Dog Talk vs. Cat Chatter Trivia Quiz

Answer: No. Only the dog may mean that.

A cat with an energetically swishing tail is usually expressing irritation. The faster the tail is whipping back and forth, the madder the cat is getting.

A quickly moving tail usually means the dog that owns it is happy.

Answer: No, the meanings are very different.

When cats narrow their eyes they are telling you how contented they are and that they really like you.

Dogs on the other hand are expressing aggression or fear, negative emotions.

Answer: No

Only dogs do a little bow, stretching their front legs way out before them and raising their hind quarters to engage you or another animal in play.
Cats need to hunt even if being given all their meals by the owner. So most cats will glom onto a bobbing string or a like moving object and hope we get the message. They don't have a specific movement to initiate play but will try a number of things, from standing between us and the computer or TV to racing around the house like their tails are on fire to ask for attention. Some may even "meow". But no play bowing.

Answer: Cats do not generally invite belly petting but will sometimes allow it.

Cats will sometimes show enjoyment when their special humans rub or scratch their bellies. But it has to be someone they really trust, because the belly is the most vulnerable spot on the cat, easily slashed open by an enemy's sharp teeth. Protecting the belly is behavior that is hard wired into felines. Dogs adore belly rubs and scratches. I have a grand-dog that always presents her belly for a lot more scratching than I'm prepared to provide (an hour wouldn't seem excessive to her).

Answer: No, they are expressing different emotions.

When dogs roll over at your feet and show their bellies they are in effect saying, "I know you're the Top Dog, the boss, and I will not challenge you."

When cats do the same thing, they are saying, "I trust you completely, my friend and servant!" Well, maybe they wouldn't call you their servant but they certainly regard us as such.

Answer: Yes. They are both showing interest and attention.

Upright ears, especially if turned toward a specific sound, indicate an interest in whatever is happening in both species.

Answer: Cat

The term "obligate carnivore" means that the animal has to eat meat because all its nutrition is obtained from that source. Dogs can get some nutritional value from vegetables, dairy products and starchy foods but cats only get theirs from meat. It makes me angry to see rice, sweet potatoes, and various starches like corn, on the ingredient label on cat food cans and bags. Cats don't need those things.

Answer: No, they are constructed to play differently.

Cat play is all about hunting, catching and killing prey. I've seen a very few cats chase an object, but even fewer return it to their owner. Some will mock fight an animal companion when they are adults but that fight can turn real all too quickly so most moggies avoid that sort of play. Because they are obligate carnivores, cats have to focus on the solitary hunt, even in play. Dogs will mock fight and wrestle in play as well as race, catch and return balls, or play tug of war. Dogs interact while playing.

They are pack animals and enjoy games with each other and humans.

Answer: Yes, their ears tell you that they are both scared.

On a dog, flattened ears show fear and submissiveness. In this scene, Daisy is afraid of the noise and needs her human's reassurance. On a cat, the flatter the ears are on the head the more frightened is the animal. Spike will usually take off when the thunder gets too near and hide in one his "safe" spots, like the bathroom or under the bed. Flattened ears on a cat can also be a sign of aggression if the ears stick out more to the side.

But fear is always a major component.

Answer: Yes, growling is common to both species and is a warning in both.

There's no intent to communicate in snoring. They both do it but it has no meaning. Cats may, as ferals, have a loose community, but they do not have packs. They rarely communicate with other cats through vocalizing once they become adults.

But both animals growl to tell potential enemies to back off. They use this vocal cue with other body language, like raised fur.