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Cat's Tail Language and its Meaning

Cats incredibly affectionate, chatty, and expressive with their favourite humans once the ice is broken. In addition to their signature meow sound, feline furries are equally expressive through the cat’s tail body language, which includes a wide range of different cat’s tail language gestures and tail movements in cats meanings when interacting with humans and other cats.

Why is cat in the tail-up position?

The cat’s tail is up position has a rather endearing cat’s tail up meaning behind this cat’s tail body language. In the feline community, having the tail up is an acceptable form of greeting. So, the next time your cat greets you with their tail held up as tails of cats meaning, it is simply their adorable way of saying hello and maybe to gain a few extra cuddles in the process of this cat’s tail up meaning.  

Why do cats have curved-tail position?

The curved tail position is often commonly seen as a part of the cat’s tail language, and can help cats to express their friendly and playful side as a part of cat tail movements and tails of cats meaning, and can also be used to imply the meaning of a cat’s tail position that your furry munchkin is feeling curious and inquisitive.

What does cats question mark position mean?

The immense flexibility of their tail allows cats to express a wide range of emotions and feelings just by relying on their variety of tail movements in cats meanings and gestures, including when they have their tail in a question mark position as a part of cat tail movements and cat’s tail up meaning. The cat’s tail shaped like a question mark is usually a sign that the cat is content and cheerful. Additionally, holding their tail in the question mark position as a part of the cat’s tail language can also mean that they are feeling curious and playful. 

Why cats have tucked-away position?

Cats tuck their tail in when they feel afraid or threatened. Unlike holding their tail up when they are feeling cheerful and chatty, cats tuck their tail away between their hind legs when they feel intimidated or stressed by their environment. This tucked away tail meaning cat position of the cat’s tail language is often accompanied by ears pulled back, low hissing and growling.

Why does cats tail in a puffed-up position mean?

Cats are usually incredibly affectionate and loving, but do not let yourself be distracted that cats are also immensely territorial and vicious when cornered. If a cat is faced with a competitor, or suspects a foreign presence or threat in its vicinity, they will immediately puff up their tail in anticipation of a hostile reaction as a cat’s tail meaning. In fact, in the wild, cats often puff up their tail to appear larger and intimidating to scare away any potential threat. While housecats have no reason to be threatened by their environment, they may puff up their tail to assert dominance in multi-cat households as a part of the cat’s tail meaning.

What does tail is straight in the air mean in cats?

Holding their cat’s tail straight up in the air has several positive associations in the feline community. On the one hand, holding the tail high in the air is an affectionate form of greeting as per the cat’s tail language, on the other, having the cat’s tail straight up also conveys that your cat is feeling cheerful and confident when it comes to cat’s tail movement meaning or cat wiggles tail meaning.

Why is cats tail swishing?

Cats are excellent hunters, and have always been highly regarded as apex predators. And while housecats have long been domesticated, and do not necessarily rely on their hunting skills for day-to-day sustenance and survival, their hunting instincts can often be felt in their everyday games and fun activities, and body language cat tail language, such as playing catch and fetch, hide and seek, and even prowling and stalking as cat wiggles tail meaning. 

Some of their retained predatory instincts are better witnessed when they swish the cat’s tail wagging side to side. So, the next time you see your kitty twitch its tail, the only cat tail language wagging is that they are stalking something, and can’t hold back their excitement at their potential prey.

Why cats tail is wrapped around its body?

Although wrapping the tail around the body is not essentially a part of the body language cat tail language, cats often wrap their tail around the body to help them feel safe and comfortable. In colder climates, wrapping the tail around the body allows cats to feel insulated and warm. 

What does cats tail thumping mean?

Like the other popular cat’s tail movement meaning and cat tail gestures, thumping is a common, but impactful part of the body language cat tail language, and can have a variety of implied cat’s tail meaning depending on the intensity and extent of the thumping body language cat tail language. Thumping their tail with just the tip can mean that your precious munchkin is relaxed and happy. 

However, violently thumping the entirety of their tail when met with another cat or other animals can mean that the cat is feeling aggressive and is generally used as a warning sign or tail movements in cats meanings before an impending attack. Cats can also resort to tail thumping as a part of the cat’s tail movement meaning when overstimulated, as if to say that they want to be left alone.

Understand why tail of the cat lies horizontally on the ground

In addition to the range of cat’s tail movement meaning or cat wiggles tail meaning, having their tail lie horizontally on the ground often has the cat’s tail meaning that your feline furball is in a state of alert, is feeling anxious, or is expertly stalking something with undivided focus and attention.

Why does cat wave the tail while lying?

Cats waving their tail from side to side often suggest a warning sign that the cat is feeling aggressive and is preparing for an attack as a cat’s tail meaning. However, having the tail can also have positive implications or cat wiggles tail meaning, especially if the cat is lying down. If your precious little furball waves its tail while lying, it usually means that the cat is feeling content and happy in the moment.

FAQs

Do cats wag their tails like dogs when they are happy?

Dogs generally wag their tails when they are happy, satisfied, or excited. However, for cats, the same does not apply. The trick to knowing is a thorough observation of its movement. The cat can thump its tail, swish it, etc., and each has a different message.

Why does my cat’s tail move when I pet her?

If you are petting your cat, and in return, they move their tail slightly, it means they are feeling secure. Your cat feels safe in your presence, and if you wish, you may continue with your petting. In this way, you will know the cat language through the tail.

Why does my cat hit me with her tail?

Sometimes it is difficult to know the language of the tailed cat. It can be a gesture of fondness, or excitement. It can also mean slight frustration. But mostly it is a positive sign.

What do cat tail flicks mean?

To know the language of the cat from the tail, observe the frequency of the flick or the cat tail positions. A rigid back and forth means the cat is focusing on something, most likely on prey. Flicking and thumping the tail indicates a high level of stress and agitation. An upright tail means your fur baby is asking for some love.

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