Cats Make Almost 300 Facial Expressions, But What Do They Mean?

constantly look at your like you just asked them for a ride to the airport Cole and Marmalade
Marmalade via FacebookCole and Marmalade
Rather than being inexpressive cats are extremely expressive. That doesnt surprise us at all! But now this study is confirming what cat lovers have always known. 
Cat communication is much more complex than weve previously assumed evolutionary psychologist Brittany Florkiewicz told the Washington Post.

Calypso and Bond making funny faces Cole and Marmalade

Bond and Calypso via FacebookCole and Marmalade
Florkiewicz worked with Lauren Scott a medical student and selfdescribed cat person when they were both at the University of California Los Angeles.
Video by The Sentinel about the study
Cats Make Facial Expressions for People
There has been a longstanding assumption by some that cats are less expressive as compared to dogs. But in reality there wasnt much research into felines expressions. And what was known was related to how they interacted with people not other cats. There was also a focus on aggressive expressions instead of the full range of communication. 
When it comes to interactions between cats and people cats may have developed facial expressions to communicate with people over thousands of years.
Our feline friends may have evolved this range of sneers smiles and grimaces over the course of their 10000year history with us Science reported.
cats facial expressions Exhibit B Jugg Cole and Marmalade
Jugg saying Whadya mean Im adopted?! Image via FacebookCole and Marmalade
As an example cats make what the study termed a common play face resembling a laugh in common with people dogs and monkeys. To make this expression they draw back the corners of their mouth and drop their jaw. Thus we share this same kind of facial expression with the same meaning having fun!
 

Jugg saying, “Whadya mean, I’m adopted?!” Image via Facebook/Cole and Marmalade

Jugg making a hilarious facial expression Cole and Marmalade
Jugg making a silly facial expression via Facebook Jugg and Zig Zag
Again its not that surprising that cats expressions coevolved with people considering they meow and make other sounds almost exclusively to chat with people.
Video by Cole and Marmalade about the sounds cats make
Another Dog Person Who Now Loves Cats 
Before the study researcher Brittany Florkiewicz had studied facial expressions in chimpanzees and other primates. Her whole life she considered herself a dog person. But after the study she gained a new appreciation for cats.

 

At the suggestion of her husband they adopted a cat named named Char after a Pokémon character. Then a year later they adopted another kitty Darth Vader! Now shes studying the cats facial expressions

at home.
Now Florkiewicz says she loves life with both dogs and cats finding them equally delightful.
In terms of that playful exploratory behavior cats can also provide that to you she said.

One day the researcher suggests there may be an app to help others identify their cats expressions at home or in shelters. The app might be helpful for people adopting a pet. But remember you cant really judge a pets genuine purrsonality by how they behave in an often scary shelter environment.
Video by the BBC about the cat facial expressions study