A cat twitches its tail, what does it mean?

To overcome such a "habit" is simple: you need to castrate the cat. It is better to do it at an early age, when the cat's body is strong and able to withstand any surgery.

Why does the cat shake its tail as if it were tagging, because it is not a cat?

All cats and cats by nature are very possessive. And they very much like, once in a new territory, immediately appropriate it to themselves. Well, for this they mark it with their smell.

Cats in the most impudent way "describe the property". than cause a storm of not very positive emotions in their owners.

Cats also tag their scent. True more humane. They just rub their heads and other parts of the body on objects in the apartment. In this case everything that needs to be marked thanks to the special glands of the animal. But, fortunately, in this case, we do not notice or feel anything.

However, in certain movements and habits of cats, there are things that are very similar to the characteristics of cats. For example, when you take a cat into the house, you can even doubt that it is a cat, not a cat. And the thing is that the purr, once in a new place for her, can begin to walk, rub against the furniture, to develop the territory.

And sometimes you can see that the cat stops, picks up its tail and shakes it fine and small, as if it is marking something.

The first thing you want to do, of course, is to run and check if the cat wet the furniture. You scrutinize everything and even smell it. However, everything turns out to be clean and dry. Fears are in vain.Although, still there is a desire to check – and you took a cat in the house or a cat?

Naturally it is confirmed that you still have a cat. But then what to explain her behavior, which is typical for an animal of the opposite sex?

As it turned out, just some cats repeat the movement of the cat's tail when it is tagging, in order to just calm down and relieve a little stress. Well, when the animal is in a calm environment where he feels completely safe, he does not have the desire to "tag" anything like that.

Why do cats wag their tails? Detecting the emotions of the animal by its movements

Observing how a cat wags its tail, you can determine what emotions it is experiencing. After all, the animal needs it not only for balance in jumping, but is an indicator of mood. A nervous wagging of the tail indicates anger, the lowered one indicates fatigue, the raised one symbolizes a playful mood. There is an alphabet of pet tail positions and movements that help determine a pet's mood.

Why does a cat need a tail?

A cat's tail is an extension of its spine, which consists of vertebrae, blood vessels and nerve endings. This part of the animal's body is considered the weakest and very sensitive, which is why cats do not like to have their tails touched. This part of the body serves to transfer the center of gravity when running or walking quickly, keeps the coordination of movements when jumping. Thanks to it the owner can understand the cat's mood, its further actions and well-being. The more intensely the cat swings it, the stronger its emotions.

Over several hours, pets wag and move their tail in different ways. They can twist it up or down, twirl it from side to side and move it fast or slow. This behavior allows them to show their positive or negative feelings so that the owner can understand what is troubling them and what they want.

When a kitten moves its tail upright and purrs, it is happy to meet its owner. An adult cat raises its tail when it is stroked, and this means that it shows respectful greeting.

• Lowered means that the pet is frightened of something.
• A cat purring, running around with its tail up, means it is happy to meet its owner.
• The pet twitches the tip of its tail, it means it is in a relaxed state.
• The cat wags its tail and bangs it on the floor. This indicates that he is unfriendly and may even attack.
• A cat wags its tail and walks quickly, with its movement directed upward – this is a sign of excitement.
• Spins across the floor at a medium speed and looks its owner in the eye at the same time. The cat wants to tell that it is in a playful mood.
• Spreads out and points downward, with the paws slightly tucked in. Denotes that the cat is scared.
• In a calm position, the cat is lying or standing still. Sign of good spirits.
• Tucks up with a curl on the end when stroked, it means that the pet is content with its life.
• If the cat twitches its tail and nudges it to the floor. Such actions mean that the pet is ready to hunt, for example, there is an insect or a mouse nearby.
• Unwittingly twisting – excited or concerned.
• If it is up and vibrating, the cat is waiting for a treat.
• It wiggles around its feet and rubs against its owner. It is the cat marking its territory.
• The cat is constantly wagging its tail from side to side – this is a sign of irritation.
• Keeps its tail horizontal. Means that the pet is in a tense state.
• Lowered below the back, and the cat does not move it, this is a normal state.
• The cat's tail beats when it is not happy about something.
• Tail dropped between the legs indicates a depressed state.
• Pets lift up and fluff out their tails when they're angry, with their fur standing on end and their eyes dilated.
• When falling asleep or dying, this part of the body slows down and stops moving at all.

