What does it mean when your cat wags their tail? How about when your kitten keeps their tail straight up? Cats communicate with their human family through their vocalizations and body language. Your cat is trying to tell you a lot through their tail positions and tail movements.
Cat tail positions and their meanings
How your cat holds their tail tells you a lot about how they’re feeling.
Tail is straight up
If your young cat approaches you with their tail straight up but is acting relaxed, they’re feeling friendly and confident.
Tail is up with curved end
When your young cat comes up to you with their tail up and gently curved at the end, they feel friendly and relaxed with you.
Tail is puffed out
A cat who has the fur of their tail puffed out may be feeling threatened. You should give them space to decompress.
Tail is held to the ground or tucked between legs
If your young cat is keeping their tail held low to the ground or tucked between their legs, they may feel scared, anxious or in pain. If you can’t identify the reason for this and your cat is performing other body language cues which might indicate they’re not feeling well, consider contacting your VCA care team.
Tail is wrapped around the cat’s body
Your cat might wrap their tail around themselves a little bit when they’re loafing around. That’s totally normal. But if they’re regularly keeping their tail wrapped around themselves, they may be feeling defensive, in pain or ill. If you are at all concerned, contact your VCA care team.
Cat tail movements and their meanings
We commonly associate a wagging tail with happy dogs, but your cat might wag their tail, too. However, tail movements in cats are very different from tail movements in dogs.
Tail is wagging or swishing
A cat who is wagging, swishing, thumping or thrashing their tail is usually feeling irritated or angry. They could be signaling that they don’t like how you’re petting them or that they’re done with the play session. Your cat might need some time to relax on their own.
Tail is shaking or quivering
A cat who is shaking or quivering their tail when they see you is generally excited. A cat who shakes or quivers their tail while backing up to a vertical surface is likely urine marking. If urine marking is a new behavior for your cat, contact your VCA care team. Intact cats are more likely to spray urine than altered cats.
Tail is twitching at the end
If your young cat is twitching the end of their tail, they may be engaging their natural hunting behaviors. You may notice this tail movement if your cat is watching a bird outside the window, for instance. Some cats will also do this while they’re playing. In some cases, such as if you disturbed your cat’s rest, a little tail twitching may indicate mild irritation.
Tail wraps around your leg or arm during greeting
When your young cat approaches you, bumps up or rubs against you and wraps their tail around your leg or arm, this is a sign of affection.
Why your cat might interact with their own tail
Your cat is not oblivious to the presence of their tail. You can also glean some information from how your cat interacts with their own tail.
Biting tail
A cat who is biting at their own tail may be itchy or may have pain in their tail. For example, if they have fleas or environmental allergies, they might itch at their tail. A cat who has a wound on their tail might bite at the tail. If your cat is regularly biting at their tail, check them over for any causes. If the behavior continues, especially if they’re injuring themself, contact your VCA care team.
Playing with tail or chasing tail
Much like dogs, young kittens might play with or chase their own tail. This behavior is less common in adult cats. If your cat is regularly chasing or playing with their tail, you may consider whether they have anxiety or need additional enrichment in their lives. Contact your VCA care team if this behavior seems obsessive.
Your cat’s tail isn’t all they have to communicate with you. They have other forms of body language and vocalizations that can tell you a lot about your cat’s emotional state such as caterwauling.
