A cat's tail movements say a lot about its mood. Whether it's puffed up, bristling, lowered or tapping on the ground... Discover 10 common tail movements of a cat and their meaning in infographics.
What is a cat's tail for?
Made up of 12 muscles, the cat's tail is a very useful limb. It allows our cats to maintain stability and a certain balance when they jump from one piece of furniture to another, when they climb on our sofas or on our curtains. In our feline friends, the tail also acts as a sort of rudder. The cheetah, for example, uses its long tail to stabilize itself in its sudden changes of direction when it hunts. The same goes for our whiskered ones when they try to catch a mouse, a field mouse or other prey.
The cat's tail is a very practical tool in everyday life. But in addition to its physical usefulness, it is also an excellent means of communication . Between cats: when a cat inflates its tail, it is trying to intimidate its opponent. Or conversely, when it curls its tail between its paw, it indicates its submission. And between cats and humans: the position or movement of its tail indicates its mood . If it swings from right to left very quickly, it means that kitty is angry, and that the slightest attempt at caressing risks ending in a scratch. 😼
Observing and understanding the movements of your cat's tail can therefore be useful for good cohabitation. In infographics, here are 10 movements of the cat's tail and their meaning.
Psst: also check out our infographic on your cat's sleeping positions. When a cat sleeps, its position can also say a lot about its condition. 😺
Meaning of cat tail movements
Now you know what your cat feels by the movements of its tail. 😺
To learn more about your cat, don't hesitate to also read all our other articles on the blog!
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