣 very useful please keep doing more!
I missed so many times when my cats were telling me "I love you." The "slow blink" can also be a squint. I had a very special cat (Oreo) that was the fur love of my life. We love each other a lot. I still miss him and it's been about 9 years since I lost him. My mom had another b+w cat and she mentioned that he did the "squinty eye thing" like Oreo used to do. I had never known the significance. My current oldest cat has an anxiety disorder. I knew something was wrong so I started looking into what could be wrong and how I could tell through her actions and body language. That when I learned about "cat kisses" aka "the squinty eye thing." Not only was I able to use it to make my current cat feel better I thought back to when I had Oreo. He was literally telling me he loved me constantly. I have few memories of him NOT doing the squinty eye thing.
The best thing we've got for using up our cat's energy reserves is our dog. He's a rather small Border Collie, and we'd had him a couple of years before my wife wanted a cat. We got a 10 week old kitten and slowly acclimated them. 3 weeks in and they were playing. 5 weeks and the cat was washing the dog's face. Two and a half years later finds them bonded to an insane degree. If the cat is hiding, the dog goes looking for him. If the dog is outside, the cat paces the house, crying and patting doors. We have noticed certain dog-like oddities in our cat though, and not the ones people usually think of (the tail wagging and so forth, which was explained very well in the video). Our dog also displays certain cat-like qualities, which we've put down to the fact that when he was a puppy there was a much older cat in the house he followed relentlessly. We joke sometimes that we have a cat-dog and a dog-cat, with both of them displaying characteristics of the other's species. I often wonder if the dog thinks the cat is a dog, and the cat thinks the dog is a cat. In any case, I have hundreds of hours of video of the two of them playing. I just can't help myself.
That is so awesome and cute. Thank you for sharing your experience about your furry children. The whole cat-dog experience I can relate. I once had a cat who thought he was a dog. I believe it was due to being breast fed by my dog who at that time had a litter of three pups and each one of them died due to complications. At that same time our cat also gave birth to a litter of 4 kittens. One kitten was clearly not reaching the tit due to being smaller than the other kittens. Somehow, by some natural unseen force, the dog grabbed that runt as her own baby and raised him as her own. The cat didn't mind. To her it was extra help. A couple of weeks had passed and the baby kitten still had difficulty with eating, especially when his siblings were around, so he would eat from the dog bowl. He slowly grew up to be a cat with a lot of dog tendencies and behavior. He even knew tricks such as sit, lay down, come, and if you tap on your lap he would jump on it. We also had a wolf-dog who thought he was a person. He had a series of manners from turning his away when he chewed (couldn't chew with mouth closed so did the next best thing... turn away), he also slept on his back with legs stretched out, when he walked into a room and there were stuff on the floor he would walk around the items carefully to not touch them, and then there was the food he loved to eat... spaghetti, salad, soups of all types, anything home worked and even enjoyed drinking tea. Then there was the iguana who thought he was a lap-dog and a duck who thought he was human. O_O
@@LadyCoyKoi I had a chicken who swam in our pool like a duck (would NOT Stay out of the pool) and a duck that DROWNED!!!! Animals can be so weird sometimes.
Same! My cat hisses while playing with her favorite toys sometimes. Was your cat separated from its mama at a young age? Mine was, so I think that was a contributing factor for her.
None of mine his when playing, but one of my girls swishes her tail sometimes; I think it's the excitement (/excess energy?), or just getting really in to the hunt. :)
TBH, I think _you_ might be the one who doesn't understand feline social norms, buds. When a cat does nothing but hiss... there usually is some _history_ that led them to that behavior. You may need to work on getting your cat's trust back.
Hi Jackson, I am so grateful about you sharing all this information with us, cat owners. I have a lovely but "difficult" and sensitive young male cat. When I rescued him from the streets he was all about hissing and scratching and biting. The first three weeks I was trying to understand him and connect with him but it all turned to violence. Then I started searching for information about cat behavior and I found you. Your words are so enlightening. I have now established a wonderful relationship with my cat. He is so loving and affectionate and he fully trusts me, never hurts me, only expressing his kind pet love. Much respect to you and your work, helping people's and pets life become better.
Always remember that what we consider affection they generally consider an invasion of space and or a threatening behavior. Be respectful by respecting his space. Notice how people behave around horses. Everybody gives horses their respect but for some reason this knowledge didn’t make it to us in the cat and dog world. Respect is love, not excessive touching.
Thank you I really needed this. I found a baby kitten that was astray. And I needed to learn more about kittens. When I found it, he was meowing. Scared. With the tail low. And instantly when I took it under my care. It started doing that biscuit thing you were speaking about instantly. And he is still so needy I love it. This was informative
my boy star at home goes bottlebrush whenever he is super happy and lovey. He's purring, snurgling, licking and headbutting like crazy. He is very strange but I love him so much
My oldest cat actually does wag his tail like a puppy when he’s excited, which I was super surprised by. I found that out when I got him a new toy and he just went ape over it. The younger one barks. They’re both a little... odd
How cute. Weird cats/dogs are the best. I guess your two fellows grew up around dogs, and are just imitating observed behaviour. The term _copy cat_ wasn't coined without reason.
I have a slightly different interpretation of head bunting and kneading. Yes, it is a scent thing, but context is key. Domestic cats may be solitary hunters, but they are social creatures. A group of cats recognize each other by establishing a colony scent, a shared amalgamation of smells common to the group. It is how they recognize foreign cats, and how a cat is integrated into the group. When a cat is putting their scent on you, they are also taking your scent onto them. It is a blending of smells to establish a colony scent. So, I think it is less ownership and more, "We're a family." Manipulating this desire to blend scents and become accustomed to smells is a great way to introduce a cat to a new cat, or even a new dog, or a new child even. Taking a bedding object from the newcomer and offering it to the cat to inspect will trigger a natural desire to replace the scent with their scent. This need to "claim" the object will invariably cause a mixing of scents, and eventually an easier acceptance of the new member of the family. With regard to other behaviors, once you put it all together it becomes a very detailed and expressive language. For example, an apprehensive tail and investigative posture might indicate curiosity. Leaning forward, whiskers and ears folded back cautiously, tail down, bringing the nose closer to something new, is not necessarily a fearful cat. Cautious, yes. Vulnerable, EXTREMELY. Fearful, not so much. At a moment like that if something startles the cat, then whatever it is they were investigating will probably be associated with being startled. Likewise, a positive reaction associates the opposite. I had a cat a while ago who had this little vertical tail swish she would do when reconnoitering a room. She would rise from her resting spot, take a few steps, her tail would swing violently up for a second, and ... up down up down up down in twitching motions, while she would pan her eyes around the room. Once everything had been registered in its place, the tail returned to its upright position and she was ready for attention. Truly adorable creatures, cats.
I grew up with dogs, so when I finally got my cat Ginger, I thought she didn’t really like me very much, since she was always kneading my lap and gently using her claws (even though it wasn’t like full on scratching, it still hurt a bit, and I didn’t know why she was doing it), and I was very confused because sometimes she would rub up against me and purr, but other times she would knead my lap with her paws and claws. This video really helped me a lot, so thank you! Now I know a bit more about how to tell when I’ve pet Ginger a bit too much, so hopefully now I won’t get scratched anymore and she won’t get overwhelmed from too much attention. I’m glad that now I know that she loves me, even though she might hurt me a little bit with the kneading. Thank you so much for sharing with everyone about cat behavior! I will make sure to show this to my friend so she can hopefully have a better relationship with her cat Bella Edit: my relationship with Ginger is much better, I use long strings that I crocheted to play with her, she cuddles, and she loves to spend time with me now! This video really helped fix the issues in communication and helped me better understand her and learn more of what she needs! Again, thank you for helping me and my cat!
I knew most of this stuff, but its great hearing it from a different perspective. My cats know I'm not going to hurt them, so I love triggering the disembowel move when I rub their belly. I never do it for long.
