Mary Allen
Cats communicate primarily through body language. The cat’s tail provides an important signal as to the current state of mind of the cat. Here you will find the most important and most common signals that cats give with their tails.
The cat’s tail is a real mood barometer. You can use it to tell whether your cat is happy, anxious, or insecure. Just like interpreting cat facial expressions, you just have to read the signals correctly.
Because the tail is clearly visible from afar, cats use it as a long-distance signal to determine the basic mood of a conspecific. The closer cats approach each other, the more the tail and the tip of the tail reveal about each other’s moods. The animals also use these signals towards us humans. These six cat tail signals should be known to all cat owners.
Set Up With Hooks at the Tip of the Tail
Your cat is happy to see you, but some uncertainty remains. This is exactly what the erect tail with a curved tip, resembling a question mark, means. The animal is torn between different emotions such as joy, excitement, and caution.
Low Stance With Tail Tip Slightly Raised
Relaxed cats hold their tails in a neutral or low position. A slightly raised tip at the end of a horizontally held tail also means something like: “Leave me alone, I have more important things to do right now!”
Set Up With a Straight Tip of the Tail
An upright tail with a straight tip stands for openness, self-confidence, and a friendly mood. Pay attention to the tip: a small twitch marks particularly happy moments. Now is the best time to play or cuddle!
Lowered and Ruffled Tail
A cat’s tail lowered and ruffled represents fear. Fear is a strong instinct and makes cats unpredictable. If there is no alternative, the animal can flee to the front and attack. Always give a fearful cat space. Pressure is an absolute no-go.
Cattail Swinging Back and Forth
A swaying cat’s tail (whether all or just the tip) indicates arousal. It doesn’t matter whether it’s inner unrest, stress, or an impending hunt: there can be a lot behind this position. If the tail is raised and trembles slightly, this is a sign of elation – or the first step in a stinky territorial marking.
Cat’s Tail Erect and Ruffled
An erect, ruffled cat’s tail serves one purpose above all: to appear as large and menacing as possible. Potential enemies should be put to flight. Accompanied by a violent hiss and ears laid back, it is made clear to everyone: Get out of there or there will be a bang!
By paying attention to your cat’s body language and tail position, you can see exactly how she’s feeling and best meet her needs. This strengthens the relationship between you and your cat and avoids misunderstandings. It is important that you also respect her needs and, for example, leave her alone if she signals this to you.