I hope the panda in our website's name and logo doesn't make you think it's the only animal we approve of. I mean, we even feature the peculiar creatures scientists find 16,000 feet deep in the ocean.
This time, we want to go back to the classics and revisit one of our earliest domesticated species. Cats!
The appropriately titled Instagram account 'Cat Memes For All' shares humorous pictures that perfectly explain the nature of our beloved companions, and you don't have to own one to appreciate them.
Continue scrolling to check out the images, and don't miss the chat we had with British journalist, author, and expert on feline behavior, Celia Haddon.
More info: Instagram
This post may include affiliate links.
Cats are often seen as sneaky, mysterious pets, but if you know what to look for, you can understand their needs and emotions much better. Even in these memes!
"Body language is as important or more than vocal language for cats," Celia Haddon, author of 'Being Your Cat: What's Really Going on in Your Feline's Mind,' told Bored Panda.
"You really want to look at the whole body of your cat to read its signals — ears, tail, fur, back and face. Don't just read one body part of the cat: read every part and put it all together."
According to Haddon, who you can follow on Twitter, ears are one of the easier ways of interpreting these animals. For example, "If the ears are pointing forward, the cat is interested and alert. If the ears are lowered on either side of the head, then your cat is frightened."
"If the ears are swiveled backwards, it is a sign of frustration or anger. If the ears are lowered AND swiveled back, then your cat is both frightened and frustrated/angry."
Something tells me that although it can be fun, this design might not be a good idea
"Roughly speaking, if your cat's fur is standing up on its back, its back is arched and its tail is like a bottlebrush, that is a cat which is menacing," the feline behaviorist added. "It is making itself look large."
"If the fur is normal and the cat is crouching with a lowered body, this is usually the opposite – your cat is scared and making itself look small."
Haddon said that protracted (not retracted) claws are also a bad sign because they are ready to scratch.
"The face is more difficult for a human to read, but if teeth are bared that is usually a bad sign in any animal," the cat expert said.
"Hissing and growling are defensive threats and a loud yowl is more of an attacking threat. Purring comes in two forms. The contented purr or the asking-for-something purr, which has a little cry in it. The contented purr, however, can also mean 'please look after me' in some cats — they purr when they are at the vet's and not well."
And while rolling on the ground is generally a sign of affection, be careful because it doesn't mean the cat wants a belly rub. Some might, others don't, Haddon said.
"A tail usually hangs loosely if a cat is happily occupied," Haddon explained. "When it goes upright, it is a distance sign that the cat is friendly."
On the other hand, when the tail is lashing, it means the cat is preparing to attack, while a tail that is fluffed up and goes up at the base and then down is the tail of a cat that is angry.
Sometimes when we see two cats playing, it can be confusing to determine if they're having a good time or not, because, as Celia Haddon pointed out, they play silently without yowling, their claws are retracted, they come back for more after a pause, and they often take turns in chasing or pouncing on each other.
If you want to test your newly acquired "cat-reading" skills, fire up these 50 Cute And Funny Memes That Might Make You Want To Get A Cat.
I have anxiety & depression. I can honestly say that I would not be here without my cats.
Soft can-openers are so cruel, starving us like this.
My kitten is called Naughty Amelia Jane after the book series... it took the vet tech 5 minutes until he stopped laughing
Only to the soft can-openers. So, in other words, absolutely not headline-worthy.
Load More Replies...
My jealous a*s Siamese only comes when we tell his sisters name. Can call for him for an hour, won't come. Call sister by name twice, he's already under your feet lol
Someone got there Masters in Cat and their PHD in Catology just by getting their study published (Mr. Whiskers seem upset by being left off the co publishing authorship)
My cats care. If I’m sick, they’re right there with me, keeping me company. If I’m sad, they’re also right there with me, snuggling up and being silly to make me smile. So don’t say all cats don’t care about their humans. I have had cats my entire life (I’m 63 now), and can tell you from experience that, if you love your cats and treat them well, they will love you back. It’s just that they each have their own way of showing it, and you just need to observe them and find out what their way is.
I think the point of the headline is that our cats understand our spoken language but don't care to obey. In other words something every cat servant knows. Cats definitely love their people but they tend towards less overt affection than dogs.
Load More Replies...
Of course he didn't make the sign, he yelled at the human until they obeyed.
I know we like to joke but cats do mourn, some people do seem to forget that
Note: this post originally had 107 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
With billions of people and cats online, you'd think there would be more original cat photos. Sigh.
When my phone died, I lost my pictures of Bouche and Audi.
With billions of people and cats online, you'd think there would be more original cat photos. Sigh.
When my phone died, I lost my pictures of Bouche and Audi.