Jackson, I must confess you are actually my own therapist, thank you so much for your videos, efforts and knowledge for me and my beloved cat. Greetengs from Europe, 💖🎉🙏👍😇🤞
Can you do a video on cat vocalizations? Our cat meows angrily at my husband when he sits on the couch with her ears back, we just can’t figure out what’s going on to cause it. (Trying to get video, but it’s tricky since she doesn’t really do it when I’m around. Sorry lol
Maybe she wants him to get off? My cat used to meow loudly to demand someone get off when he wanted to sit on the couch! Maybe your lady is a little needy =)
I would love a video about vocalization. Our cat was rescued off the street at 8 weeks old (vet's estimate) and I have never heard a cat make the noises he makes. At nearly 2 years old, He sounds more like the bird's in my backyard.
@@peachtea4369 he chirps, twitters, and makes a couple other noises I don't even know how to describe expect to say it reminds me of when audio file or the sound in a video glitches. 🤷🏻♀️ All of the bird like noises seem to be made only at us or in response to us. He makes the "glitchy" noises when he is play/hunting, especially when it's his favorite toy. 😊
@@jessicascott8337 By the sound of it, it looks like you have a very excitable kitty! Chirping is a little individual per cat, so no wonder yours could be a bit unique. But chirping is a cat's way to say they're excited or happy or just really in a cheerful mood, hence why most cats do it while hunting/playing. So, you just have a bundle of joy on your hands it seems =)
@@jessicascott8337 Meowing is actually something that cats only do with humans. Chirping, chittering, hissing etc. is how cats talk to one another- you'll almost never hear them meow at each other unless it is a kitten crying to its mother. It sounds as though your cat is doing all of its talking to you in cat language instead of cat-to-human language, probably because he didn't learn to meow at humans for anything at an early age because he presumably didn't interact with humans until he was over eight weeks old.
In 2 mins and 45 seconds of watching this video I can honestly say you're really great at what you do. Thank you for all your help sir :). My 6 month old Milo will love me more because I am amore intelligent and aware because of your video.
Now all we need to do is make an equivalent video for "Dog Body Language 101" and force all people to watch these videos before getting a pet! Will definitely prevent a lot of bites/scratches!
I can't even believe how amazing you explain things. Actually watched every second of the video. Subscribed right away and gonna check your other vids. I'm gonna get my first ever cat soon so all this info is so important to me. Thank you for that 😘🙂
It's rooted in drinking milk from their mother when they're kittens (they knead on her body to get the milk out) and it translates into adult life. Some cats will knead AND suck on a piece of clothing or other fabrics.
Hey Jackson! I'm so happy to see you here again. We've been following your advice for a long time and it works in all situations. Now we have a couple of high shelves and a scratching pole. Our cat is absolutely keen on them. Thank you so much! I always recommend your old videos to my friends. And I'm looking forward to learning more. 🤗👍❤
I’m planning on getting my first cat in the next month and I’m so excited. I have never really owned a pet before, so I don’t know a lot about cat behavior, but I’ve always had pretty good instincts with them. I had no idea overstimulation was such a big thing for cats, but as an autistic person I’ve been subconsciously relating to this part of them. I love learning the specific signs of different moods. Super helpful video🙌
Some of your points are interesting. And, yes, you do have some good explanations. The tummy-exposed, definitely. It means they trust you and/or they feel secure but it's not necessarily an invitation-- because cats also learn to use these instincts and physical reactions individually. Like my cat-- she rubs herself up against me to tell me she wants to go out. It's a big improvement over her old method, which was to scratch the furniture. I'll give her that. But she's not telling me loves me. She's just trying to say, "let me out." WHY she never goes to the door and meows, I cannot fathom. If I demonstrate it, she'll do it once or twice... but then she goes back to her own methods. Seriously. She's very smart. But my point is cats, being as individual as people, often come up with their own interpretations of these basic responses. That's why so many people say, "oh, no. That's not it. This is why...." And it is true, for their cat. But only for their cat. And I love the dog-colored glasses.
@@Lucyred6 Thanks. I've since decided that my cat, Akasha, has chosen rubbing herself against my leg as a way of nagging me. At least it feels like nagging. LOL!
@@toriless Yea i'm tryna put my fat little nugget on a diet. she's a british short hair and they're already a chunky breed so she getting a lil *thiccc*
...my cat wags her tail. Literally all the time. Having a cuddle? Wagging her tail. Eating? Wagging her tail. You talk to her? Wagging her tail. Purring? Guess what? Wagging her tail 😂. I don't even know
We have had many cats over the years. One of our cats, SweetPea, had a medical episode which caused some minor paralysis around one side of her face - it was the cat equivalent to Bell’s Palsy. One of the other effects of the episode was that her tail was constantly in motion and could no longer be used as a barometer for her mood. Fortunately, her eyes, ears and vocalizations kept us informed. SweetPea was, like every cat we have had, sweet, affectionate and confident, so it was rare that something truly bothered her. For that reason we were always able to immediately pick up on any signs of distress or illness because it was such a contrast from her usual demeanour.
My cat as well. I think my cat is happy. I did worry he was bored due to the wagging, he is an only cat...I am concerned he may want another cat friend
Thank you so much for sharing all of this. Always very useful. Since we can't have Jackson Galaxy helping us rescuers in Mexico, we can have your videos. Hope your back is much better
My cat GENUINELY wags her tail like a dog. I have had many cats and at first I thought she was upset all the time but it didn’t make sense. She was purring and relaxed. She wags her tail side to side when she’s happy and also when she’s thinking hard 😂 And I’ve basically trained her to wag her tail when I say “waggy waggy” too 😂
We have one who wags his tail when he's happy too. And who also does the tail shudder thing when he's excited, especially when he's about to be fed. It was SO confusing at first...
My cat also moves his tail a lot, even when nothing seems to be going on. I often wonder if he's upset but I sure hope not because then that would mean he's upset often. :/ 🙏
I love how the majority of cat body language is telling you to "leave me alone." I know this quirk about cats is what makes many people dislike them but it makes me love them even more, if that could be possible. I love how independent they are, I love an animal with self respect and a healthy amount of sass.
Me with a new cat for the first time: “interesting 👁👄👁”
I actually wanted a cat because of how independent and stand off they are, I love dogs but I needed a companion a little bit more like me im social but I get tired of people easily. I got a kitten a couple of weeks ago and now I see how wrong I was, I thought they weren't as in your face as dogs but ohh they're worse at least my sweet boi is lol he's always around me which I love but keeping him off the bed is a nightmare and I'm trying to figure out the best way to do that other than spray bottles
My kitten is always around me. I also thought that most of the cats have "leave me alone" language and I thought it wrong. I love cats that show affection but my kitten does it too much and it annoyed me. I'm the kind of person who easily gets tired from 10 mins play but my kitten is so energetic. I also have a question about how can I stop my kitten to cling to my foot cuz I'm uncomfortable when she's doing it.
Exactly!
@@Yo_Vonny Well, he's still a baby. He's a toddler, and you're his mother. He may be more independent later on, but right now, you're MOM!!!
My big boy discovered that smacking his tail against things makes noise, so now he does it for everything. If he wants our attention. If he’s bored. If he’s hungry. If he’s happy. Lol
very cute! love it
that’s so smart!
Who needs an alarm when you have a smart cat
That's beautiful lmao
That's so cute! It sort of reminds my of how my brother and SIL's cat has been known to occasionally purposely reach out and knock over water glasses when she wants attention 😂
when a cat shows u its belly and then u rub it, it's pretty much like
cat: i trust you not to attack me
you: ok im gonna attack you though
cat: D:
@Digicraftmon the Crystal Gem lmao yes
My gf and I have a system.
She will attack him but I never do.
When he's feeling lazy he flops near me, when he's feeling frisky he flops near her.
I REALLY want to attack him sometimes, but I get a nice pleasant feeling watching him be so comfortable.
I keep trying to explain this to people but not all of them believe me. They don't have to, though, their cats always prove my point.
My owner loves to get a belly rub for a limited time and only in one certain area of the belly but if my husband does it he is toast. Coco is a funny snail compared to yours. I think your owner is just normal.
My cat loves belly rubs.
