Like humans, cats, too, have emotions. Let’s take Robert Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotion to address each emotion of the cat and be able to recognise them in cats!

  1. Acceptance – the cat is allowing you to rub their belly
  2. Admiration – the way cat is looking at you when you rub their belly nicely
  3. Aggressiveness – competitor cat has entered their territory
  4. Amazement – when you quickly found their favourite spot on the belly
  5. Anger – when you are too late with food
  6. Annoyance – waiting for food
  7. Anticipation – smelling the food coming
  8. Apprehension – hearing you noticed something they have done
  9. Awe – first time seeing a big dog
  10. Boredom – in between the meals
  11. Contempt – the normal feeling
  12. Disappointment – undesirable food
  13. Disgust – the way they look away from undesirable food
  14. Distraction – when owner is trying to make up for the unsuitable food offer
  15. Ecstasy – lots of favourite food
  16. Fear – tail up – being afraid of a dog, hoover or something big
  17. Grief – Thinking about lost opportunities to steal food
  18. Interest – new toy!
  19. Joy – an hour later after eating favourite food, playing with a new toy, while you are rubbing their sweet spots
  20. Loathing – the way they feel about uncleaned litter tray
  21. Love – me (the cat)
  22. Optimism – the way they look at you when you approach their food cupboard
  23. Pensiveness – It’s so long until the food will come, if it will come…
  24. Rage – how comes the food isn’t here??
  25. Remorse – why did I eat all the food at once?!
  26. Sadness – no one appreciates me
  27. Serenity – the world is about me
  28. Submission – yes you can stroke me but be gentle!
  29. Surprise – interesting new food
  30. Terror – why are you taking me to the vets?!
  31. Trust – thanks for bringing me back from the vets
  32. Vigilance – hunting

Cats use these emotional cues to communicate with other cats, animals, and humans. It’s important for cat owners to understand these signals to better cater to their pets’ needs and to build a stronger, empathetic relationship with them. The ability to experience emotions contributes to cats’ social behaviour and affects how they interact with their environment and others living in it. Here at Emotions.market we focus on senses and emotions. Explore our experience listings.