A good method to figuring out your cat’s mood is to look at his/her tail.

Here’s a quick summary:

  • Tail sticks straight up in the air = a hello/greeting/excited/happy
  • Tail is curled up/little or no movement (usually paired with slow blinking of eyes) = relaxed, calm
  • Tail is twitching lightly at the tip = interested/slightly irritated
  • Tail is heavily swinging back and forth = irritated/upset/highly attentive
  • Enlarged, puffy tail = fearful/freaked out
  • Tail between his legs = fearful/surrendering
  • Enlarged, puffy tail with an arched back = threatened/preparation to attack