Do Cats Really Smile? Unmasking the Truth Behind Your Cats "Smiling" Face: Why You Think Your Cat Is Smiling
Do Cats Really Smile? Unmasking the Truth Behind Your Cat's "Smiling" Face: Why You Think Your Cat Is Smiling
Recently, a friend shared a video with me and asked if cats really smile. I was confused, as I had never seen my own cat smile. I started to suspect my friend was playing a joke on me.
"Why would you try to fool me?" I thought, "It's so obvious that this is a photoshopped picture!" My friend insisted they weren't kidding and told me to check out the video on TikTok. I searched it up, and I was shocked to find that there are actually a lot of videos of cats that "smile." Take this video with a huge number of views, for example:
[图片]
The comments were filled with people who, like my friend, seemed to believe that the cats were actually smiling. This made me realize how much work needs to be done in educating people about cats!
Well, today, we're going to delve into this topic.
Do Cats Really Smile?
If "smiling" is defined as a movement of the corners of the mouth that conveys happiness, contentment, or joy, then cats do not smile!
Why do we smile?
Smiling is an expression of psychological state. In general, smiling is primarily used to express joy and happiness, and it is expressed through facial muscle movements. It is typically triggered when a person's senses come into contact with external objects or language, transforming into information that is transmitted to the cerebral cortex. The brain then sends commands to the facial muscles, and even the muscles of the whole body, to move.
Although cats have enough facial muscles to "smile," they don't use a smile to express their happiness. Behavioral scientist Nicky Trevorrow believes that cats have evolved to not show their emotions, as this helps them survive in the wild.
Feline animals need to appear strong and confident, especially when they encounter other felines or competitors. Showing fear or anxiety would be like telling a predator that you are weak. Expressing excitement or curiosity would tell a predator that you are inexperienced.
In nature shows like "Animal World," we can observe that powerful predators have a fierce and serious look.
Domestic cats, however, feel safe in their environment and with their humans, and so they will often show their satisfaction, excitement, fear, etc.
[图片] Domestic cat: "I don't care, I just want my human to give me love!" Ancestral cat: "You're an embarrassment!"
Despite this, domestic cats don't express their emotions through facial expressions like smiling or frowning. Instead, they rely on body language and sounds.
Why Do We Think Cats Are Smiling?
Besides obvious photoshopped images and videos, why do we often get the impression that cats are smiling? Take a look at this example:
[图片]
This is because cats have an innate "smiling" mouth.
The M-shaped mouth is called a "smiling mouth." In a natural, expressionless state, the corners of the mouth appear to be slightly raised. Cats are born with a more standard (W-shaped) "smiling" mouth.
[图片]
This means that whenever a cat squints its eyes, opens its mouth, and slightly raises its head, it looks like it's smiling. Capturing a single frame of a cat's normal behavior can create the illusion that the cat is smiling. Here are some examples:
The Flehmen Response
When a cat smells a certain odor, especially an odor that is rich in pheromones, such as urine, it triggers the "Flehmen response." This behavior is characterized by lip curling, head tilting, and squinting eyes, and it sometimes makes it look like the cat is smiling mischievously.
[图片]
Sneezing
Like humans, when cats sneeze, they raise their heads, squint their eyes, and open their mouths. Because of their innate "smiling" mouth, they look like they are smiling in certain moments.
[图片]
Yawning
The vast majority of pictures of cats "smiling" on the internet are actually captures of cats sneezing.
Stress-Induced Mouth Opening
When cats experience severe stress, they may exhibit dilated pupils, open mouths, and stick out their tongues. This is common when cats are being transported or going out, but many people misinterpret this as a sign of happiness or excitement...
[图片]
Dog Panting
After strenuous exercise, overheating, or heart or lung abnormalities (such as heart disease), cats may pant like dogs, opening their mouths and sticking out their tongues. Their facial expressions are similar to stress-induced mouth opening.
[图片]
If These Cats Aren't Smiling, How Do They Express Their Happiness?
Cats Communicate Their Emotions Through Body Language
As mentioned above, even though our feline friends don't smile, they can express their emotions through body language. If you see your cat doing any of the following, it means they are happy!
1. Slow Blinking
Cats don't smile, but they do smile with their eyes. Behavioral scientists believe that cats only slowly close and open their eyes when they are relaxed and feeling no pressure. This looks like the eye movement that accompanies a genuine human smile. Slow blinking is also known as the "cat's smile."
[图片]
2. Tail Up
The tail is a key indicator of a cat's emotions. When a cat's tail is straight up or straight up with a slight bend at the tip, it means that the cat is relaxed and happy, often seen when welcoming their owner home.
[图片]
3. Ears Forward
Cats' ears are more expressive than their mouths. While we can't tell if a cat is smiling by looking at its mouth, we can tell by looking at its ears. If a cat's ears are erect and the opening of the ear is naturally forward, it means the cat is happy and relaxed.
[图片]
4. Purring
Just like smiling in humans and wagging tails in dogs, cats usually purr when they are "quite content." (Sometimes cats purr when they are uncomfortable, or when they are begging or showing weakness). If your cat purrs while you are petting it or spending time with it, it means that it is happy and content.
[图片]
5. Showing Their Belly
Your cat might come up to you, walk over to you, or run over to you and then flop down on the ground and start rolling. This is a loving greeting that means they want your attention, especially if they are exposing their belly to you.
