Feline Expressions That All Cat Lovers Know Well

We always know where we stand with a cat

Their colorful expressions tell us when they're sleepy, irritated, excited, or on the hunt for something interesting and "dangerous." Often their expressions make us laugh not because we're making fun of them, but because they look so darn cute even when they're wearing their crankiest look.

Those of us who share our lives & love with kitties have become accustomed to their diverse palette of expressions

Here are eight totally recognizable ones.

“What’s for me?”

This is the kind of expression cats get when they hear a pop-top open on a can of food or soup. It doesn't matter what's underneath the pop-top what's clear is it's obviously for cats. Kitties also get this look sometimes when they hear us talking to another cat. Because they're pretty certain they're missing out on something cool. When asked about it, cats would probably tell us, "This is why we fight sleep, people. Pop-tops!"

“I’m gonna get you, sucka!”

The fierce face of the mighty hunter! No matter whether the prey is a live mouse or a piece of floating fuzz, the enemy gets the same ferocious pre-pounce face. Rawr!

“What? I’m not doing anything”

Um, yes you are, Mr. Liar Pants. Cats think they're slick, but we can see right through that "looking for trouble" expression. Sometimes they're mid-shenanigan when they flash it, and other times they wear it while walking around the house searching for shenanigans. Sorry to bust your stealthy bubble, kitties, but you're so busted.

“Important ‘business’ happening”

I like to give my cats privacy when I see them walking toward a litter box. I think this is mighty swell of me because they don't extend the same toilet-related courtesy to me. Whatever the case, most of us give our cats their space when they're ready to squat. Then there are those unplanned times when we walk in on our cats while they're litter-boxing. There's a particular, concentrated look kitties wear when they're serious about their output. They won't be distracted, and it appears they choose a spot somewhere in the room and laser-focus their vision right there. It reminds me of when I was in labor with my human children. The coaches always told us that when we're mid-contraction, to focus on an object in the room while we're breathing. So cats are kind of birthing little pieces of poo. Not really.

“Feed me”

Oh, yeah. This is the one we see at least twice a day, and sometimes for a full hour or more prior to the scheduled meal time. Cats don't care about schedules. They care that every trip we make to the kitchen could wind up with some kind of gravy component.

“But I’m cute!”

Cats know just when to pull the cute card, and it's usually when we're trying to meet a deadline or get out the door for an appointment. Not that they're not ridiculously adorable all the time, but sometimes they roll over, engage those lovey-dovey eyes, stretch a little paw toward us, and we melt into a puddle of goo. Deadline, be damned! This cat needs me! Very few of us are immune to feline manipulation of this caliber.

“No, really — I’m awake”

Why do cats fight sleep? They don't battle it all the time in fact, they're known for their epic naps. But occasionally we watch them go mano-a-mano against the Sandman. Their upper eyelids slowly drop, and just as soon as they nearly connect with the lower ones, they retreat to their original position, or at least halfway there. Then the dropping starts all over again. When my cats seem to fight sleep, I tell them, "You're not going to miss anything go to sleep!" Who knows? In their minds, a blimp-sized, jerky-filled piÃ±ata could open its belly and drop a load of treats all over the neighborhood. Humans' eyeballs would become impaled with pointed jerky strips, but cats would have entered some sort of carnivorous Utopia. Just go to sleep, cat.

“You’re not here”

Cats want to engage with us on their terms, and when we don't meet those terms, they sometimes ignore us. But it's not the kind of ignoring that most humans do to one another. Even if we're pretending to ignore another person, we can do a passable job of looking oblivious. Obliviousness means nothing to kitties. They pull this move where they don't look directly at us, feigning inattentiveness; however, their slightly cocked ears tell a different story. They're also not-so-great at disguising their annoyed eyes and smirk. I swear they smirk!

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