By using the behavioural interpretations below as a guideline, you will soon be able to interpret your cat's body language and signals so you can respond to his needs more effectively and develop a sense of mutual respect and understanding with your 'tiny tiger'. 
 

• Tail arched and puffed up or bristled - puffing of your cat's tail is an instinctual behaviour that is used to make the cat look larger.  If your cat's tail is in arched and puffed, he is frightened and ready to attack or defend itself.  If you have a multiple cat household, you will likely see this behaviour when your cats are play 'hunting' or play fighting with each other, or if your cats are settling a dispute.  Furrari's tail tends to puff up whenever she is playing 'tag' with Rogue, or playing with exciting interactive toys.
• Tail straight up in the air and completely puffed out - your cat is feeling aggressive and possibly angered and is ready to attack or defend itself.  Bengal cats tend to use this as a sign of bravado only.  Furrari doesn't attack when she is 'puffed up'.  If Rogue springs at her in a mock attack, Furrari runs to Larry or me with her puffy tail for 'protection'.  Bengals are definitely all 'bark and no bite.'
• Tail straight up in the air (or slightly curved) and quivering - Cat's tails move in this manner when spraying urine to mark their territory.  Once a cat is spayed or neutered, it will continue to go through the motions and 'act' like it is spraying (if your cat actually urinates while doing this after being fixed, contact your vet as soon as possible - your cat may be telling you he is not well).  When you greet your cat, you may notice him/her moving their tail in this fashion without urine or spray being expelled.  This is your cat's way of saying, "Hi, it's your best mate, your adoring kitty!"
• Tail straight up and unmoving - Mother cats do this to their kittens to tell them to inspect Mum's rear-end.  No, this is NOT what your cat is asking you to do when he/she does this to you.  Instead, it is an unabashed greeting that is often a signal that your cat would like you to approach and cuddle him/her.
• Tail straight up with the tip tilted to one side - Your cat is feeling cheerful and friendly and is a happy little soul.
• Tail straight up or slightly raised and curved like a question mark - Your cat is very excited and interested in something that has caught his/her attention.
• Tail held low, curved down and then back up again near the tip -  Your cat is feeling very relaxed and contented.  This is also the common (desired) position for Bengal cats to carry their tails.
• Tail still but the tail tip is quivering or twitching - your cat is feeling mildly agitated or annoyed.  If this movement becomes 'aggressive' enough, your cat may attack.
• Tail swishing from side to side rapidly and/or violently - your cat is preparing to attack something - a toy during play time or when fighting.  I have never seen my two Bengals actually fight, so the only time I see this behaviour is when they are playing with toys or play fighting with each other for amusement.
• Tail held to one side - Your female cat is giving a sexual invitation.  This generally only happens when a female is in heat.
• Tail held low with drooping head - This may also be accompanied by drooping ears and some lethargy and reduced appetite.  This is usually the sign of a sick cat.  If your cat is displaying these behaviours, it is critical for you to take him/her to your veterinary clinic immediately.  This can also be a sign of grief or sadness if the cat has lost a human or other close companion. 
• Tail held low and puffed out - This is a sign that your cat is intensely afraid and is often accompanied by dilated pupils and a crouched stance.
• Tail held low and tucked in between the hind legs - Your cat is showing submission or defeat usually follows a confrontation of some sort in multi-cat households where a dominant cat aggresses a submissive cat.

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• Ears pointed forward and slightly outward - Your cat is relaxed and content.
• Ears very straight and pointed forward - Your cat is listening intently to something that has caught his/her attention.
• Ears twitching - Your cat is feeling agitated and/or nervous.  Alternatively, if your cat is twitching his/her ears often, your cat may have an ear infection, injury or ear mites.  Check your cat's ears regularly for signs of redness, soreness, swelling, broken skin (with or without discharge) or dark, dirt like substance in the ear.  If your cat has any of these symptoms seek advice from your veterinarian.
• Ears flat against the head - This behaviour is instinctual to protect the cat's ears during a fight.  If your cat's ears are flat, he/she is frightened and may possibly attack.
• Ears back or in between - this means that your cat is alert or defensive or both.  If your cat is doing this with his/her ears, look for other signs of agitation, i.e. rapidly twitching tail  because he/she may be feeling aggressive and attack.

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Eyes and Pupils

• Eyes wide open - Your cat is awake and alert and ready for action. Your cat will have wide eyes when he/she watching something intently that has caught his/her attention.
• Eyes wide open with a little sparkle - Your cat is in a mischievous mood, so be prepared...  This will often be accompanied by twitching of the end of the tail.
• Eyes half-closed - Your cat is relaxed and content and perhaps ready for a nice nap.  This can also be a sign of illness if your cat's eyes remain like this consistently; if this is the case with your cat, seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.
• Eyes closed - "Hello" - your cat is obviously asleep!
• Eyes winking or blinking - a long slow blink is a way of expressing friendship, acceptance and contentment.  It is a way for your cat to say, "Hello, mate! Let's be friends."  It is 'polite' to respond in kind to your cat when he/she does this.  Also if you are entering a home where cats are kept, it is also nice for you to slow blink your host's cats to demonstrate that you are a non-threatening and cat friendly visitor.

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   If your cat is arching his/her back and is puffed out (bristling) you can be confident in knowing that your cat is frightened and on the defensive.  Some cats will even lash out while in this agitated state.

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   We encourage our Bengals to talk by talking to them - the more you talk to your cat, the more your cat will talk to you and expand his/her 'vocabulary'.  As a good cat owner, you will learn, over time, what your cat is telling you by his/her different vocal sounds.  We talk back and forth with Rogue and Furrari and we have learned to share some genuine mutual understanding.  Talking to our cats has encouraged Rogue and Furrari to become very expressive and 'chatty' which has, in turn, strengthened the bonds between us.

   Unfortunately, it is impossible to generalise about the actual meanings of all the various sounds cats will  make, because the meanings of each cat's expressions are unique to individual cats or groups of cats living in a household.  The sounds our Bengals make to communicate with us are unique to them and won't mean the same to someone else's cats.  Every cat living in different households will develop their own pattern of 'speech' unique to that cat or those cats just as human beings developed different languages based on clans or societies of people in different geographical areas.  

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1. blood flow being amplified by the diaphragm.
2. false vocal chords vibrating.
3. contraction of the laryngeal muscles.

However it is that cats make their purr, purring is a sign of general happiness and contentment.  Although some cats are known to only purr when they are ill, most cats will only purr when they are happy and/or content.

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In multi-cat households, there will often be growling when a particularly delicious treat is being offered by the owner to the entire group of cats.  They are assertively warning each other away from the treat.

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