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The
tail
Cats
have a subtle language. Nothing’s about big gestures and lots of pooha.
All gestures are careful, controlled and detailed. A dog clearly shows
his mood, with lots of tail wagging, barking and jumping. But to
understand a cat, you have to put in some efford.
The
cat language entails more than a thousand sounds. Many of these sounds
can be understood without practice. Besides these sounds, the cat also
makes use of body language. The slightest change in the width of their
pupils, the subtle play of their ears and the smallest movement of the
tail tells their fellow cats what’s up with them.
How
a cat feels, what a cat is doing, can often be deduced from its body
language and speed of movement. The most clear signal is the tail.
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The tail
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Hangs down in an arch, with the tip upright:
The cat is relaxed and
satisfied.
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is slightly tilted upwards and bent:
The cat is interested in
something.
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The tail is heavily arched upward:
The cat is curious and on the
alert.
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standing straight up, with the tip bent:
The cat is very interested in
something, and gives a happy greeting, yet feels slightly insecure.
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standing straight up, with the tip straight up:
The cat is giving a satisfied,
happy greeting.
It may however also mean
he’s angry.
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standing completely upright, sometimes with the tip bent, and
shaking:
The cat is cheerful and
excited, and is showing his affection.
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occasionally moves the tip:
She’s either deep in
thought, or slightly irritated.
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moving the tip faster:
She’s irritated.
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heavily moving back and forth:
She’s angry
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moving heavily back and forth:
She’s angry, so be warned.
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standing straight up, with his hairs on end:
The cat’s showing
aggression.
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standing with his tail arched, with all hair on end:
The cat is in defensive mode,
an attack is possible.
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hanging down, with all hair on end:
The cat is frightened by
something.
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standing straight up, with the hairs on end (big tail):
The cat is probably happily
running around and playing.
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standing down, perhaps even
between the hind legs:
The cat shows defeat or
submission (towards another cat).
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is being held to the side:
The cat’s either shy or in
heat.
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Is being held to the side and
the rear is pushed upwards.
The cat is in heat and ready
to mate.
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When
judging what the cat is saying, one must not only pay attention to the
tail, but also take into account the environment of the cat, and what
the cat is experiencing at that point
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