Any cat body language experts? Video link in post!

[Circumferences]

Hiya,
We have a beautiful tabby lady in the house, she approaches us for lap sits and headbumps regularly and is affectionate no doubt about that.
However, whenever we stroke her she purrs and seems to like it, but her tail moves like crazy.

I've had a lot of cats in my time, and always thought tail twitching and swishing was a sign of annoyance, so if you look at the vid linked (about 30 seconds) is she annoyed by the stroking? (Because why would she purr and jump onto us?)
Or do we just have a unique cat who expresses her happiness with her tail ??

What do you think?

Just a guess but it looks to me she likes being stroked, but is nervous about where you’re stroking her, so she’s sort of enjoying it but it also worries her.

Some cats don’t like being stroked on their backs, I’ve got one very timid one that only really likes being scratched between the ears. I find this more with girls than boys. She clearly trusts you but her instincts are telling her something different. She doesn’t look too stressed but it might be worth trying stroking her in different ways to see if she acts differently.

I'd say she was a bit uneasy about the stroking.
Does the tail waving stop if you just stroke her face?

Nice looking cat.

I had a cat whose tail lashed, but slowly, when she was enjoying herself. The happy lash was more of a vigorous flop from side to side, whereas the angry lash was much faster.

Oh, gorgeous! I've just watched the vid. That is a happy cat. The tip-flap is exactly what my cat used to do. If her whole tail flaps, then you may want to be more cautious.

My cat does this because she hates being stroked past her head and neck. The tail flicking gets more violent as you’re coming down to her bum. She doesn’t like it. Stick to her head and neck

If it is only the bottom of the tail wagging like in the video it means the cat is happy, not angry.

My cat did that too, I read that cats tail flapping can be a reaction to any stimulation good or bad. I'd go by her face/ eyes which are half closed and looking away suggests she is relaxed and probably enjoying it, at least when you were stroking around her head and neck

Thank you!
From the replies she seems to be a bit of an enigma then 😸
I don't get the "sense" that she's annoyed if you know what I mean, it's just unusual.
I'll stroke her back less for a while and see what she does with her tail.

I only have to look at my cat and the tail swishes

@Circumferences She’s definitely conflicted this article is helpful and the image shows the best places to stroke her https://www.dailypaws.com/cats-kittens/cat-safety-tips/how-to-pet-a-cat

My cat does this when he likes being stroked. He’s very quick to let you know if you’re annoying him though!

One of mine used to swish her tail a lot when being stroked, or when generally happy like eating her food. We mentioned it to the vet once who said maybe she's just wired up funny 😂

Yep, I'd say she's conflicted too. Likes being fussed, but not along her back.

she's gorgeous 😻

I think she likes it but does not want to give up her spot on the sofa. She might be concerned as to your next move. My cat does this if she knows full well she’s on my chair and I want it back.

I wonder if you’re stroking her too far down her back at times and she doesn’t like that?

By the way your full name is visible at the link, not sure if you realise.

By the way your full name is visible at the link, not sure if you realise

Oh 🙄
Didn't think that would show up, thanks for pointing it out.

Thanks for the comments everyone
I'll ask Mumsnet to remove the link x

Hi, I found this guide on understanding cat body language really helpful. It explains that a cat's body signals can change meaning depending on the situation. The advice from the cat behavior expert and vet is valuable for knowing how a cat feels and keeping them happy and safe. I'll definitely remember these tips to understand my cats better

Hi, I found this guide on understanding cat body language really helpful. https://learnaboutcat.com/cat-body-language/ It explains that a cat's body signals can change meaning depending on the situation. The advice from the cat behavior expert and vet is valuable for knowing how a cat feels and keeping them happy and safe. I'll definitely remember these tips to understand my cats better