Do Cats Control Their Tails Understanding Feline Flicking Facts

A cat’s tail is undoubtedly the most sensitive part of its body.You would be surprised to learn that the domestic cat has the highest range of expressions that it can express with its tail, its tail position evolving in a bid to communicate with its owners and other cats in the vicinity. Wild cats cannot point their tails straight up, and can only wag their tails from side to side or hold them between their legs.Cats have a wide range of voluntary and involuntary movements that its tail can make. A cat’s tail is often seen as an extension of its spine. Though the actual spinal cord is not present in the tail, a large part of the nervous system is still quite prevalent here. There are various reasons behind the different movements your cat’s tail makes, and studying these can help you determine whether it is feeling cheerful or aggressive, helping you to know whether to pet your feline friend or give them their space. To learn more captivating facts about your cat’s tail, read on!If you enjoy reading this article, you may also enjoy our pages on what cats dream about and if tea tree oil is safe for cats.Does a cat’s tail grow as they age?Though cats usually live for 12-16 years on average, they only continue growing until they are about two years of age. As with their other body parts, their tails will continue to keep growing with them, but will generally stop growing after they are considered fully grown.The length of a cat’s tail usually ranges from between 9-11 in (23-28 cm), and usually depends on the size of their cat. As cats use their tail to help them balance and keep their bodies stable, the length of their tail will usually be close to the length of their bodies.Though these animals’ tails may stop growing after their bodies do, cats can still alter the appearance of their tails by puffing them up and making them look bigger. When a cat is alarmed or frightened, the hair on its back and tail usually stand on end, making it look bigger and puffier. This is either in response to the surge of hormones during a fight or flight situation or could be an attempt to make them look bigger and more intimidating in times of peril. Though their tails usually puff up when they are frightened, cats puffing up their tails have also been noticed in happy, playful kittens.Even though a tail is very important for a cat, cats can in fact live without tails. In some cases, a cat’s tail may need to be amputated sometime during its life in case of injury or due to infection. In this case, the cat will learn to adjust to life without a tail. In fact, there exists a species of cat, the Manx cat, which has a stumpy tail, however, this does not affect its balance or agility in any way.Do cats consciously control their tails?Yes, cats do have full control over their tails. Their tails are actually formed with a complex series of nerves, muscles ligaments, tendons, and even bones, which the cat can control voluntarily for a number of reasons. Rather than just being a single muscle, a cat’s tail is quite an intricate structure of these organs. Though the tail does not actually contain the spinal cord, it is still considered an extension of the spine because of how complex a body part it is.A cat will consciously control its tail in order to communicate with its owner and other cats. However as the cat’s tail is an extension of itself, it may spring into action involuntarily when the cat is startled or experiences shocks.Why do cats constantly move their tails?Cats use their tail for many reasons - to help them balance their body, stay warm, and to express their feelings through body language. In many ways, a cat’s tail is an extension of its spine because of how useful it is.You can read your cat’s various moods and emotions by observing how their tail position. They even use their tails to communicate with other cats, either placing them in various positions or wrapping them around the tails of other cats. The only time cats do not use their tails is when they are asleep.How do cats control their tails?A cat’s tail is not simply made of muscle, it has a number of ligaments, tendons, nerves, and bones as well. It is a highly intricate and sensitive organ, which is why it is very important to handle your cat very carefully. Any injury to your cat’s tail can mess up the internal mechanisms due to substantial damage to the nervous system, as well as cause serious infection or malfunction, leading to the need for amputation. Be careful to not pull on your cat’s tail harshly, as it can cause nerve damage, which can be permanent.As these animals have a large number of nerves twisting through their tails, they can control them simply by sending signals through their brains. Tails are highly useful for the everyday activities of a cat - helping it to balance when walking on treacherous ledges, helping them to align itself properly when stalking prey, and most importantly, conveying its emotions and needs to its owners.How much control do cats have over their tails?Cats usually have full control over their tail and can control their movements by