Cat tail signals: Understand your feline's feelings and health
6:12 PM EDT, August 9, 2024
Cats are mysterious creatures that rarely show emotions. It turns out that you can read them by looking at the pet's tail. Its position reveals how it feels.
Cats are considered mean, disobedient, and calculating. They only do what they want. They rarely show their feelings, and for this reason, they are deemed insensitive. Studies published in the scientific journal "Current Biology" contradict entirely this. Scientists have proven that cats form attachments to their caretakers just like infants to their mothers. They express their feelings through their tails.
What does "tail up" mean?
The tail is a key element of a cat's anatomy. Without it, cats wouldn't be able to maintain their balance or land on their feet. Moreover, the tail also serves to communicate with humans. The position of the tail reflects the animal's emotional state.
When a cat moves toward you after entering the house with its tail straight and twitching, it expresses its joy and excitement. If it wraps its tail around the owner's leg, it shows its submission.
Wrapping around the body during sleep or while lying on the caretaker's lap indicates that the pet is calm and relaxed. The situation looks a bit different when the cat's body is crouched and the animal is gearing up for a hunt, for example, for a toy. Such a situation means that it is stressed and ready to attack.
Does your cat position its tail this way? Call the vet immediately
Wagging its tail is often considered a sign of anger in a cat. This is a mistake because this movement also suggests that the cat is experiencing extreme emotions such as excitement and fear. In that case, the tail movements are gentle and wave-like. However, if the tail is stiff and the cat wags it left and right, the animal is upset. In such a situation, it is better not to approach it.
However, there is another sign that should not be underestimated. If you notice that the cat has become apathetic, listless, and tense, hides its paws under its body, and its tail is tucked, this is a sign that it is suffering greatly. In such a situation, see a vet immediately.
