Lecture 26: Body Language and Intent K9/Feline

signs of a relaxed dog

• posture → relaxed, weight carried evenly

• tail → relaxed and neutral position

• ears → relaxed

• mouth → appears soft, may be open, tongue hanging out, mouth may be closed with lips relaxed

• eyes → soft relaxed, eyebrows neutral, normal pupil size

signs of a defensively threatening dog

• body posture → muscles tense, weight shifted back, low to ground, may roll to expose belly

• tail → stiff, usually tucked or low to the ground

• piloerection → may or may not be present, may be blowing coat

• ears → pulled back against head

• mouth → hard mouth, growling, snarling, pant, lick, yawn

• eyes →vigilant with pupils dilated, eyebrows furrowed, darting eyes

signs of an offensively threatening dog

• body posture → hard and stiff, muscles tensed, weight forward, may be still

• tail → carried high, often wagging slowly and methodically

• piloerection → usually present

• ears → erect and forward, little movement

• mouth → top lip pulled up, growling, snapping, barking

• eyes → hard stare, wide open or squinted, eyebrows tensed, pupils dilated

dogs greet each other indirectly by

lateral approach, polite sniffing, averted gaze, play bow

dogs who approach other dogs with forward, direct behavior are perceived as

threatening and may elicit fear ± aggression

what body language should you use with fearful/aggressive dogs?

• turn your body to the side

• approach the side, rather than the front

• bend at the knees rather than the waist

• avoid directly, prolonged stares

• pat the side of your leg

• speak in a soft, light-hearted tone of voice

relaxed cat

• head → resting on surface or over body

• eyes → closed to heavy, pupils slit to normal size

• ears → turned slightly forward

• sounds → none/purr

• tail → extended or loosely wrapped; up or loosely down when standing

• may see bunting

alert cat

• head → over the body, some movement

• eyes → open normally, pupils normal

• ears → normal or erected to front

• sounds → none or meow

• tail → relaxed, some twitching

tense cat

• head → over the body or pressed to body, little or no movement

• eyes → wide open, pupils normal to partially dilated

• ears → erected to front or back

• tail → close to body; tense downwards or curled forward, may be twitching

• ventral recumbency or slinking

• sounds → none, meow, or plaintive meow

anxious cat

• head → on the plane with body, little or no movement

• eyes → wide open, pupils dilated

• ears → partially flattened

• tail → close to the body, may be curled forward close to body when standing

• sounds → none, plaintive meow, growling, yowling

• increased RR

fearful cat

• head → tucked, still

• eyes → wide open, pupils fully dilated

• ears → fully flattened

• tail → close to the body; curled under body when standing

• sounds → none, plaintive meow, growling, yowling

• freezing, fidgeting, escaping, aggression

terrified cat

• head → lowered

• eyes → pupils fully dilated

• ears → fully flattened, back on head

• tail → close to body

• sounds → spitting, growling, yowling, hissing, shrieking

• halloween cat!

warning signs of an imminent cat bite

• sudden dilation of pupils

• piloerection

• fast, jerky swishing of tail

• swatting with forearms

• vocalization → yowling, shrieking, spitting

• direct stare with open mouth vocalization