With a twitch of their ears or a flick of their whiskers, cats can communicate that they’re grumpy, sleepy, surprised, happy, and more. In fact, a recent study found that domestic cats can make at least 276 different expressions!
Scientists visited a cat café in Los Angeles, California, and recorded footage of the kitties that live there. They analyzed the cats’ facial movements to identify and catalog different expressions, which they then connected to how the cats were behaving.
Want to know how your cat is feeling? “Look at the eyes, ears, mouth, and whiskers,” says Brittany Florkiewicz. She’s an evolutionary psychologist at Lyon College in Arkansas who led the study. Ears forward, whiskers forward, and eyes closed means that a cat is feeling friendly. But ears back, eyes wide, and licking their lips? They may be ready to pounce!