He even knows the command "Show me your tummy!" And he'll drop down and roll over to present his belly for rubbing
I feel extremely honored right now. My neighbour's cat( I don't know the neighbour nor the cat) came in my house, so I accompanied her for a while and of course including some petting. I never had been such a long time with a cat because since I was a kid I was surrounded by dogs. But I always felt a deep connection with cats rather than dogs. And so I invited the cat to sit in my lap, then she starts kneading A LOT on me, it didn't stop, I just keep on petting her, then I gently brush her from her head to her body...she fell asleep.... I think my heart just exploded, a cat I never met , knead and slept in my laps. I'm so grateful and honoured to meet her. I'm not sure if she'll come anymore tho because my grandma accidentally scared her away. I do hope she'll come back soon, I miss her very much.
update: I actually convinced my mum to adopt a catto, right now I'm watching lots of videos about cattos to learn more and prepare for her to come home🥰 I want to make sure i know enough things about them so I don't upset them unintentionally, aghhh so excited!!!
Lovely story. You should get a cat yourself!
(Ιs that aurora in your pic?)
@@bluesquirrel2472 I'd love to get one but unfortunately it's a big no to my mom, and yes!! That's aurora XD
thanks for the update its so cool !
@@seabreezebreezy9651 glad youll be getting a kitty now!
I love your story, I adopted two strays and currently female is going into heat, make sure you watch some on that lol, but they are funny little creatures each with their own personality, no cat the same as the last.
My adopted cat literally pushes my hand towards her belly when she rolls over and gets mad if I stop rubbing her belly. Ive never had a cat like this but I love her.
That is unusual but sooooo cute!
thanks for clarifying it's adopted I thought you gave birth to it for a sec
@@knobster8590 PFF-
Loishz lol I love sarcasm too
@@knobster8590 oof
People don’t realize how much of an honor it is to be respected by a cat
true lol its like getting the anti-hero to befriend you.
Reminds me of when I went out with a friend one night and stayed over. My friend warned me that their cat I haven't met yet likes to go for ankles and scratch people he doesn't know... I woke up the next morning, opened the door and their cat was just sitting there staring at me, meowed and after a hand sniff, boom. He rubbed up against me and instantly laid on his back for strokes... The face my friend had when she came downstairs watching me play with their cat was hilarious. "he normally hates people and doesn't even play with me".. That's what happens when you have a cat and know what to watch out for.
im feeding and treating them every day, im cleaning their shit every day, i play with them every day, im nice to them every day and i pay/work for everything they get. i feel like i am entitled to a little respect considering they have to do nothing for me but exist
edith: haha, everyone seems to think i hate my cats.
to be clear, i love my cats and i love taking care of them. i feel like i am taking good care and they are showing their appreciation. it just feels strange to say its an honor when im doing so much for them to have happy lives
What honor? Just feeding it nice food - what kind of cat wouldn't respect you for that alone.
@@limitess9539 uhhh how many cats have you had? Food is definitely not the only thing to it... but eh your cats might be different
I could be very wrong, but isn’t it a sign of love when a cat slow-blinks at you?
Me and my cat have done it back and forth a couple times before
It is, yes! Jackson has spoken of this in many of his other shows/videos.
Yes! closing eyes means calmness and trust, and the Slow Blink is their way of saying "hey dude, you cool", lol
It's similar to saying Hello to someone you know, just like you can just say ' hi ' or 'hello, good morning, how are you?' depending on the length of the blink and action right after, if they blink and then turn their head.upside down is like hiii good morning I want some petting!! Pet me! Hehehe
I keep trying to tell my wife that and she says, “ she’s just falling asleep”
@@mmgbtv 😂😂😂😂😂
I love when I call my cats name from across a room and she goes “brr?”
ur cat actually reacts to its name??
My cat reacts to "pspspspss" or when i snap my fingers but not his name (george)🐱
That is my favorite sound.
Same. My cat Coco would ALWAYS answer her name. Someone said, "they're just talking because you are", so I started calling it different names, then say Coco, "Meow" then I'd even say names that rhymed. Lolo, silence. Jojo, silence. Coco, "Meow". My 2 cats now come when called (majority of the time) but that Coco, I used to trip people out. I should've named her Speak so I could've said its a trick.
my cats when i call them look directly at me or come towards me
I am making my kids watch this because they are constantly getting scratched by our cats.
Hope this helps! Both for your kids and your cats :p
Wow that’s great. You’re teaching your children to respect cats.
good job on teaching your kids to be nice to cats, far too many people blame the cats for being mean when that's rarely the case :(
@Taylor R.S good job to give your kids some educational stuff while being entertained. 😻
Finally some good parenting, most just blame the cats when it isn’t their fault 😔
My dad always hated cats and was allergic to them, and when I was a kid, I lived with a cat who was very anxious in her home because of how the teenage boy in the house had treated her while she was growing up, so I became pretty scared of cats. Didn't hate em, just didn't understand them and didn't want to interact with them for fear of getting bitten/scratched. And then I started watching My Cat From Hell and seeing Jackson explain how they think and why they do the things they do, and I started to be able to interact in a more positive manner with my friend's cats and lose the fear of them. Now when I go over to my best friend's house, her very standoffish prone-to-anxiety cat hops up to sleep on my lap or lie on my chest.
Isn't jackson the best as well??😂😄 I should be eaten by now LOL
Your friend better not be the one doing that to the poor cat =(
i relate to this so much, even thinking of getting a kitty for myself
I've never been this early. My kitty and I are excited to watch this. I want to be the best butler possible for my boy
@Sara wow
@Sara You must be fun at parties..
Sophie Reedeker
Lol
Crazy lady stereotype alive and kicking
@@xSophie_ Lol Sara's a little shit that stalks cat videos and makes comments in every one of them she can. I watched 3 completely random cat videos and in 3 of them she has nothing but negative things to say.
my cat seems so surprised every time he sees his tail wagging. it's like he has no control over it lol. he even bites it like he's telling it to stop
Hm this actually can be a sign of something called feline hyperesthesia, my cat has that too and she needs medication for it
@@jennamarynsierra What's it mean?
They do that when they are stressed out..
@@starseed8809 not always. There are a lot of different kinds of tail wagging. I’m sure there’s a video of Jackson Galaxy talking about it lmao
My cat when he’s ready to play: ⚫️👄⚫️
Aroused eyes 😹
🔺️ 🔺️
⚫〰️⚫
I just spit out my drink
Yessss mine too 🤣
Cackling
my cat who doesn’t have a tail: aha i’m an enigma
"you can't read me sucker"
@@transientrose Yes you can, there are still LOTS of other signs.
@@toriless Ofc! I was only making a joke ^^"
@@toriless jeez guy calm down, peace and love
toriless r/wooosh
People who hate cats always tell me "oH caTS scrATch" but my cat NEVER scratches me
You know why? I know how to treat a cat
You don't manhandle them like you would with dogs (some more chill cats can enjoy it but most don't)
Respect their boundaries and learn to read their body language
If your cat doesn't like you
You're doing something to agitate them
My older sis thinks our big cat is biased cause it 'only lays down when im the one petting' but this isn't the case at all. Although i tell her how, she doesn't seem up understand cat's body language and i can't help her beyond that
This made me realize that I have the same behaviors as a cat.
I don't mind when my cat scratches me, cause I know I deserved it. Dog people r used to have a bunch of mindless beings that will love anything and won't defend themselves. If cats don't like something, they will try to harm
@@marianamartins2417 exactly
If my cat scratches me I know I went too far with her (except when she pounces and lightly baps at my legs, I know she's playing then)
She doesn't just attack me for nothing
Also cats can easily hold grudges and remember the bad things you did for a while
My (old, not friends anymore) friend used to play with her by putting her in a pillow case and she still hates her for it and for a good reason
@@marianamartins2417 i dont mind it too lol, she did cut me a lil deep but idrc bout it that much, didnt even put a bandage on it😂
Jackson Galaxy is the Bob Ross of cats. Listening to him describe all their subtleties & characteristics is so soothing 😭❤️
All Hail Jackson! THE cat channel producer of the RUclips Universe.
In her later years, my grandmother developed dementia with major short term memory loss. She was excellent at petting cats because she was always in the present moment and highly attuned to their reactions. She could even pet the Blubbit, who is very easily and quickly overstimulated and has very sharp claws!
Wow what a story thanks for sharing.
