This past summer, when Lucy-the-honorary-cat joined our family, I decided to (if you’ll excuse the expression) “bone up” on the subject, never having had a dog before. A visit to the local bookstore turned up a book by Stanley Coren, “How To Speak Dog: The Art of Mastering Dog-Human Communication”.

Are the catblog police going to keelhaul me for recommending this book here? Not at all. One of the many topics entertainingly addressed by Coren is why cats and dogs traditionally have trouble getting along. It turns out that dog and cat body language are basically opposites. Dog tail waving vigorously from side to side: Probably happy. Cat tail lashing vigorously from side to side: Probably not happy. Dog lying on side, belly exposed: Happy, submissive. Cat lying on side, belly exposed: May be “pointy side up”, ready to defend self. The book provides many more (better explained) examples, showing how a dog’s reaction to cat body language might be the complete opposite of what’s appropriate according to the cat, and vice versa. A very informative and entertaining read.