This cat is showing interest. Their body and face are positioned towards the toy, eyes are focused and following the toy as it moves, ears are in a relaxed and interested position (up and forward) and their tail is up. "Tail up" is an important signal in cats. It’s used between cats to communicate that the cat is friendly and is a good sign the cat is comfortable.

This cat is showing signs of stress. The ears are flat and to the side, brow is furrowed, whiskers are stiff, they hiss, squint and flinch in anticipation of the toy coming near. The head is slightly tucked in and there is tension in the body.

It can be easy to confuse this behaviour with play, because the cat returns to the hand as if trying to continue the game. But they're giving clear clues: ears are flattening and out to the side, brow is furrowed, tail is thrashing – a sign the cat is overstimulated or stressed. They're also watching the hand as a potential threat. Importantly, they're delivering warning bites. Play bites are generally softer and slower. Warning bites are delivered with speed to try and stop the unwanted touch either by immobilising the hand or by biting quickly and trying to move away (as shown here).

While dilated pupils can mean a cat is feeling stressed, they can also mean a cat is excited or focused during play. To tell the difference, we have to look at the whole cat. This cat’s face is relaxed, their ears are up and forward, and they are in a playful crouch position (bottom up, chest and head down). They're also doing a "bum wiggle", a common play behaviour that shows they're preparing to pounce.

This cat is actively attempting to initiate contact by rubbing their cheeks and head against the person, and seeking touch from the person's hands. The tail is held upright with a slight curve at the top – a sign the cat is feeling relaxed and potentially playful. The small quiver of the tail likely indicates excitement. The cat’s ears are mostly up and forward.

This cat is giving clear signals they don't want to be touched. First, they turn their face away and tuck their chin back to avoid the touch. When the person tries to touch again, the cat flinches and begins to stand up to move away. Cats will sometimes stay in or near an interaction even when they're not enjoying it, to see if they can just "ride it out" until the person gives up. Never assume that just because the cat is sticking around, it means they're happy to keep being touched or played with.

This could be mistaken for play because the cat appears to be responding playfully to being poked, but this cat is giving signs they don't want to be touched. The cat rolls from side to side attempting to stop the touches. Their body, face and eyes are all directed away from the person and they don't engage with the touches other than to swat them away – this is not play. At the end, the cat starts to show signs of stress as their ears start to flatten and they stand up to leave.