We can do a bit of “cat mind reading” simply by knowing what their tails are telling us.
The long restful tail is an indicator that the cat attached is also relaxed. When they are in motion, the tail held straight out from their body indicates they are merely traveling, without any particular excitement or apprehension.
A quiet tail always indicates a mind in neutral.
When the tail is curled around themselves, it can be the temperature; cold weather makes them appreciate the extra insulation.
It can also be a sign that they are coiled within themselves, conserving their energy or withdrawing from their environment.
A tightly wound cat is not upset if they are lying on their side; but a crouching cat is keeping themselves to themselves, and can be a sign of distress.
When we engage the cat, we can see their tail expressing their enjoyment, by making gentle motions like ocean waves.
This is entirely different from how their tail acts when they are agitated, where we see the cat lashing their tail from side to side. This can be a sign they are stalking their prey, or, if during play, that the play is triggering these same instincts.
Make sure the cat attached to the agitated tail is directing their aggression towards their play object, not towards us. If we are teasing or overly stimulating the cat, this is a sign for us to back off, or that aggression can be directed towards us, the source of the aggravation.
This is a no-win way to play with the cat. If we are frustrating the cat with a toy, we should let them have the toy, and complete the prey cycle by successfully overcoming their prey. This defuses their agitation and lets them feel accomplishment.
Here we see the Happy Tail. A tail held straight up is a happy, confident, cat. This tail is also starting to curve over at the tip; showing curiosity and inquisitiveness. In this case, Mr. Bond is wondering why I’m following him around, taking pictures of his tail. Many cats form a clear question mark with their tails, an easy indicator of their state of mind, which is questioning what is going on.
A tail that is straight up and quivering is an exclamation mark of a tail, indicating excitement and pleasurable surprise. This is the kind of tail I see when I bring out favorite foods or unwrap a new toy.
A widely puffed out tail is a sign the cat feels threatened. Their first instinct is to puff out all their fur, to make themselves look bigger and more imposing. If a sudden noise or motion has threatened them, we can reassure them. If we are playing too roughly, it is a sign we should back off and apologize for agitating them.
Play is supposed to be fun.
Do cats like us to pet their tail? Yes, especially when we are gentle and respectful of how delicate and sensitive their tail is. It’s natural when we are stroking along their back to continue this motion all the way along their spine, which extends to the end of their tail. Often, the cat will curve their tail around our hand, petting us back.
If the cat prefers stretching along our leg to curling up in our lap, they will often unfurl their tail across our legs or lap, giving us a “tail hug” so they can be comfortable while showing their affection.
One last warning about taking care of their tail; don’t be too quick to close the door, even if the cat is attempting an escape. Their tail is the most likely part to get closed in the door, with fearful consequences. Better to let the cat escape, unscathed.
Their tail is a big part of them, even if it doesn’t seem like their biggest part. A cat’s tail is a vital part of their gymnastic ability. It acts as a counterweight to their body moves, the same way a tightrope walker uses a pole to keep their balance.
This exquisite feedback mechanism is still operating when the cat is not using it to enable their moves, but to display their moods.
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There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.
Now I will understand my cat better
thanks for the tips!
That was some great explainations on how to tell what a cat is thinking my cat is happy.Well I dont know really because she keeps putting her tail down and up but it stays straight and at the tip of her tail curled.But thanks.
My cat is 6 months old, he has been in my house for only a day. He has his tail down most of the day and is not eating or doing his privacy outside.
I don’t know what to do, any chance someone could give me some advise?
My cat must be a little dumb, then. His tail makes a question while he’s half-asleep lounging in front of me on the bed.
We also have a dog in the house who resides on the first floor; cat on the second. They’ll stay on their respective levels staring at each other at the steps. The cat won’t go anywhere near the dog, but doesn’t puff out his tail and sometimes meows at him and is definitely not intimidated, nor does he get flustered when the dog is barking. The dog…is terrified of him, and the dog is 10x the cat’s size.
Maybe someone can tell me why my cat meows at me when I say the word “What?” but any other words doesn’t trigger much of a response. Or why he tries to follow me into the shower. Or why he gets up on the desk (located near my bed) and knocks objects onto me to wake me up for breakfast… the list goes on.