Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat

by Lili Chin

Overview

Learn to identify every meow, tail swish, and slow blink in this fun, informative, illustrated guide to feline body language, from the author of Doggie Language.

Have you ever wanted to know what your cat really thinks? Professional artist Lili Chin explores felines in this whimsical visual guide to reading and understanding the feelings and behaviors of your kitty.

Packed with playful, vibrant, and informative illustrations, Chin demystifies common behaviors—including sniffing, rubbing, kneading, staring, stalking, and more—so you can help your kitty feel safe, secure, stimulated, and happy. Did you know that the further apart your cat's ears are, the less relaxed he is feeling? Or that when kitty bumps you with the top of her head, it can be a sign of affection, a request for interaction, or her way of saying, "You are my friend"?

A well-known artist in the animal training and welfare world, Chin creates informational artwork backed by scientific research and vetted by animal behaviorists and veterinarians. From head rubs and tail twitches to eye blinks and ear flicks, Kitty Language is a fun and quick read to help pet parents connect with and appreciate their feline friends.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781984861986
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	06/13/2023
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	92,512
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 7.30(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Lili Chin is a professional artist and author of Doggie Language: A Dog Lover's Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend. Her popular cat posters, "Cat Language" and "Interactive Cat Play," are used in veterinary clinics and rescue groups around the world. Lili is the artist of choice for illustrations of cats and other animals for International Cat Care, the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors UK, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and the RSPCA, among others. She offers illustration services, custom pet art, and more in her online gift shop, Doggiedrawings. She lives with two rescue cats, Mambo and Shimmy.

Read an Excerpt

Introduction


Hello, Cat Lovers!

Shortly after my partner and I adopted our two cats, our fluffy black cat, Mambo, decided that I am his special human. Mambo rarely lets my partner—or anyone else—pet him, but he follows me everywhere, trilling to greet me, rubbing his cheek on my hand, sitting on my stuff, watching me work, and leaning against me on the couch. He also loves it when I bring out his puzzle toys and clicker and treats for games. I did not expect to get this much attention from a cat, so I joked with friends that Mambo was behaving like a dog.

I will never forget my cat behaviorist friend’s peeved response: “No, he is behaving like a CAT!”

I was a new cat owner at the time (after living with a dog for thirteen years), and I had started questioning the popular belief that cats are less sociable and trainable than dogs. It seems that for every meme there is about dogs being our best friends, there is one about cats being aloof, weird, or murderous.

While it’s true that, as a species, cats are solitary predators, the latest scientific evidence confirms what many of us already know from experience: cats are socially flexible creatures who get attached to their humans (like kittens to their mothers) and have their own ways of expressing affection and trust or their need for “alone time.”

At the time of writing this book, there isn’t as much scientific data on cat body language as there is for dogs, however, there is still plenty of proven research that shows us how cats communicate. Why are my cats rubbing their faces on the corner of the wall and scratching everywhere? Do my cats want to be petted, or do they need space? Is my cat feeling confident, frightened, relaxed, or frustrated? Are my cats playing or fighting? Being able to see and interpret cat body language is the first step to making your kitties feel safe and happy in your home.

So, what should you look for? Cats signal their moods and feelings with every part of their body: their face, eyes, ears, whiskers, and tail; their changing postures; and the direction and speed of their movements. But you need to look at more than any single body part or pose to really know what a cat is saying. If a cat with an arched back and bristly tail is retreating and hissing, they’re probably terrified. On the other hand, if they’re bouncing and skipping sideways, they might be feeling playful.

Learning to recognize cat body language is about observing movements in context and understanding the connection between behavior and the bigger picture. Writing and illustrating this little book has opened my eyes to the ways my cats talk to each other and to me, and it has given me a new appreciation for the sensitive, intelligent, and expressive animals they—and all cats—are. I hope reading Kitty Language does the same for you.


Lili

Editorial Reviews

I’ve always loved Lili Chin’s artistic insight into the world of cats. With Kitty Language, she has leveled up even more, fusing her visual talents with spot-on information. The result is an educational, vibrant, and humorous must-read for both cat lovers and the cat-curious. Know your cat even better with Kitty Language!”—Jackson Galaxy, New York Times bestselling author and star of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell

“Lili Chin masterfully depicts feline body language through adorably accurate art and clear explanations of cats’ quirkiest characteristics. Kitty Language is a joy to read, whether you’re a feline fanatic or simply cat curious.”—Hannah Shaw, author of the New York Times bestseller Tiny But Mighty

From the Publisher

05/01/2023

Author and illustrator Chin is known for her cat posters seen in veterinary clinics and rescue organizations. Her follow-up to Doggie Language is a short and straightforward book that uses charming illustrations of cat postures, behaviors, and movements to help readers decipher what their cat's actions mean. The illustrations are annotated, and the cats depicted often have speech or thought bubbles to help clarify their thought processes to readers. Lots of bullet points are used to explain the behaviors, as opposed to full paragraphs, and the different sections—ears, scent, posture, sounds, and so forth—are short and use simple language. The information in the book comes from cat behavior consultants and scientists, so it is reputable and accurate. VERDICT While the information in this book isn't particularly new or groundbreaking, its straightforward language and expressive illustrations of many different cat species make it a helpful read for families with children who are getting their first pet cat or for new cat owners looking for an easy manual to help guide their understanding of their new feline family member.—Heather Sheahan

Library Journal