Cats may appear mysterious at times, but research suggests they communicate with one another through a surprisingly broad range of visible signals.

A 2023 study identified 276 distinct expression combinations in domestic cats, offering a closer look at how these animals interact with members of their own species.

How the Study Was Conducted

Researchers Lauren Scott and Brittany N. Florkiewicz observed cats interacting at CatCafé Lounge in Los Angeles, California. Their observations involved 53 domestic shorthair cats and focused specifically on communication between cats rather than interactions between cats and people.

The researchers collected 194 minutes of usable video featuring 186 communication events. From this material, they identified 688 individual signals and examined the different combinations of movements that appeared during social encounters.

To organize the observations, the researchers used a standardized system designed to document movements in feline expressions. This allowed them to examine individual movements and how those movements were combined instead of relying only on subjective impressions.

What 276 Really Means

The number 276 does not mean researchers found 276 completely unrelated emotions. Instead, it refers to distinct combinations of observable movements identified during interactions between cats. The study recorded 26 different action units that could be combined in various ways. Those combinations produced the 276 distinct signals documented by the researchers.

This distinction is important because one movement can contribute to several different combinations depending on what happens alongside it. The findings therefore provide evidence of a complex communication system, but they should not be interpreted as a simple dictionary in which every expression has one fixed meaning.

Friendly Signals Among Cats

A substantial portion of the recorded signals appeared during what researchers classified as affiliative interactions. These are social situations associated with positive interaction between cats.

Common examples include cats spending time close to one another, grooming, playing, or engaging in other relaxed activities. Some visible signs included ears and whiskers positioned forward, along with partially or completely closed eyes.

These observations suggest that cats can use combinations of subtle movements while maintaining social connections. However, the meaning of an individual signal can depend on the surrounding behavior and situation rather than one movement always representing one particular feeling.

When Signals Become Less Friendly

The researchers also documented expressions during non-affiliative interactions. These situations could involve tension or less welcoming social encounters. Different combinations of movements appeared in these contexts. For example, ears positioned farther back, narrowed pupils, and changes around the mouth could occur during interactions that were less positive.

This difference between social contexts was an important part of the research. The study found that the composition of signals was associated with whether an interaction was affiliative or non-affiliative. In other words, the way individual movements were combined appeared to matter more than simply counting how many movements were involved.

Why Whiskers and Ears Matter

Cats communicate through more than sounds. Small changes in their ears, whiskers, eyes, and mouth can occur together, creating different visual signals. Whiskers are particularly noticeable because their position can change during different social situations. Forward-facing whiskers have been observed during relaxed and positive interactions, while other positions can accompany different circumstances. Ears also provide useful clues because their direction can change as a cat responds to another animal nearby.

Still, observing one feature alone is not enough to determine what a cat is experiencing. A combination of signals and the surrounding behavior provides a more useful picture.

A Step Toward Understanding Cats

The research is valuable because earlier studies had often focused on feline signals during interactions with people or in situations involving pain. Scott and Florkiewicz instead examined how domestic cats communicate with one another, helping broaden research into feline social behavior.

A later 2024 study built on this work using computational methods to investigate social signals in cats. That research explored whether combinations of movements could help distinguish affiliative and non-affiliative interactions, showing that the subject continues to attract scientific interest.

The discovery of 276 distinct expression combinations provides an interesting reminder that feline communication can be subtle and varied. The study does not mean every expression has a single universal translation, but it does show that cats use numerous combinations of movements when interacting with one another. By paying attention to ears, whiskers, eyes, mouth movements, and the wider social situation together, researchers are gaining a clearer understanding of how cats communicate.