A cat's tail and back skin twitch – why and what does it mean?

Cat owners sometimes observe the following picture: a cat's tail twitches, as if it is marking territory, and the skin on its back shakes, as if it is trembling in this part of the body. This phenomenon may have physiological or pathological causes. Regardless of what exactly led to the twitching of the tail and skin, a four-legged pet in this situation needs the help of the owner.

The pet has fleas or other ectoparasites

If an adult cat or kitten's tail twitches, while his back skin twitches, perhaps he was overcome by ectoparasites (those that parasitize not under the skin, but on its surface): fleas, dewflies, mites. In addition to these symptoms, external parasites manifest themselves as follows:

Read also: Why cats and cats sleep a lot – all day, what to do if the animal is constantly napping?

• Bite marks on the body in the form of small red dots;
• Intolerable itching in the affected areas;
• Constant scratching in an attempt to somehow relieve the itching of the bites;
• Bouncing black dots, grits that look like dirt;
• deterioration of the coat (loss of shine, brittleness);
• sleep disorders – because of the constant itching, the cat hardly sleeps;
• complete or partial lack of appetite;
• anxiety, lack of interest in games, apathy;
• ulceration of the affected skin, crusts;
• decrease in body weight.

Having detected ectoparasites in a pet, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately. Ignoring the fact that they are parasitizing on the body of the cat is fraught with serious consequences for its health.

Why does the cat run and nervously lick itself?

Licking is a normal occurrence for cats. These clean animals are so anxious about their coat that they lick it whenever they get the chance: after eating, going to the toilet, or being touched by their owners. What's more, licking their coats calms them down. Licking can only be talked about as a normal phenomenon when it is not fanatical. Why does a kitten or adult cat run around the house and lick nervously?

A cat is under stress.

These animals have a very vulnerable psyche. It doesn't take much for a pet to lose its equilibrium. This can happen due to a car trip, a visit to the vet, arguments in the family, the arrival of a new four-legged inhabitant in the house, moving to another room, a change of residence, etc. All cats experience stress in different ways. Some begin to run aimlessly around the apartment and fanatically lick their fur. Sometimes they do it so violently that they become completely bald in some parts of the body.

As soon as the factor that provoked the cat's emotional turmoil disappears or he gets used to the new circumstances, the cat will stop being nervous. However, cats are not always able to overcome stress on their own. Sometimes they require sedation.

Hyperaesthesia Syndrome

This rather rare disorder, which affects the skin, neuromuscular and nervous system, is most often found in kittens. The causes of its appearance are unknown, presumably it is associated with a disturbance of neurotransmitters in the brain during anxiety.

Animals with this syndrome feel tension all the time and experience increased sensitivity to touch. Their spine and tail are the most vulnerable. They lick their fur too hard, paying special attention to the most vulnerable areas of the body, sometimes resulting in bloody wounds. Hyperesthesia syndrome can also be recognized by other symptoms:

Tail as sign language.

If a cat raises its tail and shakes it, it gives an indication of more than just the pet's condition. This is how the furry animal expresses its emotions during communication and lets the owner know what it wants and what it is ready for:

• When the animal is in a playful mood, the tail stands upright and twitches slightly. However, if the cat's tail slams against the floor, you should understand that the cat is annoyed and does not want to continue the game.
• Irritation of the cat is indicated by a tail that is upright and raised with a pipe, but bent at the tip. It is better not to pester the cat in this state: a paw strike with claws out is a predictable reaction.
• If the cat sits up, meows and makes small movements with its tail, it also indicates stress. But it can also be a consequence of pain, discomfort on the body or in the body.
• An enraged cat is the easiest to identify. A disheveled coat, hissing and rumbling, and a sharply twitching downturned tail, means that the predator is ready to attack and will respond to any awkward movement in its direction.

What else you need to know about a cat's "tongue"

When a kitten's tail twitches, this can also mean time to mark territory. The cat begins to tag and finely waggle its tail, which becomes a natural reaction of the muscles to the act of the four-legged man.

