Raul Crist
You may have also heard that the cat’s tail a kind of Cat mood barometer is from which we – and other living beings – can read how the animal is currently feeling. On the one hand it is a clearly visible featureat the same time it houses possibility of misunderstandings. The opposite use of the tail wag is one of the best known Potential for conflict between dogs and cats, in which it requires the most translation work from the different animal species. While an expansive, exuberant tail wag is usually the sign of a happy greeting for the dog, the cue for the cat is “I’m about to explode – better keep your distance.” A mistranslation that animals can learn with a little practice and guidance from us.
Cat mood body language
However, we ourselves would do just as well to pay attention to the body language of the softpaws and take it into consideration. A cat’s ears and tail are visually noticeable to us and, with a little practice, can be interpreted in an understandable way.
Erect cat tail
At friendly greeting Cats like to wade towards us with their tails erect. Like a little flag they usually bend the top end a bit and thus signal a friendly “hello”. If your cat rushes towards you without a bent toe, she is especially happy to meet you. If you now also walk towards the power cabinet, you can still walk towards the vertically positioned tail a slight tremor come, complete with an excited rocking on the hind legs. The cat is over the moon and eagerly awaits a big treat – or another particularly popular treat!
Serrated flapping tail tip
She starts again, first hit very easily and a little jagged with the tip of the tail, you have to be careful and question what you are doing. Do you pet the animal all the time? Are you very close to her – when she would prefer a little distance? Your hairy nose shows you that something is bothering you. If you ignore this sign, it may turn into a jagged hustle and bustle in the next step – followed by a warm pawto express their displeasure.
It is not uncommon for me to hear in my consulting room that you have just peacefully stroked the cat lying next to you and seemingly out of nowhere had a claw in his hand. What happened? These situations often arise when we take the cat caress casually and pay no attention to whether close contact is still comfortable for them. We may have already missed that by slightly shifting her weight away from us, she showed that although she was still lying with us, she didn’t really want to be touched anymore. With a light flick of her tail, she wanted to make this wish clear again – in a very friendly and feline way. Be considerate and respect the animal’s boundaries. Not only is it much more adorable, but it also protects you from their clutches.
Tail swipe
Sometimes the mini tiger wags its tail in regular, exuberant movements during a long purring session with us. Again, the tail swipe means a lot of excitement and depending on your temperament, this could lead to melee combat which we found uncomfortable. The cat grabs our hands, grabs them with its claws and kicks hard with its hind paws. Haia! What a pleasure – for the cat, generally less for us. she is in a cat fight past, in which she can no longer perceive because of sheer adrenaline that our loud cries are far from the pleasure she is probably having right now. We have become their prey – and of course, she has to be caught and beaten properly.
The solution here too: pay attention to a jagged, possibly more hectic beat of the tail or its tip and stop your interaction immediately with the little tyrant or at best redirect to a suitable toy.
By the way: beat the tail rather slowly and quietly, which indicates concentration. You can see this, for example, when the cat sits in front of a new activity board and thinks about how to put the treats on it. During trick training or exciting observation, uniform striking also indicates concentration – (especially) not a good time derailing the little professor with just a touch.
fluffy tail
If the tail grows all the way to the toilet brush, it’s upper alert given. Your cat is upset about something – he is just before the explosion! A cat’s tail elongated at the base of the tail and finally falling vertically indicates a offensive aggression down – so a imminent attack. He is often represented in contact with strangers of his species or between already known rivals. The cat is stretched to the end of the legs and could attack at any time. If she behaves like this towards you, blink slowly to show her that you mean it in a friendly way. Look past her easily and walk away carefully without turning your back on the animal. Avoid frenzied movements at all costs, as these, like a quick flight, can trigger an attack.
hidden tail
On the other hand, if the velvet paw hides its tail between its hind legs or curls it sideways close to its body, it has it. big fear and would also like more distance. Their ears flap to the side of their cheeks, their whiskers are close to their face – when extremely frightened, their tail, ears and whiskers are usually barely visible.
Carmen Schell, owner of Cattalk®, works as a trained animal psychologist (ATN) specializing in cats in the Rhine-Main region, mainly around Darmstadt and Frankfurt, and in online coaching. She offers professional support for all questions concerning dress and problematic behavior of velvet paws. In addition to her personal counseling, she regularly gives lectures and seminars nationwide for interested laypersons and professionals. The author has mostly lost his heart for the cats of animal welfare organizations and volunteers in regional animal welfare organizations.