[图片]
Although kittens don't smile like us, they are full of emotions that they express through their bodies. As cat owners, we just need to pay attention and we will be able to understand our furry friends' joys and sorrows.
Recently, a friend shared a video with me and asked if cats really smile. I was confused, as I had never seen my own cat smile. I started to suspect my friend was playing a joke on me.
"Why would you try to fool me?" I thought, "It's so obvious that this is a photoshopped picture!" My friend insisted they weren't kidding and told me to check out the video on TikTok. I searched it up, and I was shocked to find that there are actually a lot of videos of cats that "smile." Take this video with a huge number of views, for example:
[图片]
The comments were filled with people who, like my friend, seemed to believe that the cats were actually smiling. This made me realize how much work needs to be done in educating people about cats!
Well, today, we're going to delve into this topic.
Do Cats Really Smile?
If "smiling" is defined as a movement of the corners of the mouth that conveys happiness, contentment, or joy, then cats do not smile!
Why do we smile?
Smiling is an expression of psychological state. In general, smiling is primarily used to express joy and happiness, and it is expressed through facial muscle movements. It is typically triggered when a person's senses come into contact with external objects or language, transforming into information that is transmitted to the cerebral cortex. The brain then sends commands to the facial muscles, and even the muscles of the whole body, to move.
Although cats have enough facial muscles to "smile," they don't use a smile to express their happiness. Behavioral scientist Nicky Trevorrow believes that cats have evolved to not show their emotions, as this helps them survive in the wild.
Feline animals need to appear strong and confident, especially when they encounter other felines or competitors. Showing fear or anxiety would be like telling a predator that you are weak. Expressing excitement or curiosity would tell a predator that you are inexperienced.
In nature shows like "Animal World," we can observe that powerful predators have a fierce and serious look.
Domestic cats, however, feel safe in their environment and with their humans, and so they will often show their satisfaction, excitement, fear, etc.
[图片] Domestic cat: "I don't care, I just want my human to give me love!" Ancestral cat: "You're an embarrassment!"
Despite this, domestic cats don't express their emotions through facial expressions like smiling or frowning. Instead, they rely on body language and sounds.
Why Do We Think Cats Are Smiling?
Besides obvious photoshopped images and videos, why do we often get the impression that cats are smiling? Take a look at this example:
[图片]
This is because cats have an innate "smiling" mouth.
The M-shaped mouth is called a "smiling mouth." In a natural, expressionless state, the corners of the mouth appear to be slightly raised. Cats are born with a more standard (W-shaped) "smiling" mouth.
[图片]
This means that whenever a cat squints its eyes, opens its mouth, and slightly raises its head, it looks like it's smiling. Capturing a single frame of a cat's normal behavior can create the illusion that the cat is smiling. Here are some examples:
The Flehmen Response
When a cat smells a certain odor, especially an odor that is rich in pheromones, such as urine, it triggers the "Flehmen response." This behavior is characterized by lip curling, head tilting, and squinting eyes, and it sometimes makes it look like the cat is smiling mischievously.
[图片]
Sneezing
Like humans, when cats sneeze, they raise their heads, squint their eyes, and open their mouths. Because of their innate "smiling" mouth, they look like they are smiling in certain moments.
[图片]
Yawning
The vast majority of pictures of cats "smiling" on the internet are actually captures of cats sneezing.
Stress-Induced Mouth Opening
When cats experience severe stress, they may exhibit dilated pupils, open mouths, and stick out their tongues. This is common when cats are being transported or going out, but many people misinterpret this as a sign of happiness or excitement...
[图片]
Dog Panting
After strenuous exercise, overheating, or heart or lung abnormalities (such as heart disease), cats may pant like dogs, opening their mouths and sticking out their tongues. Their facial expressions are similar to stress-induced mouth opening.
[图片]
If These Cats Aren't Smiling, How Do They Express Their Happiness?
Cats Communicate Their Emotions Through Body Language
As mentioned above, even though our feline friends don't smile, they can express their emotions through body language. If you see your cat doing any of the following, it means they are happy!
1. Slow Blinking
Cats don't smile, but they do smile with their eyes. Behavioral scientists believe that cats only slowly close and open their eyes when they are relaxed and feeling no pressure. This looks like the eye movement that accompanies a genuine human smile. Slow blinking is also known as the "cat's smile."
[图片]
2. Tail Up
The tail is a key indicator of a cat's emotions. When a cat's tail is straight up or straight up with a slight bend at the tip, it means that the cat is relaxed and happy, often seen when welcoming their owner home.
[图片]
3. Ears Forward
Cats' ears are more expressive than their mouths. While we can't tell if a cat is smiling by looking at its mouth, we can tell by looking at its ears. If a cat's ears are erect and the opening of the ear is naturally forward, it means the cat is happy and relaxed.
[图片]
4. Purring
Just like smiling in humans and wagging tails in dogs, cats usually purr when they are "quite content." (Sometimes cats purr when they are uncomfortable, or when they are begging or showing weakness). If your cat purrs while you are petting it or spending time with it, it means that it is happy and content.
[图片]
5. Showing Their Belly
Your cat might come up to you, walk over to you, or run over to you and then flop down on the ground and start rolling. This is a loving greeting that means they want your attention, especially if they are exposing their belly to you.
[图片]
Although kittens don't smile like us, they are full of emotions that they express through their bodies. As cat owners, we just need to pay attention and we will be able to understand our furry friends' joys and sorrows.
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