To overcome such a "habit" is simple: it is necessary to neuter the cat. It is better to do this at an early age, when the pet's body is strong and robust, able to withstand any operation.

The behavior of a cat with a chaotically shaking tail can be attributed to ill health. If the pet starts twitching its tail and shaking its hind legs, the pet should be seen by a veterinarian. Common causes include pinched nerves, high stress, paraanal gland inflammation, fleas, lice and inflammatory growths that cause painful discomfort.

Sense of safety

Why do cats wag their tails when they lie with their eyes closed? It's a sign that they feel safe! Think of this gesture as the pet's way of saying, "I feel safe enough to keep my eyes closed."

In general, tail movement is an important part of a cat's body language. It is a way of communicating with other animals and people.

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Why a cat shakes its tail very little near its owner

The cat's tail is a very important part of the cat's body. With the help of the tail, cats are able to maneuver their movements, warm themselves in cold weather and, of course, the tail for a cat is necessary for non-verbal communication with other cats. But what does it mean when a cat near its owner begins to shake its tail finely?

How does it happen? For example, at some point you notice the cat stiffen for a second and then its tail starts shaking nervously and finely – it doesn't last that long, but it's noticeable to your eye. The fact is that the cat's tail is very sensitive and its every movement expresses the cat's emotional feeling. A cat can show different signals and shake and wag its tail in different ways, but it is the small shaking, like the vibration of a cell phone, that interests us. On this point, experts (behaviorists) mainly put forward two opinions; positive and negative.

When the cat's tail vibrates finely, and the tip starts to move nervously by itself – it means that the cat is emotionally disturbed and it does not like something in your behavior, and the conclusion here is one, that in such moment the cat is better not to touch and leave alone.

When the cat's tail is up and the tail is vibrating, or just the tail tip, it means that the cat's intentions are friendly and that the cat is happy to see its owner. At this moment the cat feels excitement and joy, especially when it meets its owner after a separation.

In any case, a fine tail vibration means one thing – it is an emotional outburst in the cat, it can be annoyed or joyful.

Tail and back twitching in a cat

Sometimes cats not only have a twitchy tail, but also a twitchy back. There are several reasons for this behavior of the animal. A cat constantly twitches its tail and back in the following cases:

In addition, the cat can twitch its back and tail because of neurosis. In veterinary medicine, it is called hyperesthesia syndrome. Suffering from this disease, the animal begins to lick its paws, back, and anus for hours. His fur becomes wet from saliva and does not have time to dry before the next wash. These actions indicate nervous exhaustion, lack of attention from the owner, or severe stress.

Excessive licking of the body provokes dermatitis in the pet. Because of the constant itching, the cat will twitch its back and tail, wanting to get rid of the discomfort. If the cat's owner ignores this problem, bald spots will form in the licking area, and fungal disease may develop later.

Beware of rabies

If a cat is outdoors, its behavior must be watched particularly closely. Outdoors there is a high risk of catching various infectious diseases, many of which are fatal.

Noticing tail and back twitching in a loose cat, the owner should sound the alarm and find out why this is happening. Rabies is often identified by such symptoms. This disease is dangerous for both the pet and its owner. It threatens irreversible damage to the spinal cord and brain. In addition to the fact that the animal begins to twitch its tail and spinal cord, rabies has other signs:

• The cat eats food but refuses to drink water;
• The animal becomes aggressive or, on the contrary, seeks to hide from people;
• Difficulty in swallowing food;
• The cat salivates a lot;
• The cat bites incessantly at the spot where the infection has entered the cat's body.

But no matter what the symptoms are, only a veterinarian can answer the question of why the cat's tail is twitching. However, if rabies is confirmed, the animal will have to be put to sleep.

Why do cats need a tail?

The flexible organ is the end part of the spine, starting at the sacrum, divided into 3 subdivisions:

• Root zone – closest to the sacrum, including 4-6 vertebrae (the initial ones are shortened, flattened, the rest are cylindrical);
• stem zone – the main, most bent, mobile zone, including 10-15 cylindrical vertebrae;
• end zone – consisting of small, thickened, shortened vertebrae (the last vertebra is a rudiment of deformed shape).

