Why does she walk like this?

Why does my one cat seem to always walk with her tail flipped up like this? Yes, she is fixed, and she's about 7 years old. Her tail also seems to have a little kink about 2 inches before the end.

Maybe she thinks shes a dog? lol

Really though, maybe she is the dominant cat? Is it the same way as with dogs that the 'alpha' will walk with its tail high up and the subordinates with their tail lower?

Its just the way she is...all my abys walk with the tail up, especially when thry're happy!

I think it just means that she's happy and content Jaffa walks around with his tail vertical almost all the time, and I think when they carry it over their body like your cat seems to be doing, that's just a variation.

There are some pictures of tail posture here with explanations of what they mean - scroll down the page a bit

http://www.messybeast.com/cat_talk2.htm

My girl walks with her tail the other way...curling down in the back, like a question mark. Is this significant? I am not familiar with any of the 'tail language'.

Originally Posted by urbantigers

I think it just means that she's happy and content

Jaffa walks around with his tail vertical almost all the time, and I think when they carry it over their body like your cat seems to be doing, that's just a variation.

There are some pictures of tail posture here with explanations of what they mean - scroll down the page a bit

http://www.messybeast.com/cat_talk2.htm

Click to expand...

Wow, that's a great site, thanks!

I read the cat tail site and it says that Gizmo is 'friendly but unsure'. I disagree with the analysis; she's very happy and playful and has been in the apartment for a year now. I think she just has a long tail (Gizzy's is longer than normal) and she likes to carry it with a slight droop at the tip.

My belief is that carrying the tail forward is genetic.

We have 3 male cats, about 8 months old, and all 3 carry their tails in this way. Their mother's tail is the same way even though their father's tail is carried in what would be considered a 'normal' way.

Their tails do go down whenever they're not active, but when playing (except when a heavy duty wrestling match is going on), going from place to place, their tails are always up and forward.

In my dealings with cats over the years, the position of the tail during normal times for the cat is more a result of their parents and not their environment.

Andy