Great story and great cat name lol
"the cat is not making a choice when he's getting overstimulated" dude same
same
This is my new favorite RUclips comment
oh my god lmao
This 100%
So many likes, so few comments! This is gold tho.
I like how you use real-life footage of cats to illustrate what you are talking about, not only animations. Makes it so much easier to understand
Yes! I hate pictures.
I was never a cat guy... Almost hated cats. I've adopted a baby cat 5 months ago from a garage. I can't imagine my life without him, yes, him and not it. He sleeps with us, sits on my chest, when I come home he runs to me to get him up and give him kisses. Now, thanks to him I adore cats❤️
The secret cat distribution worked it's magic here then 🤣👍
I also call my cats him and her!❤ They are not a thing like 'it' to me. We are equals and I love my babies!❤
The cutest thing ever is when you can see that your cat is thinking, trying to understand something. Let's say you're putting together furniture, which you probably don't do very often, and while your cat watches you, they tilt just one ear slightly to the side. That's the "I wonder what's going on here" pose.
And then they decide to run under the furniture and jump on top of it while you’re moving it lmao.
...my mistresses like to watch me clean the house. Especially when I clean their toilet corner. Had to put them into their cage when I'm moving furniture, though. Was afraid they'd be crushed or stepped on. They be very stealth.
My husband brought his toolbox in the other night to charge his tool batteries. He normally doesn’t do this, so my kitty was like..”what’s this then? Do I fits inside? Is it mine? Ima gonna sit on it....for now” lol.
My cat does this every single time i change his litter, and afterwards he takes a celebratory poop
@@anthonyvillella9796 duuuude yeah cats loVE clean shit mine doesnt even wait i end up pouring the litter on her because she won't move lmao. then she decorates the box til she likes the shapes of her small desert (which takes a few minutes) then she finally takes a piss. also they roll around when i clean the floors or sit on freshly cleaned clothes so yeah. clean freaks ✨
I think that as a neurodivergent person, I relate to cats. We just get each other. I don't think I've had such a connection with another human; cats are my people.
🐈❤️
ME TOOO!!!!! Cats understand me and I understand cats :)
Isn't it a great feeling, to feel understood by someone, and to truly understand someone else? Such blessings they are!
You guys are my tribe then. And the cats
I so understand your preferance !
Its so funny and weird that when a cat shows us their belly our brains go "oh how cute! I wanna pet your adorable belly!!" And they are like "I love you but if you touch my belly ill rip your arm to shreds"
I can kiss the Archie tum ... Oscar's, not so much....
When I was little I had friends with cats that acted kinda like dogs. The cats were really friendly, rarely scratched furniture, they walked on leash, and they always flopped over for belly rubs. I thought this was how all cats acted, so I sure was in for a big surprise when I got my kitten Ginger! First time I touched her belly, she bit and scratched the heck out of me. I still have the scars. After that I made a note to myself: don’t touch the belly of a cat, they’re not dogs, they won’t be happy if you give them belly rubs, instead, they’ll rip your arm off and turn it to pieces
My two female cats loved having their bellies rubbed, my male cat, no
Me: rubs my cats bellies
1st cat: "Ok I don't really like it, but I'm too nice to harm you so I'll just roll on my feet and you can rub my head instead" 😊
2nd cat: "Ooh, iz new toy to nibble on?" 😋 (this is what made me stop doing it, never hurt tho)
3rd cat: "Adios humano" 🐈
@@dawildkitcat1662 cats don't scratch furniture if you clip their claws, its called leash training, and cats are already friendly if you don't piss the off.
Being autistic, I can absolutely relate to being overstimulated--and what's more, is the fact that my body will respond to such overstimulation before my logical mind can formulate a rational response. Like, I will start stimming or getting irritated and even though I might understand that I am being rude or a little ridiculous, I literally *cannot* help it. Experiencing overstimulation myself definitely makes it easier to understand where a cat is coming from. Thank you for this informative video! I'm picking up my first ever cat today and I'm so excited to bring her home. I've been watching your videos for a while now to research and I've really learned a lot. So thank you!
Wait so if someone is, say, bullying you, and you get really mad, and you have a knife in your pocket, would you accidently kill the person before forming a rational response? Like on instinct? Or what
As someone with autism, I find it super interesting that cats can get overstimulated too! I definitely know the last thing I want when I feel overstimulated is a back rub lol
._.
._.
Haha
This is a thing! I often feel like internally I am much more similar to the average cat than to most humans.
@hi ye
cats good ♥️♥️♥️
Does anyone else watch these and feel good that your cat feels confident and safe in your house lmao.
YES 🥺
Yep 🐱
I take a lot of pride in that, especially with a large indoor/ outdoor cat. He has the choice to be whenever he wants and guess who he chooses? 🥰
YES ME
Yessss!
'they're getting overstimulated.'
me, an autistic individual: same cat, same.
I had the same problem when my migraines were frequent. Overstimulation is the best word for it.
Same. My cat handles sensory input much better than me tbh but once we’re done, we’re doooone.
I can relate as a highly sensitive person
My husband say I'm a Labrador human being. I am always up for a game of ball, hiking, biking, etc. I'm easy to get along with. But if you touch my "bone" (=french fries) you're likely to get bit.
Maybe you guys are feline human beings?
Do you also like cramming yourself into small spaces when you don't feel good?
Do you take a really big stretch before, during, and after, a nap?
Do beams of sunlight call to you?
Do you have short bursts of energy where you run around the house like a Tasmanian devil?
If you answered yes to more than one of these, you may be a feline humane being.
Omg I get it too!
I never realized how much my cat respects me and feels 100% safe with me. I'm in literal tears right now
This man knows more about being a cat than most cats
@Katherine McDonnell if you're talking about the mask, I'm wearing it bc I don't like my face nothing to do with covid
@Katherine McDonnell bro, mind your own business
@Katherine McDonnell stop letting an imaginary man in the sky guide your life.
Guru to the cats, or so
I do get your point. But Only a cat knows what he or she knows about the World.
Although I don't own a cat, your information has helped me when encountering strays in my neighborhood. I understand them a whole lot better.
My moms half maincoon kitty actually wags his tail when he's happy. We all think he learned it from his adopted mommy. She was a Staffordshire Terrier.
Thats adorable !!!
True copycat 😂
@@DCUOxDestro hahahahahahahhahaha
Yeh it’s highly unlikely that’s a learned behavior
"....well SOME cats could be 100% like dogs"
One of my cats seems to have been traumatized in kittenhood. She ALWAYS walks around with her tail down and is timid (but very loving and otherwise happy)
Mine too. She was a stray and she's very anxious. She's super clingy (prefers to be in my lap 24/7) but walks around pretty on guard most of the time. I haven't had her too long so I'm hoping she starts to realize that she's safe.
It’s possible but more likely it’s an ongoing behavior to do with its current situation. People way overestimate the extent to which animals become mentally damaged in the human sense
If i see it with my cat i put on harp music.
Sometimes my stress stresses my cat and the harp music helps us both.
Remain kind and loving. The cat still may grow out of the traumatic experiences. People that abuse pet's scare me.
Look for Jackson's video on the "Wallflower Cat". Good luck, good love.
I just checked he has a whole bunch of vids on shy and scared cats.
Sometimes I’ll be petting my cat and take a break usually to give my hand a breaking she’ll look at me like “no human, more” then she runs her head along my hand to tell me to pet her more and it kind of cute
Awwwwwe
If I want to stop petting my cat, I have to put my hands under my blankets when I am in bed. She knows not to harass me any further at that point, and just lays down and accepts that it is bedtime. Most anytime of day she will come to me when I call her from my bed.
Jackson: When the ears flatten down it means their agitated
Scottish Folds: 👁️👄👁️
I'd be irritated of I looked like a Scottish Fold.
scottish folds are, in fact, in pain most of their lives, and breeding them should be illegal.
@@KOTEBANAROT Whaaat! guess I need to read into this, that's alarming af
Makes sense for them to always be angry at the cruel joke their lives are.
