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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

There really needs to be some proper research done into cats’ tails

27 replies

GorgeousLadyofWrestling · 25/07/2023 22:35

I’m honestly becoming convinced that cats treat them like a separate entity that they have no autonomy over.

I have four cats, and have had cats my whole life, and they have all done things like:

  • Hold down their tail to clean it like what…it’s going to resist?
  • Will clean their tail if you hold it out to them for cleaning. As if you’ve done them a big favour.
  • Be hit / flicked in their own heads by their tail repeatedly.
  • Chase their tails and try to pin it down.

Obviously they do actually have full control over their own tails…but they do sometimes behave like they don’t have total control.

And the waving/flicking/ wagging/ Cobra-esque wavy snake movements - what does it all mean? It’s not just annoyance/ displeasure. It denotes all sorts of moods. I would love to understand what appears to be a very complex appendage 😸

OP posts:
Zoeywelly · 25/07/2023 23:37

🤣 I get it. I don’t have cats but nearly all my friends have them! Love watching them go crazy at certain times chasing each other

DesparatePragmatist · 25/07/2023 23:45

I had a tail-end cleaner too!

My aunt and uncle's Siamese would take offence and stalk from the room, flicking you the finger with her tail as it disappeared from sight. Completely unmistakable.

Current big extrovert nonsense boy greets you with delight, quivering his tail straight up in a shivery sort of signal (about 10 times a day. Same excitement, same straight-up tail shiver, every time.)

The one thing I do understand is the wrapping the tail over the nose for extra cosiness. If I had a tail, I'd do that too.

Silkierabbit · 25/07/2023 23:50

Floof seems to view his tail as separate to him and always puts it on display. He love tail compliments and bounces his tail to them and trills.

There really needs to be some proper research done into cats’ tails
There really needs to be some proper research done into cats’ tails
Allergictoironing · 26/07/2023 06:09

Boycat and Girlcat used to sort of entwine their tails when they stood next to each other (usually begging for treats/attention), and sometimes flick their tails together like a dance as they walked side by side . Boycat would also coil his tail round my wrist or arm when we were having snuggles

Florissante · 26/07/2023 07:43

Tails are glorious appendages. I wish I had one.

My late, much missed, cat used to twitch just the very end of his tail at random intervals. It was as though he had got over what caused him to lash it about in the first place but his tail was late getting the message and had to show its displeasure.

EmpressaurusOfCats · 26/07/2023 08:04

One of my fosters liked to cuddle his tail when he was sleeping. Glorious fluffy plume - I’d have liked to cuddle it too!

pickledandpuzzled · 26/07/2023 08:44

I'm quite glad I don't have a tail. There's enough of me to get tangled up already.

DudeItsPrawns · 26/07/2023 09:10

One of our cats, when grooming her tail, will hiss and yowl at it. The idea that if it's hurting, perhaps she should stop, that she's doing it to herself, that the whole thing could be avoided.... nope. It's the same noise as if an adult human had trodden on her, or if there was a fox in the house - so you tend to run to her to see what going on and actually what's going on is that she's biting the end of her own tail and it's stinging like mad and she's not letting go. Utterly stupid.

Original poster
GorgeousLadyofWrestling · 26/07/2023 10:07

These comments are so funny and so on point 😹

OP posts:
Original poster
GorgeousLadyofWrestling · 26/07/2023 10:10

Silkierabbit · 25/07/2023 23:50

Floof seems to view his tail as separate to him and always puts it on display. He love tail compliments and bounces his tail to them and trills.

One of my cats as a tail as glorious as this. The vet always seems to exclaim “what a FLUFFY tail!” as if he’s never seen one like that before. When in fact I know he will have done, he’s just an awesome cat person.

The photo is of my cat after I had finished her daily combing to get all the burs out of her fur.

There really needs to be some proper research done into cats’ tails
OP posts:
LosingTheBelly · 26/07/2023 10:15

DesparatePragmatist · 25/07/2023 23:45

I had a tail-end cleaner too!

My aunt and uncle's Siamese would take offence and stalk from the room, flicking you the finger with her tail as it disappeared from sight. Completely unmistakable.

Current big extrovert nonsense boy greets you with delight, quivering his tail straight up in a shivery sort of signal (about 10 times a day. Same excitement, same straight-up tail shiver, every time.)

The one thing I do understand is the wrapping the tail over the nose for extra cosiness. If I had a tail, I'd do that too.

We call the pissed off tail flicking the 'Fuck you Flick'.

One of ours (A very strong tortie) was the Queen of it. Once I tossed her out the room and discovered she could even do the fuck you flick in mid-air!

murasaki · 26/07/2023 10:17

Big Lionel, in possession of a gorgeous floofy plume, is hilarious when eating. Dinner is served, the tail is vertical. The more food goes into his face, the more the tail droops towards the floor. When it hits the floor he is full, and stalks off into another room. Cracks me up every time.

Einevinefine · 26/07/2023 10:18

@Silkierabbit is Floof a Maine Coon? He’s v cute but you know that already 😁

DesparatePragmatist · 26/07/2023 11:27

@LosingTheBelly I can't tell you how delighted I am to know that the Fuck You Flick has a name! Adopted in this house with immediate effect.

LosingTheBelly · 26/07/2023 11:34

😂

Silkierabbit · 26/07/2023 11:39

Thanks Einevinefine 😻Yes Floof is a Maine Coon and a pretty big one, he was 1.1 metres a couple of months ago and still growing. He's a lovely cat, always cheerful and trilling.

GorgeousLadyofWrestling Lovely cat. Our vet also loves Floof very much. We had a small tabby cat before who used to go beserk at the vets attacking them on her annual visit claws and teeth whereas Floof is a gentle, floofy giant who trills at all attention so the vet is delighted with him.

MonumentalLentil · 26/07/2023 12:49

The frantic side to side flicking that is supposed to indicate annoyance or the intention to dive on some creature is employed here when on my lap being groomed. I have to be careful not to get a smack in the eye. It seems to show pleasure, frantically.

However I seem to have adopted a cat that never learned to cat properly and I am working on teaching her how.

Sunflowersinthewind · 26/07/2023 12:51

One of my joys in life is seeing my boy's question mark tail running towards me when I call him

CurlewKate · 26/07/2023 13:06

I think that anyone with a rail should take full responsibility for it. If they leave it where someone might stand on it, it is absolutely the tail owner's fault. On this hill I am prepared to die. And probably will.

LostCats · 26/07/2023 13:08

Our extremely beloved old boy has a spinal issue so the tail is usually quite low on the ground these days.
He and his housemate were at the Cattery for the weekend. And on return beloved old boy was so happy to be home the tail was up! The whole family was called to appreciate the sight ❤️

ButterflyBitch · 26/07/2023 13:10

My cat has chased his tail more than once and also tried to bite it when it’s flicking about in his face. I’d love to know why too! Do they really not know it belongs to them or is it more a game? Mysterious creatures

JoanOgden · 26/07/2023 14:14

This is a highly important issue, and I am selflessly prepared to volunteer to lead a multi-year, fully funded research study in which I will dedicate copious research time to observing a wide variety of cats and videoing tail-related behaviour.

Toddlerteaplease · 26/07/2023 14:28

Magic has a beautiful floofy tail. But I suspect it was fractured before I adopted her as she can only lift half of it. The end hangs down. Not that she cares!

ItsNotRocketSalad · 26/07/2023 14:30

One of mine has a periscope instead of a tail. It goes up in the air and the tip turns around slowly, scanning the room for threats (like sudden noises, hoovers, or slight gusts of wind).