Tail Quiver #Caturday
Happy #Caturday from Feline Behavior Manager Saffron!
When cats are feeling relaxed and friendly, you'll often see them walk around with their tail held straight up in the air, or maybe even in a 'question mark' pose! At times- often when you have just come home, or maybe when you're about to open a can of wet food- you may see your cat 'quiver' or vibrate their tail. This is a sign of happiness that means your cat is excited to see you, or excited for what is happening, like feeding them or playing with their favorite toy.🪀
Why the tail-up pose when a cat is relaxed and happy? Think of it this way: if a cat is willing to expose a vulnerable part of their body to someone else, it means they trust them, so if you often find yourself with a cat butt in your face, you should take it as a compliment- its the equivalent of your cat saying they love and trust you! Cats will also frequently sniff each other’s butts as a method of identifying and greeting each other, and will typically only want to expose their butt to another cat who they are comfortable with.🐈
Some people, when they see their cat quiver their tail in excitement, think that their cat maybe spraying. The happy-quiver does greatly resemble the motion that cats do when they are urine marking, but it's quite easy to tell when they are spraying as they will typically be backed up to a wall or other vertical surface- and of course you can smell and see the urine after! Though these two behaviors look very similar, they are not linked: a cat who says hi with a happy tail quiver is not more likely to spray than any other cat. One common thing that will more likely than not result in a cat spraying, is not spaying or neutering them, so be sure to spay and neuter your kitties!😽
It's important to not mistake a bristling, puffy, or thrashing tail for a happy quivering tail. A cat who has their tail fur puffed up or is thrashing their tail back and forth a lot could be feeling scared and willing to act in an aggressive manner, or they could be overstimulated and/or have a desire to play. If it's a sign of fear/aggression, you will likely see a lot of other obvious signs- growling, hissing, staring, and a very tense body, for example. A cat with a poofy tail or wagging tail who is in the mood to play will not display these warning signs, and they will often start engaging in what we call ‘zoomies’! In those cases, it's a sign to play with your cat. Throw some toys around for them to chase, or start swinging their favorite wand toy around to give them a healthy outlet for that energy- otherwise you may find yourself with a cat who tries to play with your ankles as you walk around your home, and it's much better for everyone if they direct their playful energy towards a toy rather than your skin!
Read the full Caturday archive for more topics:https://humanesocietysoco.org/owner-support/caturdays/
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