HAHA
"don't rub their belly if they show it to you"
my cats: *look at me as if i betrayed them if i don't pet their belly whenever they show it to me
Gerard and Catrick also both demand belly rubs
Also your cat : bites you whenever you do it
I think the important thing is understanding your cat's temperament and preferences. One of my cats shuts his eyes and purrs like a baby for belly rubs and the other hates if I touch her belly, paws or ears.
@Celeste Hendry He directly addressed the people like "oh my cat loves belly rubs". Did we watch the same video??
My cats are also the rare belly rub preferred babies. They HATE having their heads touched and love having belly rubs.
It felt so weird at first since it's normally a huge no-no. I love how every cat is so unique and different like that. I've had cats that would DESTROY you if you ever touched them anywhere besides their back & just didn't really like physical affection in general and then I have these boys who want their belly rubbed and sleep under the blankies with me at night. If I'm sitting on the couch in a long skirt/dress they'll even try to get under there bc they think it's another blanket lolol
AWE!! When I went to the shelter to see cats one in particular stretched himself out to me and was purring super loud and pressing his face all over me. Such a sweetie!! We plan on adopting him on Monday. :D
Did you adopt him?
Love when the cat chooses you ❤️
You have a great heart!
@@boxeswithfoxes We did, but had to return him. I was severely allergic :(
He *chose* you, you lucky girl 🐈⬛
My resque cat was an agitated mistrusting foodstealing biter, coming from a home where he had been mistreated. I had to go to the docter twice to get wounds cleaned and to get tetanus injections. Following your advice and really looking at my cat allowed me to treat him differently. Now he falls compleatly asleep next to me, showing his belly, allows petting on his head and eats out of my hand. It took me 2 years to get him to purr. Now he even comes to sit on my lap, well, only to ask for food but still. Thank you so, so much for your advice. 😺
I'm so happy for you and your cat!
It's great to read that he finally found a place where he can live in peace
I just went up to my cat and put my face next to hers, and she just licked my forehead
I didn’t realize how rough cats tongues are ;-;
VERY, how do you think they drink. PS - That is sign of affection. They were grooming you.
You never seen a cat's tongue? It has many tiny hooks! That's why it feels rough
@@toriless The roughness actually doesn't really relate to how they drink. The hooks are made of keratin and scientists have found that those hooks deposit saliva onto the strands of hair in the undercoat to help them cool off since cats don't have many sweat glands. The hooks also tear up raw meat and store little bits of meat in them.
Cats drink water by using the property of surface tension. They curl their tongue into a c shape so that it lays flat against the surface if the water. This creates tension that pulls water up into their air when they pull up their tongue. They then catch the water in their mouth. If you watch this process up close it is super cool.
@@lalalalala2958 that’s interesting
yea bro u seen the tongue on a cheeta ? its mf sand paper
me: taking mental notes about tail positions
also me: *realising the stray I feed has a bobbed tail*
LOL well you can't see the tip curves or twitches, but you can see the overall position and major movement of the little stub. And gotta say the war pompom when they puff up is adorable. (A friend has a cat whose tail had to be amputated after an accident. She gets puffy during playtime.)
@@rhondahyslop9172 LOL
Jackson, I'm a proud black cat owner. She is my pride and joy very comical. She has a little what I call a Spud for a tail about 1" long. What other signs that mimic the tail if any. I love her to death she has an awesome character.
I really appreciate your show thanks for the help.
You own a African American cat?
@@iluvdaguitarlmao
You gotta African American Bobcat? 😂
my cat really lives up to the phrase "scaredy cat" if we walk around a corner too fast he puffs up his tail and body and then sees its me and goes "oh ok its just you, i thought you were someone else!" and then comes and rubs up on my legs and asks for chin and neck scratches. I call him "squirrel-y boy"
Oh. My cat goes crazy when I walk past her and stares at me for a couple seconds and make that rrrr meow sound and boost off to the kitchen.
Sometimes when me or my sister walk past the couch or around a corner when one of my cats is near or on it, he bolts off in another direction which scares my sister lol
this is so true
No wonder my Misty tries to bite my hand when she gets overly stimulated. She's like "enough!" when I don't understand the back ripple message
I always think its like being ticklish - if you don't stop when asked eventually the person being tickled is likely to fight you off of them.
But then I used to be seriously ticklish as a kid and am very sensitive to environmental changes and sounds. I think it's why I've always been good with most neuro-divergent people (and cats) - I can empathise with that hyper-sensitivity. Our weaknesses can become our strengths if we work out how to channel them 😁
Glad you learned this!!
It's funny how he put clips of Jeff Goldblum in this video, because I always thought Jackson kinda looks like Jeff Goldblum.
thats because both are jewish
Similar voice too
rebel ram Jackson’s Jewish? Cool!
Waaaaait... how did u know that?
@Nim Oh! thanks for explaning. I would have NEVER noticed that! 😆👍
True.
This makes me glad that my cat has never gotten agitated nor angry at me. I always try to follow her lead with body language and force visitors around me to do the same. In turn she's super needy and shows off those grateful forms of body language. I never had her hiss. Always pay attention to your cat's body language, it's worth it even if you have to fight off your own urges.
I'm making my cat watch this video so he starts behaving normal 😂
😂❤️
What's he's Behaving like?
😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@elementaljasmine2526 not normal probably
😂😂😂😂
Cat tail language is a whole chapter. My old girl has the most expressive reversed question mark that waves languidly back and forth (happy). When we have company she arrives to greet her subjects and the tail does a fast quiver (excited). She's now17 and having health problems so I don't see either any more.
Wow 👏🏻
Wow 👏🏻
My old girl (also 17) has NEVER had a perky tail. Had her since a kitten, and she is happy, and spoiled, and I have always known how to respect her "communication" style. It took about 8 years before she liked, and actually invited, having her belly rubbed (after being jealous watching her brother get so much attention ;). But her tail has always been in that lowered, sad, position (#3 in Jackson's video). I don't know if she experienced something negative when she was a wee baby and it permanently affected her.
Me to my cat: Hey buddy, you’re not a dog, and I’m not a moose.
My cat: blinks and looks away
Me: 🥰 he loves me
when i do it my cat seems as if its panicking and looks away-
Aww he blinked
It's really interesting how much I've learnt from my cat, and she's also learnt a whole lot about communicating without using her tail (it was kind of hard when I adopted her because she was born with a broken tail and she cannot move it much). I learnt how to read and recognise other little details of cats body language, which I find so amazing, how they are able to communicate that well if you actually pay some close attention to them day by day. She's turning 5 in December, I feel so blessed for having her as part of my family. Cats are awesome.
I am a better man because of the cat's I've kept over the years. I'm calmer and more empathetic.
Me too and all your friends start to think you went nuts
This is the first piece of Jackson Galaxy media I've ever seen. 3 seconds in, I'm completely on board.
Boy, do you have a lot of catching up to do! 😂 Welcome!
He got the pupil dilation all wrong though.
Try to find and watch episodes of My Cat From Hell.
He's the good kind of weird.
@@TechnoEstate Who has it right? Where is the credibility of this information?
I have a 5 month kitten. I can literally pet her when she’s asleep, awake, zooming, eating whatever lol. Most chill cat ever.
Rag doll?
No she is a moggie/mixed/domestic long hair whatever. She used to freeze or squirm a bit but now she is willing to be picked up and just starts purring and puts her head on my chest 99% of the time
Jah B do you really think that will stop? Its actually become more and more tolerant of affection. Also i guess its not 99% of the time. Its whenevrr she isnt zooming. When she is running sround if i tried to pet her she would like tru and play with my finger or bite it however the rest of the time i can cuddle her. Sometimes she doesnt wanna cuddle for ages
I am so jealous! My kitten is 4 months nd she HATES being pet, carried, or cuddles 🥺 I recently adopted another kitten of 3 months but he’s the complete opposite.
