Cats' And Dogs' Opposite Body Language: Peace Is Possible

Even with a rocky start, animals can learn each other's language

Hey, it’s all a misunderstanding.

• To a dog, ears down and back means I like you. To a cat it means Hit the road, bucko.
  

• To a cat, the tail straight up means Hi. To a dog it means I want to dominate.
• To a dog, a wagging tail means Wanna be friends? To a cat it means I’d turn back if I were you.

Animals may get off to a dicey start due to this kind of miscommunication. But over time they can acquire an understanding of their furry roommate’s language, at least enough to avoid major kerfuffles. If they meet when they're young, the odds are even better.

And sometimes they end up being BFFs.