The Importance of the Tail in Cat Body Language

Cats can tell us a lot about what they think and feel from their body language. Vocalizations are a key part of this, as are elements such as the ears and whiskers. One of the easiest body language signs to spot is the tail and there is plenty you can learn from the tail movements.

Tail tips

Cats are creatures of instinct and act accordingly. If something seems frightening, they will be frightened. If it threatens them, they will defend themselves. Their body language follows these instincts and by learning the language, you can understand what they are saying. A cat's tail (unless they are a tailless breed such as the Manx) can act like a signpost to tell what they are thinking and feeling in a quick glance.

For example, a sweeping tail can indicate irritation. It might be you have petted them too much or are taking too long to feed them. It might be that they are cross about the presence of another animal or a child that is aggravating them. This is the stage before anger and could be seen as being vexed.

Anger involves sharp movements, snapping whip-like from side to side. This is a clear sign something has made them very cross or alternatively, they are frightened and are trying to hide it by appearing big and impressive. They can erect the fur on their tail to a surprising degree to accompany this feeling, again making themselves look bigger and more threatening.

On the other hand, a tail that is snaking around the body and relaxed is a sign of a contented cat. A gentle movement or the flick of the tip can also show they are happy and content in their surroundings. It is often used in playfulness, flicking their tail then chasing it as it is were a toy independent of their body or to entice another cat into playing. A tail upright in the air when walking towards you is a bit like the cat saying "hello, good to see you!"

Other body language

The tail movements will also come associated with other body language signs. For example, ears flattened to the head is a classic anger/fear sign often accompanied by hissing and other vocalizations. Ears facing forward or following a sound is a sign of an attentive and engaged cat. Relaxed ears mean a relaxed cat. Their whiskers too follow a similar pattern to explain their behavior.

Sitting positions can also indicate when a cat is relaxed and happy. Sitting on their side with their belly on show is a relaxed positive, as is sitting with their paws underneath them. If they felt threatened, they would want their paws out in front, ready to move and wouldn't show their vulnerable belly.

Conclusion

There is no hard and fast rule for how a cat reactions to a situation as they learn in their own way. Something that scares them first time around may not scare them when repeated as they realize it is isn't a threat. Yet something familiar can suddenly be frightening if encountered in an unusual way or paired with a loud noise.

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Credit: Angela Tempest

Your Cat Is More Interesting Than You Thought

Whether you are a dog-lover or a cat-lover, you must admit that cats are somewhat interesting, though you may not realize how bizarre they are. Refresh your memory on cat trivia by taking a look at these strange yet interesting facts about cats:

The Salty Cat

In case you get lost at sea, don't drink the water because the huge volume of salt content can dehydrate you. On the other hand, cats can survive by drinking sea water. They have special kidneys that can filter salt from the water and rehydrate themselves.

Threat to Endangered Species

All cats, including domesticated ones, are hunters by nature. However, cats that spend most of the time outdoors have played a part in the extinction of 33 species such as mammals, birds and reptiles. In fact, they are one of the 100 most invasive breed of animals.

Cats Have Smelly Paws

Unlike humans, cats don't have sweat glands. Their sweat is secreted through their paws, which gives off a scent as a sign of their territory. Therefore, every time they are scratching and walking, they are marking this area as their territory.

They Get a Lot of Beauty Rest

It seems great to relax most parts of the day. Those you own cats know how they spend most of the day lying around and sunbathing. You would be surprised to know that they actually spend 70% of their lives or 16 hours a day sleeping. Since they hunt, cats need lots of energy so they can pounce on mice. They store up energy by means of sleeping.

Disney's Obsession with Cats

Disneyland is home to around 200 cats. Aside from loving these cute animals, they are meant for another purpose. Each night, they let go of these cats in the park so they can catch all the little mice. These cats were first employed in the 1950s and this program has continuously grown throughout the years.

Alzheimer's Among Senior Cats

Just like humans, senior cats also experience Alzheimer's disease or dementia when they reach a certain age, like 8 years old. This shows when cats roam around your home looking dizzy and confused, making the meow sound. In case your cat is showing similar signs, cover it with an additional blanket to provide comfort.

Long, Wide Whiskers

A cat's whiskers grow as long as its width. Not only do they make cats look so adorable, they are meant for another purpose. Their long whiskers are used to check if they would be able to go through small openings. If the whiskers bend, this indicates that the cat wouldn't be able to enter.

Sky Divers by Nature

People are probably amazed on how cats land on their feet. They don't go against the laws of physics. They go down in an umbrella position to slow down their fall, as a skydiver does. They also have a keen sense of direction to tell which part is up so they can adjust their body.

Credit: Karina Popa

Cat Facts That You Should Know

Due to their independent nature, cats have the ability to entertain themselves for long hours, playing with curtain tassels and empty cartons. Yet, they still want the love and attention of humans. To know about their unusual behavior as well as how to care for them as pets and more, read about the interesting facts about cats for adults and kids.

Cats and kittens have soft fur. They are probably the most charming animals in the planet due to their innocent eyes and soft whispers. As a matter of fact, these creatures are one of the most favorite pets worldwide. Originally, cats were kept to chase rats and mice and to keep them away from homes. Certainly, history reveals several mysteries about these creatures.

Over the years, humans have shown all kinds of emotions towards cats like love, hatred, worship and persecution. However, in spite all these, cats continue to be man's best friend. According to history, the African Wildcat was the first feline to be domesticated 500 years ago. These cats were trained to keep rats from eating the huge amounts of grain, which were the produce of the Egyptians. They considered cats as the best solution to their problem and they began to bring out food for cats.

Amusing Facts about Cats

• There are above 500 million domesticated and trained cats in the whole world.
• People consider cats as among the most popular pets across the globe. In fact, more people have pet cats and kittens than dogs and puppies.
• There are 40 breeds of cats worldwide that are known to man.
• Cats have been closely associated with humans for about 10,000 years.
• They have flexible bodies and teeth designed to hunt rats, mice and smaller animals.
• To conserve energy, they sleep from 13 to 16 hours everyday, which is 70% of the time in average.
• A kitten is a young cat, a tom is a male cat and a molly or queen is a female cat. A clowder is a group of cats.
• Records show that the heaviest domestic cat weighs 46 pounds and 15. 2 ounces or 21.297 kilograms. Normally, domestic cats weigh 8 pounds and 13 ounces or 4 kilograms to 11 pounds or 5 kilograms.
• Cats have a strong sense of smell, which is fourteen times stronger than that of humans. Their vision is very powerful during nighttime since they can view light at levels which are six times less than what we need to be able to see.
• Since they cannot see directly underneath their nose, they cannot find tiny pieces of food on the floor.
• Majority of cats do not have eyelashes.
• Their pregnancy lasts from 58 to 65 days.
• Domesticated cats are fond of chasing toys and playing fights, which lets them learn not only about fighting, but hunting as well.
• To keep them clean, they make it a habit to lick their coats.
• Though all kittens are born with blue eyes, it is normal for the shade of color to change after 12 weeks.

Credit: Karina Popa