American Horror Story today is day 5 of new kitten. They’re slowly liking each other more but the first 2-3 days it was bad :/
my cat loves to bunny kick me without the claws extracted. He has incredible restraint while playing. With any other cat I've seen and had, there might be a claw slipping into my skin while playing. With him it's all fluff and zero scratches. Also he loves to come at my leg. He's still a kitten though, and extremely playful.
that’s what my cat is like, she likes to hold my leg while i swing her around and just attack my ankles but she’s never scratched me
Extracted means to pull back
Although it may seem cute and be an easy form of play right now, in a year or two when the cat grows up your gonna regret not breaking that behavior now. A fully matured adult cat has razor sharp teeth and claws more so than a kitten, the cat now has been thought that attacking a leg is considered playing. Where the problem going to come n is when the cat attacks you or small child around you ; because you said you're allowing him to do it while not having his claws extracted he is now learned that this is the correct way to play. your legs and arms will get badly scratched up. Which leads up to wanting to get rid of the cat because you think the cat is violent , when it'll reality you're making your kitten violent at this very moment by not breaking feet and hand attacking behavior. But don't take my word for it. Raise that kitty to the BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE! It's not like I work for pretty partners certifing service cats for a living or anything
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I do
Yeah you should really be directing the cat to a toy instead when they start doing that as kittens, they’ll learn that your hands and arms are not toys when they’re adults.
@@LongDickLowry27 thanks for this, my kitty cat still 1month old, he play bites me all the time then play paws on my toes then licks me afterwards, guess I'll be buying him a toy haha
After watching, studying and praying I am finally getting a cat!
Sorry this is irrelevant but it’s amazing for me because I have wanted one for 5 years now!
I'm consistently amazed how much I instinctively know about cats. I have a 9 yr old big boy and a 3 month old little girl and I thought I just lucked out without what amazing cats they are. Thanks to your videos I am being reminded how often my husband and I just made cat friendly choices with both of them so we all just get along.
(So glad I found your channel, I missed watching you on AP but I haven't in cable in YEARS)
Cats know when they have good humans. They are also a lot more trainable than people think....
@@abigaildeeks8328 100% I also think our cats have us trained sometimes! 🤣
The best person I ever saw with a cats was a 9 year old girl. I would have trusted her with a cat more then most adults. Not everyone is the same when it comes to cats. You earn a cat. Dogs will love any loser, not cats.
My one cat likes running around just yelling at everything, while the other is a lump of fur and love who sheds as a pass time
😆😆
My pair is exactly like this.
Our two cats are also just like that haha!
Cats have personalities too. One of my cats is brave and the other a chicken.
I have watched your videos for about 3 years straight just to learn about cats and how to love and understand them and now that I finally have my fur baby, everything that I've learned has provided the most awesome relationship with me and my little baby! Thank you! ;)
Has someone who has grown up with dogs my entire life I am very glad I watched this. I recently got a 1 year old from the shelter and I had no idea that wagging tail means leave me alone.
They also do it when they're hunting I've noticed.
Meanwhile I’ve had cats my entire life and just recently got my first dog. I have to keep reminding myself that I can’t default to interpreting her body language like I would a cat 😂
My late cat was 17, and her tail was never above body height in the last couple of years. I was concerned about her mood to begin with, but she was still walking around with confidence like she owned the place, she was showing various signs of trust and still enjoyed getting a deep rub, so I assume it was just too much effort for her to keep it any higher at that age
Hey Jackson, I know tail movement is a big indicator to cat mood. I'd love it if you could do a video on bobbed tail cats or no tails. A cat could be bred that way, or through an accident necessitating an amputation. I find I can read my Japanese bobtails fairly easily, but my cat-friendly friends and family have trouble telling when my kitties are getting too stimulated.
The ears and eyes will be the next best ways to tell if a cat is getting over stimulated. Lots of twitching or the ears going back against its head.
Yes, my cat also doesn't have a tail do to an accident. I learned to completly read every little movement of her body, so we're a good team now, bit the first couple of years where ruff...
When my girls eyes dilate I know it’s zoomie time 😂😂😂
When my cats eyes dilated I know he’s about to pounce on something. Hopefully not me!!
My cat make a certain noise and I know it is is going cuckoo play time.
ZOOOMIES!!! 👀😼🐈💨
@@AbsFabbs My cats jumps up on the sofa with dilated pupils and pounced on me almost every time. I dont know what to do.
I've had my cat for 15 years now and it's amazing how knowledgeable you become about their behaviour and finding out what they like and dislike. The affection i get back is enormous and knowing my cat is safe and content means the world to me.
First time cat mommy here! I've always had dogs and the learning curve is a hard one, I know the basics because my sistet owns three but there is much to learn! I'm glad for videos like these are out there. Thank you for this andyour advice! 💜
Dogs are simple. They do not think. They are all impulsive. They brain is 1/8th as dense as a cats. I cat will evaluate everything unlike a dog.
When my cat enters the house after having been outside, her tail will be parallel with the ground, the apprehension position. Until she finds me and it goes straight to the question mark position. It’s so lovely to see. When she walks out of the room, it goes back to the apprehension position. Ooooh but when it’s dinner time? Her tail does this quick quiver, straight in the air. Gosh she’s happy at that moment!!
Sara you don’t know anything about me or my cats. Who do you think you are making assumptions like that. Keep your unwarranted opinions to yourself.
Myn IDK who Sara was but I’m glad she deleted her comment! It sounds like it was pretty rude.
Schuyler Durant thank you. She was having a go at me how it’s extremely irresponsible to let my cats outside and that they won’t come back alive one day. WTH. What an awful assumption to make.
Myn That’s so terrible! It’s completely okay to let your cats outside if you live in a relatively safe and secluded neighborhood, and it’s YOUR decision to make, not hers!
Schuyler Durant it’s how we got her. She was mistreated, ran away and found us. And even though OH and I are both very allergic to cats, we took her in, in agreement with her old owners. She loved to go out, and she loves to come back. This cat definitely isn’t suitable for indoor only life. Maybe others are, which is fine. And ours isn’t. Which is fine too. Anywho, didn’t mean to ramble on. Have a lovely day!
My cat slaps his tale hard on a surface, I know he's done.
My cat used to attack me out of nowhere. I've learned it's when he has too much energy and wants to play. Now that hes an old man we've learned to communicate with each other better and hes learned to give me a warning nip if I'm not noticing hes had enough petting. Once you find a rhythm with your cat, it's an awesome thing ^_^
@@CassieLino aww, good for you!
Mine do that too. Thats the clue to get the hell out of his vicinity.
A few hours after I posted that comment, my cat passed away. It was so sudden. I am so lost right now.
CassieLino, I am so sorry for the loss of your dear companion.
Me realizing my anxiety is very similar to what my cat goes through with getting overstimulated. I feel you Sadie. ♡
My cat is raised by my dog. So, she likes to wag her tail too.
I doubt instincts can be changed like that
@Blue Jellybean does she wag the end of her tail, or the entire thing?
@Blue Jellybean huh, that’s weird. My cat wags the end of his tail when he is hungry or happy, but never wags the whole thing.
Blue Jellybean My friend had a cat like that! He told me to go up and give lots of pats because he likes it, and I was super unsure because that tail was *flappin*, but kept assuring me that he loved lots of pats. He did, in fact, like the pats
Russian Blue cat owner. Cat also wags her tail when she is happy! Only cat I've ever had who does this. It is freaking adorable. ^_^
i´ve seen so many friends squeeze their cats to the point they get scratched and be like "the hell are you so agressive for?"
Me : i- it´s your fault kathy.
dammit kathy
That's happened to me before except I was holding him for too long and probably squeezing just a little bit =w=
My dad kinda does this too
Yeah Kathy !!!!
exactly kathy take the time to learn about your cat
I'm a first time cat owner! It's been a week since my cat and I are living together and have watched at least half the videos in this channel 🤣 very useful please keep doing more!
Good on you for educating yourself! Xxx
I missed so many times when my cats were telling me "I love you." The "slow blink" can also be a squint. I had a very special cat (Oreo) that was the fur love of my life. We love each other a lot. I still miss him and it's been about 9 years since I lost him.
My mom had another b+w cat and she mentioned that he did the "squinty eye thing" like Oreo used to do. I had never known the significance. My current oldest cat has an anxiety disorder. I knew something was wrong so I started looking into what could be wrong and how I could tell through her actions and body language. That when I learned about "cat kisses" aka "the squinty eye thing." Not only was I able to use it to make my current cat feel better I thought back to when I had Oreo. He was literally telling me he loved me constantly. I have few memories of him NOT doing the squinty eye thing.
