What Does the Face Say?

Bossanova's worried face is less about his place in the Single-Wide
and more about whether anyone brought him chicken!   KN

Cat-lovers quickly get used to reading feline body-language.

When Horatio first came to us, we saw a lot of both
the angry and the fearful cat - PH

Happy tails say "Dinner time!" - TS

Some of it is very obvious – the raised back and puffy tail says “angry”; the erect tail and body rubbing against human ankles says “happy”; the hiss and fangs say “stay back!” - and there are many other subtleties in the way the body reacts. Actual vocalizing is a very small part of cat-communication – many visitors are surprised by how quiet the Sanctuary is.

Creamsicle - MW

But the actual feline face, for the most part, can best be described as “resting bitch-face” - not because that’s a mood that cats are in, but just that their mouths tend to turn downwards. For the majority of cats, life (from their faces) appears to be a serious business

Celine Dion - MW

If it’s not serious, sometimes it’s downright hard!  Look at these sad faces (none of whom are really sad cats)

Cadbury - KN

Leland feels that life is tough - MW

But just occasionally there’s sunshine in the smile.  Sometimes that’s because of the cat’s fur markings – a shading below the chin can have the effect of changing the mouth shape.

Sweet Happy (now passed), in Old Aids,
always looked like she was smiling  -  MW

Spooky's mouth markings also show a smile  -  MW

Sometimes it's just the hint of a smirk - cats, of course, know that they are superior and we're only there to serve them.

Hillie has a secret smile - MW

And some cats just have their moments when they’re obviously blissed out, and not just the body but the face shows it.

Happy Willow, enjoying the sun - JK

Sunday, and Allison's arrived - Little Orange is in heaven - MW

Now that Skittles has discovered laps, life is very good! - MW

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Phaedra Hardman, Jennine Kariya,  

Karen Nicholson, Tim Stocker, Michele Wright