Can you speak CAT? Take the test to see if you can decode a moggie's body language

Cats have a reputation for being aloof, mysterious, and hard to understand. 

But scientists say our feline friends are actually excellent communicators.

From swishing tails to flattened ears, moggies have plenty of ways to tell you exactly how they feel.

According to new research, most humans are just terrible at speaking cat. 

This cat language test challenges you to look at seven pictures of interactions between humans and cats and guess whether it is positive or negative. 

Although it might look like these cats are having fun, not every cat is really playing. 

Some of these cats are showing signs of stress or agitation that suggest they want to be left alone. 

So, how many answers can you get right? Take the test below to find out, and scroll down for the answers. 

Researchers from the University of Adelaide found that many people struggle to distinguish between playful and stressed cat behaviour.

The researchers showed 368 people videos of human-cat interactions, with about half showing happy cats and the rest showing stressful situations.

However, people only recognised subtle signs of stress about as well as chance, which suggests that they couldn't tell which cats were happy.

Even when the cats were showing signs of stress that the researchers considered obvious, people still thought they were happy about 25 per cent of the time. 

One clip shows a cat chasing a toy with its eyes focused, ears pricked up, and tail held aloft. 

Lead author Julia Henning, a PhD candidate researching pet behaviour, says that this is a good example of happy cat play behaviour.

Writing in The Conversation, Ms Henning says: 'This cat is showing interest.

'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.'

In fact, the tail is one of the most important things to look out for when you're trying to tell whether a cat is happy. 

While tail movements aren't always a negative sign, cats move their tails more when they are emotionally stimulated by stress or excitement.

The more the tail moves and the bigger those movements are, the more intense that feeling is.

Miss Henning says: 'If the movements start to get bigger or faster during play, or if a tail goes from relaxed to swishing when you touch, that might be a sign to back off.  

However, it can often be difficult to tell the difference between playful and stressed behaviour. 

For example, dilated pupils can be a sign of both stress and playfulness.

This is why it is important to look at a cat's overall body language, not just a few individual signs.

If your cat's pupils are dilated, but it is crouched low and wiggling its behind, this means that it is having fun and getting ready to pounce.

But if wide eyes are paired with signs of stress, such as flattened ears and stiff whiskers, this could mean the cat is very frightened. 

Miss Henning says that the important thing to remember is that cats will always let you know exactly how they are feeling.

If you try to touch a cat and it backs away, stands up and tries to leave, or even bites at your hand, this is a good sign that it is not happy. 

Whereas, if the cat pushes its face into your hand or starts holding its tail upright, this is its way of letting you know it is enjoying your company.

And if the cat does start to seem stressed, the best thing to do is always just to let it be.

Miss Hennings says: 'If you notice warning signs, give the cat plenty of space. When stressed, cats don’t like being touched or having people too close. 

'If the cat comes back and re-initiates contact, that’s a good sign they’re comfortable, but keep watch for warning signs returning.'