It sounds like Oreo was a very laid back cat. And great company too. I'm glad you had each other :)
The best thing we've got for using up our cat's energy reserves is our dog. He's a rather small Border Collie, and we'd had him a couple of years before my wife wanted a cat. We got a 10 week old kitten and slowly acclimated them. 3 weeks in and they were playing. 5 weeks and the cat was washing the dog's face. Two and a half years later finds them bonded to an insane degree. If the cat is hiding, the dog goes looking for him. If the dog is outside, the cat paces the house, crying and patting doors.
We have noticed certain dog-like oddities in our cat though, and not the ones people usually think of (the tail wagging and so forth, which was explained very well in the video). Our dog also displays certain cat-like qualities, which we've put down to the fact that when he was a puppy there was a much older cat in the house he followed relentlessly. We joke sometimes that we have a cat-dog and a dog-cat, with both of them displaying characteristics of the other's species. I often wonder if the dog thinks the cat is a dog, and the cat thinks the dog is a cat. In any case, I have hundreds of hours of video of the two of them playing. I just can't help myself.
That is so awesome and cute. Thank you for sharing your experience about your furry children. The whole cat-dog experience I can relate.
I once had a cat who thought he was a dog. I believe it was due to being breast fed by my dog who at that time had a litter of three pups and each one of them died due to complications. At that same time our cat also gave birth to a litter of 4 kittens. One kitten was clearly not reaching the tit due to being smaller than the other kittens. Somehow, by some natural unseen force, the dog grabbed that runt as her own baby and raised him as her own. The cat didn't mind. To her it was extra help. A couple of weeks had passed and the baby kitten still had difficulty with eating, especially when his siblings were around, so he would eat from the dog bowl. He slowly grew up to be a cat with a lot of dog tendencies and behavior. He even knew tricks such as sit, lay down, come, and if you tap on your lap he would jump on it.
We also had a wolf-dog who thought he was a person. He had a series of manners from turning his away when he chewed (couldn't chew with mouth closed so did the next best thing... turn away), he also slept on his back with legs stretched out, when he walked into a room and there were stuff on the floor he would walk around the items carefully to not touch them, and then there was the food he loved to eat... spaghetti, salad, soups of all types, anything home worked and even enjoyed drinking tea. Then there was the iguana who thought he was a lap-dog and a duck who thought he was human. O_O
@@LadyCoyKoi I had a chicken who swam in our pool like a duck (would NOT Stay out of the pool) and a duck that DROWNED!!!! Animals can be so weird sometimes.
Another cats works too. Especially for that 2 am hunt time as I hear then playing in another room.
My cat hisses for everything I don't think he understands feline social norms.
Same! My cat hisses while playing with her favorite toys sometimes. Was your cat separated from its mama at a young age? Mine was, so I think that was a contributing factor for her.
Cats can be different. My cat gets excited and slashes his tail when he is petted, but it is purely friendly.
Shirin my cat will hiss at a toy too. They’re just really into the hunt
None of mine his when playing, but one of my girls swishes her tail sometimes; I think it's the excitement (/excess energy?), or just getting really in to the hunt. :)
TBH, I think _you_ might be the one who doesn't understand feline social norms, buds.
When a cat does nothing but hiss... there usually is some _history_ that led them to that behavior. You may need to work on getting your cat's trust back.
Hi Jackson, I am so grateful about you sharing all this information with us, cat owners. I have a lovely but "difficult" and sensitive young male cat. When I rescued him from the streets he was all about hissing and scratching and biting. The first three weeks I was trying to understand him and connect with him but it all turned to violence. Then I started searching for information about cat behavior and I found you. Your words are so enlightening. I have now established a wonderful relationship with my cat. He is so loving and affectionate and he fully trusts me, never hurts me, only expressing his kind pet love. Much respect to you and your work, helping people's and pets life become better.
Always remember that what we consider affection they generally consider an invasion of space and or a threatening behavior. Be respectful by respecting his space. Notice how people behave around horses. Everybody gives horses their respect but for some reason this knowledge didn’t make it to us in the cat and dog world. Respect is love, not excessive touching.
AAWWW
Thanks so much for sharing this vid, great advice and so helpful!
Thank you I really needed this. I found a baby kitten that was astray. And I needed to learn more about kittens. When I found it, he was meowing. Scared. With the tail low. And instantly when I took it under my care. It started doing that biscuit thing you were speaking about instantly. And he is still so needy I love it. This was informative
Hope your new little friend is doing well!
my boy star at home goes bottlebrush whenever he is super happy and lovey. He's purring, snurgling, licking and headbutting like crazy. He is very strange but I love him so much
Your 'boy star' may be part Bengal. Going 'bottle brush' when happy or playing is a Bengal characteristic.
@@j.b.9581 Thanks! Mine does the same. :-)
My son's Siamese does this too. I thought she was just odd lol
My siamese cat does the same too! Since this isn't stated as a happy behavior, it confuses me a lot. It's good know there are others, I'm relieved :)
My ginger cat does that whenever he hasn't seen me all day or when I'm treating him to wet food.
My cats never seem agitated for some reason lol. They just nap and then I feed, water and play when they wake like the little slave that I am
Slave- 😂😂😂
"I am a slave to my pets & boy is it ✨amazing✨"
Same lmao
Me too!!😂
Aren't u the guy that stole the chipmunks
DEAD😂😂😂
Me with a new cat for the first time: “interesting 👁👄👁”
😂😂😂
My oldest cat actually does wag his tail like a puppy when he’s excited, which I was super surprised by. I found that out when I got him a new toy and he just went ape over it. The younger one barks. They’re both a little... odd
😭😂
Lol! A little confused but they've got the spirit!
How cute. Weird cats/dogs are the best. I guess your two fellows grew up around dogs, and are just imitating observed behaviour. The term _copy cat_ wasn't coined without reason.
I have a slightly different interpretation of head bunting and kneading.
Yes, it is a scent thing, but context is key. Domestic cats may be solitary hunters, but they are social creatures. A group of cats recognize each other by establishing a colony scent, a shared amalgamation of smells common to the group. It is how they recognize foreign cats, and how a cat is integrated into the group. When a cat is putting their scent on you, they are also taking your scent onto them. It is a blending of smells to establish a colony scent. So, I think it is less ownership and more, "We're a family."
Manipulating this desire to blend scents and become accustomed to smells is a great way to introduce a cat to a new cat, or even a new dog, or a new child even. Taking a bedding object from the newcomer and offering it to the cat to inspect will trigger a natural desire to replace the scent with their scent. This need to "claim" the object will invariably cause a mixing of scents, and eventually an easier acceptance of the new member of the family.
With regard to other behaviors, once you put it all together it becomes a very detailed and expressive language. For example, an apprehensive tail and investigative posture might indicate curiosity. Leaning forward, whiskers and ears folded back cautiously, tail down, bringing the nose closer to something new, is not necessarily a fearful cat. Cautious, yes. Vulnerable, EXTREMELY. Fearful, not so much. At a moment like that if something startles the cat, then whatever it is they were investigating will probably be associated with being startled. Likewise, a positive reaction associates the opposite. I had a cat a while ago who had this little vertical tail swish she would do when reconnoitering a room. She would rise from her resting spot, take a few steps, her tail would swing violently up for a second, and ... up down up down up down in twitching motions, while she would pan her eyes around the room. Once everything had been registered in its place, the tail returned to its upright position and she was ready for attention.
Truly adorable creatures, cats.
This was a really interesting perspective
i ain’t reading all that. good 4 u tho
My cat does the Halloween pose and bounces around when she wants us to chase her and she's really ready to play
Mine too!