The caudal part of the spinal column in a cat consists of 20-27 vertebrae (different size is determined by breed). The body is flexible, mobile, thanks to elastic ligaments, intervertebral discs. Motor activity is provided by 3 large tail muscles, several small ones.

• helps the animal to balance, to hold on to awkward, sloping, narrow surfaces with incredible dexterity;
• provides spatial orientation;
• acts as a thermo-regulator (cat shrugs in hot weather and covers itself in cold weather);
• allows the animal to communicate with congeners and the owner.

The voice is a secondary tool of cats' communication. Animals transmit most of their information through body movements, wagging of the vertebral appendage. It is not difficult to find out about the mood and well-being of the pet by changes in the spatial position, amplitude and rhythm of the movement of the organ.

Why cats wag their tails

A cat wags its tail in different ways, the movements reflect a certain emotion, positive or negative. A cat shakes its tail with a certain intensity proportional to the strength of its emotions.

Kittens often catch, bite their own tail, acting as a toy to help acquire hunting skills.

Since a cat has an individual personality and behavior, tail movements may not indicate what is commonly believed. Therefore, it is advisable to determine feline emotions from your own experience, guided by the information provided.

Positive Reasons

There are many positive reasons why cats visibly wag their tails:

• Are in a playful mood, inviting them to play;
• Express love for the owner, the household (vertically raised tip trembles);
• show interest, curiosity (slight twitch);
• feel happiness, satisfaction, express complete calmness (move only tip of the tail);
• Express friendship, trust (tail vertebrae are parallel to the floor);
• experience hunting excitement, observe a potential victim – a mouse, a fly, a bow on a string;
• are in thoughtfulness (wide, relaxed movements);
• feel satisfaction, wish to communicate (tail flank lowered, relaxed);
• feel superiority and security, are asserted in leadership (holding the organ "trumpet");
• thank their master for his or her care and affection (the cat wags its tail leisurely, smoothly).

Negative reasons

For negative reasons, as for positive reasons, the cat wags its tail often:

• displeased, angry (wags sharply and actively in a horizontal direction);
• is experiencing aggression, irritation (put down, nervously strikes the floor)
• is in the stressful state, is shocked (hits the floor intensively, chaotically)
• is frightened (pushes up);
• warns, getting ready to jump, to attack (speeds up her movements);
• is very angry, ready for a furious attack on the enemy (tail part is directed upwards, motionless, may twitch slightly, fur is ruffled)
• feels threatened, ready to defend (tail vertebrae pointing upward, arched);
• affected by skin parasites (skin twitches, cat constantly scratches, chews, character becomes restless);
• Sexual desire, heat is a physiological reason why the cat's tail twitches (the cat flexes its hind limbs, raises the shaking spine).

Tail twitching as an expression of contentment

The tail can express not only doubts and dissatisfaction, this part of the body can also serve to show the cat's best and warmest feelings.. If the tail twitches only the tip of the cat's tail or the whole tail, but slightly, it is a sure sign that the pet thinks that life is successful. In this situation, the cat feels happy, satisfied and calm. You can observe a similar situation when the pet is stroked, scratched on its neck, or simply taken on its lap.

Cats are the most affectionate of all creatures, and when the owner shows affection to them, in addition to the usual purring, a reaction in the form of slight twitches of the tail is quite possible. This happens involuntarily, from an overload of feelings, and is a sign that the pet is satisfied with the situation.

Tail twitching as a demonstration of interest

If the cat moves its tail in a vertical plane, but calmly and rhythmically, it shows that the animal is interested in something. This reaction should be considered more positive, because the pet does not feel danger, it is in a relaxed state, just the cat's attention concentrated on some object. This situation is usually accompanied by the cat doing something active – it can walk up and down, looking at or sniffing the object of interest.

Remember when you brought home bags full of food from the store and your cat ran to the bags, wiggling its tail as it did so. This was a clear demonstration of feline curiosity. The animal really wanted to know what the owner had brought, but to wait for unpacking is not in the rules of willful cats, so they bravely stick their muzzle, while twitching their tail.

We have considered all the possible reasons why a cat twitches its tail. And contrary to popular belief, this is not necessarily a warning sign or cause for concern at all.