sending signals through the nerve endings. The only time cats do not have proper control over their tails is when they are asleep. The brain, in this case, does not send any signals to the tail muscles, and it stays immobile until it wakes up.Cats may show some involuntary movements from time to time due to mental or physical triggers These can occur if your cat is touched suddenly, is startled, or receives a shock.If you notice your cat walking differently or not using its tail as much, it could be a sign of tail injury. If they do not seem to be moving their tail at all, then it is a sign to take them to the vet and get them checked out as it could be a tail fracture.How To Read Your Cat’s Tail LanguageCats have a very versatile tail language, which can be used to determine their various moods and emotions. Their tail, therefore, is the most expressive part of their body which is why it is important for cat owners to know which expression to associate with which mood. Observing the direction and speed at which your cat may wag its tail are also useful indicators of how it is feeling.When your feline pet wraps its tail around your leg, it is a form of friendly greeting or affection. Cats usually wrap their tails together when they meet, so it shows that they are willing to spend time with you as a pet and owner. It may also show affection by gently slapping its tail against your legs, with movements similar to how you would pet it.If you notice your cat thrashing its tail on the ground, then you better look out because it is most likely in a sour mood! Thrashing its tail loudly on the ground shows that it is angry, irritated, or bothered about something. If you try interacting with your cat in this state or try to pet it while it is thrashing its tail angrily, it might hiss at you or try to bite or scratch you, as it is definitely not in the mood for affection.If you notice their tail quivering or wagging slightly, it could be a sign of excitement. This behavior mostly occurs if they see you or another cat, usually someone they have a friendly bond with. If its tail is quivering while it is straight up in the air, it could be getting ready to spray urine as a sign of territory marking.When cats are concentrating intensely on something like prey or another animal, they usually take a stalking stance with their bottoms up in the air and tail swishing from side to side. When they take this stance, be sure that they are getting ready to pounce on something in their line of vision.If they feel threatened, you will notice them arching their back and puffing up their tail. The hair on their backs fluffs up as well, probably to make them look bigger and more intimidating to intruders. This is only done if they feel very threatened or sense severe danger, in which case they should be ideally left to their own devices. Do not try to interact with your cat if it assumes this position, as you could end up being attacked in the process.If the tip of their tail seems to be twitching, it either means that they are slightly excited, or annoyed. Either way is it best not to approach them in this state if it turns out to be the latter. If they are excited, then they will play with toys or other items or seem interested in other items in the environment. If they seem to be sulking, then they should be given their space. If they tuck their tail between their legs, similar to how dogs do, then it means that they are anxious or scared of something. A happy cat’s tail never droops or touches the ground. You may observe this body language when moving into a new house or placing them in unfamiliar territory, where they feel intimidated and slightly nervous.Cats also have the ability to make their tails stand straight up! If they approach you with their tails pointing up to the air, then it shows that they are feeling confident and are ready to socialize. This is the best time to play with your cat or offer cuddles as it also shows that they are being affectionate. It also shows other cats in the vicinity that they are friendly and can be approached.If you see your cat’s tail shaped like a question mark, with their tails straight up with a curl at the end, then it means that they are in a good mood and would like to be petted. If you see their tail like this, then lightly scratch them behind the ears or under the chin.Lastly, if you see your cat in a crouching position with its tail curled around itself, then it means that the cat wishes to be left alone. In this case, it is either feeling scared, stressed, or unwell. Do not try to coax your cat into interacting with you at this point, and try to make it feel better instead, by checking up on its health or removing triggers like dogs, loud noises, or other stressful items from the environment. If this behavior goes on for a few days, then take your cat to the vet to make sure that it is not unwell or suffering from any pain.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for if cats control their tails then why not take a look at how to stop a cat from peeing on the floor or Somali cat facts.

A cat’s tail is undoubtedly the most sensitive part of its body.