I grew up with dogs, so when I finally got my cat Ginger, I thought she didn’t really like me very much, since she was always kneading my lap and gently using her claws (even though it wasn’t like full on scratching, it still hurt a bit, and I didn’t know why she was doing it), and I was very confused because sometimes she would rub up against me and purr, but other times she would knead my lap with her paws and claws. This video really helped me a lot, so thank you! Now I know a bit more about how to tell when I’ve pet Ginger a bit too much, so hopefully now I won’t get scratched anymore and she won’t get overwhelmed from too much attention. I’m glad that now I know that she loves me, even though she might hurt me a little bit with the kneading. Thank you so much for sharing with everyone about cat behavior! I will make sure to show this to my friend so she can hopefully have a better relationship with her cat Bella
Edit: my relationship with Ginger is much better, I use long strings that I crocheted to play with her, she cuddles, and she loves to spend time with me now! This video really helped fix the issues in communication and helped me better understand her and learn more of what she needs! Again, thank you for helping me and my cat!
I knew most of this stuff, but its great hearing it from a different perspective. My cats know I'm not going to hurt them, so I love triggering the disembowel move when I rub their belly. I never do it for long.
My mom's dogs got confused by one of the cats wagging his tail and got his nose clawed.
Jackson, I must confess you are actually my own therapist, thank you so much for your videos, efforts and knowledge for me and my beloved cat. Greetengs from Europe, 💖🎉🙏👍😇🤞
Can you do a video on cat vocalizations? Our cat meows angrily at my husband when he sits on the couch with her ears back, we just can’t figure out what’s going on to cause it. (Trying to get video, but it’s tricky since she doesn’t really do it when I’m around. Sorry lol
Maybe she wants him to get off? My cat used to meow loudly to demand someone get off when he wanted to sit on the couch! Maybe your lady is a little needy =)
I would love a video about vocalization. Our cat was rescued off the street at 8 weeks old (vet's estimate) and I have never heard a cat make the noises he makes. At nearly 2 years old, He sounds more like the bird's in my backyard.
@@peachtea4369 he chirps, twitters, and makes a couple other noises I don't even know how to describe expect to say it reminds me of when audio file or the sound in a video glitches. 🤷🏻♀️ All of the bird like noises seem to be made only at us or in response to us. He makes the "glitchy" noises when he is play/hunting, especially when it's his favorite toy. 😊
@@jessicascott8337 By the sound of it, it looks like you have a very excitable kitty! Chirping is a little individual per cat, so no wonder yours could be a bit unique. But chirping is a cat's way to say they're excited or happy or just really in a cheerful mood, hence why most cats do it while hunting/playing. So, you just have a bundle of joy on your hands it seems =)
@@jessicascott8337 Meowing is actually something that cats only do with humans. Chirping, chittering, hissing etc. is how cats talk to one another- you'll almost never hear them meow at each other unless it is a kitten crying to its mother. It sounds as though your cat is doing all of its talking to you in cat language instead of cat-to-human language, probably because he didn't learn to meow at humans for anything at an early age because he presumably didn't interact with humans until he was over eight weeks old.
In 2 mins and 45 seconds of watching this video I can honestly say you're really great at what you do. Thank you for all your help sir :). My 6 month old Milo will love me more because I am amore intelligent and aware because of your video.
Now all we need to do is make an equivalent video for "Dog Body Language 101" and force all people to watch these videos before getting a pet! Will definitely prevent a lot of bites/scratches!
I can't even believe how amazing you explain things. Actually watched every second of the video. Subscribed right away and gonna check your other vids. I'm gonna get my first ever cat soon so all this info is so important to me. Thank you for that 😘🙂
I have always wondered why cats “kneed” things with their paws, especially when my cat does that to me. This was very informative. Thank you 😊
It's rooted in drinking milk from their mother when they're kittens (they knead on her body to get the milk out) and it translates into adult life. Some cats will knead AND suck on a piece of clothing or other fabrics.
Thea Marie Or even human nipples. One bit my roommate on the nipple! He jumped three feet!
See? See?! _SEE?!?_ Dame Judi Dench's "The Ad-dressing of Cats" was _not_ a pointless song after all!
*A cat is **_not_** a dog!*
Hey Jackson! I'm so happy to see you here again. We've been following your advice for a long time and it works in all situations. Now we have a couple of high shelves and a scratching pole. Our cat is absolutely keen on them. Thank you so much! I always recommend your old videos to my friends. And I'm looking forward to learning more. 🤗👍❤
I’m planning on getting my first cat in the next month and I’m so excited. I have never really owned a pet before, so I don’t know a lot about cat behavior, but I’ve always had pretty good instincts with them. I had no idea overstimulation was such a big thing for cats, but as an autistic person I’ve been subconsciously relating to this part of them. I love learning the specific signs of different moods. Super helpful video🙌
Some of your points are interesting. And, yes, you do have some good explanations. The tummy-exposed, definitely. It means they trust you and/or they feel secure but it's not necessarily an invitation-- because cats also learn to use these instincts and physical reactions individually.
Like my cat-- she rubs herself up against me to tell me she wants to go out. It's a big improvement over her old method, which was to scratch the furniture. I'll give her that. But she's not telling me loves me. She's just trying to say, "let me out." WHY she never goes to the door and meows, I cannot fathom. If I demonstrate it, she'll do it once or twice... but then she goes back to her own methods. Seriously. She's very smart.
But my point is cats, being as individual as people, often come up with their own interpretations of these basic responses. That's why so many people say, "oh, no. That's not it. This is why...." And it is true, for their cat. But only for their cat.
And I love the dog-colored glasses.
Totally empathize! Great observations!
@@Lucyred6 Thanks. I've since decided that my cat, Akasha, has chosen rubbing herself against my leg as a way of nagging me. At least it feels like nagging. LOL!
My cat only rubs on me when he wants something😭😂
mostly me too lol but she also yells at me if she wants something like the door opened or food or a window blind open or company
mine too... little bastard :)
@@monalisavieru1679 You love the lil' b'tard though!!
This is often the case. My female has food issues. It usually means she wants to be fed. The male usually wants attention instead.
@@toriless Yea i'm tryna put my fat little nugget on a diet. she's a british short hair and they're already a chunky breed so she getting a lil *thiccc*
...my cat wags her tail. Literally all the time. Having a cuddle? Wagging her tail. Eating? Wagging her tail. You talk to her? Wagging her tail. Purring? Guess what? Wagging her tail 😂. I don't even know
Mine too.
i think .. you might have a dog
A slow wave is usually a sign of contentment or curiosity. Fast twitch means "step away from the cat"
We have had many cats over the years. One of our cats, SweetPea, had a medical episode which caused some minor paralysis around one side of her face - it was the cat equivalent to Bell’s Palsy. One of the other effects of the episode was that her tail was constantly in motion and could no longer be used as a barometer for her mood. Fortunately, her eyes, ears and vocalizations kept us informed. SweetPea was, like every cat we have had, sweet, affectionate and confident, so it was rare that something truly bothered her. For that reason we were always able to immediately pick up on any signs of distress or illness because it was such a contrast from her usual demeanour.
My cat as well. I think my cat is happy. I did worry he was bored due to the wagging, he is an only cat...I am concerned he may want another cat friend
The distinction of the pupils was super helpful!
But whenever my cat is playful or ready to attack, her pupils dilate almost completely.
Darkness has risen...watch out lol mine too
Mine too. His eyes look like marbles. Lol
Mine three! Puss in Boots is nothing compared to my cat's big eyes.
Yes!!! You KNOW what's about to happen when you see those!!
@@KandiXoXoXo yup.. 90% of my wounds have been dealt before those very eyes
Thank you so much for sharing all of this. Always very useful. Since we can't have Jackson Galaxy helping us rescuers in Mexico, we can have your videos. Hope your back is much better
So you’re saying my can’t is singing “you don’t own me” in their head when they ruin my couch 😭😭
My cat GENUINELY wags her tail like a dog. I have had many cats and at first I thought she was upset all the time but it didn’t make sense. She was purring and relaxed. She wags her tail side to side when she’s happy and also when she’s thinking hard 😂
And I’ve basically trained her to wag her tail when I say “waggy waggy” too 😂
Mine too! And she wraps it around my legs
We have one who wags his tail when he's happy too. And who also does the tail shudder thing when he's excited, especially when he's about to be fed.
It was SO confusing at first...
My cat also moves his tail a lot, even when nothing seems to be going on. I often wonder if he's upset but I sure hope not because then that would mean he's upset often. :/ 🙏
This!! My cat loves tapping his tail and wagging and I don’t even bother him and he set boundaries