Cat Tail Language Chart

  • By: Ufaq Jibran
  • Time to read: 5 min.
Ufaq Jibran
I am a marketing graduate and love to play with words. I have been writing for 2 years with an awesome manner of telling things without bragging too much. That's best! My readers admire my quality of producing impeccable content pieces.

Cats’ tails reveal their thoughts. Cat tail language charts simplify for humans what is happening in a cat’s head, it shows mood. Observe your cat’s behavior to learn the tail’s stories.  Cats’ ears, eyes, body posture, and tails reveal their thoughts and feelings. “Listen” to cat tail language.

Even though solving cat behavior might be very difficult for some people. Yet, it’s not hard to get a basic grasp of a cat’s attitude by watching how she moves her tail.

Cats communicate their emotions through their tail movements. Here is a review of the possible meanings behind the placements and movements of your cat’s tail. She may be used to communicating with you.

cat tail language chart

Cat tail movement meaning

Shifting from ignoring to noticing your cat’s emotions brings positive changes in relationships. To get through their daily lives, cats rely not only on their instincts but also on their intelligence. This is because cats are non-clingy and emotional creatures.

It is possible that if you learn what your cat enjoys, despises, and fears, you will be better able to understand her. With this, you can give a higher quality of life for her.

Cats can be hard to read. Cats communicate in complex ways. When unhappy, annoyed, or in pain, cats wag their tails. Yet, tail wagging can show affection. You can usually tell how your cat is feeling by watching their wagging tail and body. 

Tail PositionMeaning
Straight upExpressing a friendly and happy mood
Wagging / swishingPosing state of emotional conflict
Thrashing / ThumpingShowing anger or excitement
Hooked Friendly expression with a cautious attitude
Held between legsReflecting submissive behavior

Cats wag their tails for many reasons, not anger. Cat tail position can reveal your pet’s emotions. Cat tail position and mood are expressive and can reveal their emotion. Discover the language of cat tails and your cat’s emotions by reading on.

My cat speaks sign language with her tail

Robert A. Stern

Kitten tail language

 A flicking or lashing tail indicates agitation. While a gently waving tail indicates focus (i.e., about to pounce on an object or a toy). You can observe this in the tail-up posture. Tail straight up with a slight bend at the end—is a message that the cat is approaching amicably.  

Tail PositionMeaning
Straight downCats show agitated and aggressive behavior.
Wrapping tailShowing love around humans.

Also read: Cat Ideal Weight Ranges by Age and Height

Cat tail language when playing

 Yet, you should not confuse this swishing motion of the cat’s tail with a furious low flick at all. Since it expresses a completely different emotion.

When a cat is in a playful mood, it may swish its tail quickly from side to side, which is usually followed by a jump. This behavior, with dilated eyes and pointed forward ears, is most observed when the cat is interacting with a toy or with another cat.

Tail PositionMeaning
Quick swishInterested in playing and looking for fun.

Cat tail language while lying down

It’s possible that your cat is sick if they are acting strangely in addition to lounging around and wagging its tail. For example, they might stop eating or spend a lot of time hiding. If this is the case, you should take them to the vet as soon as possible. If you are worried about the health of your cat.

Tail PositionMeaning
Waving tail while lying downExpresses pain or other issues.

Also read: Cat Poop colors Meaning

How to read cat tail language

First, you need to take out some time for your pet. Take interest in cat tail movement. Try to learn the cat tail language chart. Identify the cat tail signals. By some time, you will grow on these cat tail language meanings. 

Tail PositionMeaning
Twitching the end of the tailCat hunting mood is on
Tail quiversUrine marking or feeling super excited.

Cat Tail Health

Injuries to a cat’s tail can cause them great pain, discomfort, and worry.  Maintaining a healthy tail is one of the most crucial aspects of a cat’s health.

Even though the spinal cord physically stops before the tail, nerve injury to the tail—such as that which can be induced by yanking on the tail—can nevertheless result in traumatic injuries to the spinal column in cats. Tail fractures can also develop. 

Damage to the tail that is severe or does not heal may necessitate an amputation performed by a veterinarian. Most of the cats are able to successfully recover from this surgical operation, which is a relief.

Helpful points to understand

The body language and tail language of cats are difficult to decipher, but with some effort and some practice, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an expert pet interpreter. If you are ever unsure about the significance of the position that your cat’s tail is in, you should turn to other signs for indicators of intent.

The following is a list of questions and useful ideas to look for:

Vocalization: Does your cat vocalize by purring contentedly or growling angrily when they are upset or uncomfortable?

In general, what kind of body position does he have? Is he comfortable, cowering, or getting ready to pounce or attack?

Your cat’s eyes: Are his eyes quiet and blinking, which may indicate that he is in a relaxed state of mind, or are they wide open and fixed on the target in front of him, which may indicate that he is alert, afraid, or aggressive?

The ears of your cat: But what about the ears of your cat? Are they aimed backward to convey an upset or furious feeling, or are they relaxed and facing forward to give the impression that they are happy?

The easiest way to understand any non-verbal feline behavior is to take into account what is going on in the surrounding surroundings as well as your cat’s appearance and movements in general. The easiest way to acquire a comprehensive understanding is to combine all of these observations in order to decipher how your cat is feeling.

You’ll become proficient in the feline language in no time at all if you pay attention to the non-verbal clues that your cat uses, such as the location of its tail, and you’ll also be better able to understand and communicate with your furry best friend.

Conclusion

The use of a cat’s tail is only the beginning of its repertoire of tactics for communicating with humans. A great number of cats are able to communicate with one another using a variety of body parts and body language, including their eyes and ears.

The first step in comprehending what your cat is attempting to communicate with you is to become familiar with the relationship between the location of their tail and how they are feeling.

Even though you should pay attention to more of their body language and try to follow a cat tail language chart than simply the motions of their tails in order to properly comprehend your cat’s emotional condition, the tail is likely the aspect of a cat’s body language that is the most expressive.

Your relationship with your cat will undoubtedly strengthen if you gain a deeper comprehension of the body language it uses.

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