What's with her tail???

Sooo ever since Roxie was a kitten she has held her tail down and kind of curled... almost like a pig tail... She is able to move it and it doesn't seem to bother her or anything. Sometimes we see it straighten out, like when she is running around having her cat crazies and when she is eating etc.

When we went to the vet for her yearly back a few months ago we asked the vet and he said that it was a probably just an idiosyncrasy that she has.

BF and I are worried that it may be something more that just that. What do you guys think? Should we go to another vet for another opinion? And what do you think it could be? Anyone ever seen another cat with a tail like that?

I feel bad for my baby I dont want her to suffer or anything. Take a look and let me know what you think!

I would definitely get a second vet's opinion. Aries' (My mom's cat) tail all of a sudden starting pointing down a few months ago. My mom took Aries to the vet a couple days later, and it turned out the cat had an abcess at the base of her tail that needed to be drained.

I've never seen a curly tail like your cat's. It may be nothing, but it's best to have another vet check it out. I've found that vets often have different opinions. Aries had been losing weight for more than a year. Her regular vet had told my mom that the weight loss was just due to old age and was normal. Well, when Aries went to see a different vet about the tail abcess, that vet noticed how skinny she was and ran tests and diagnosed her with a thyroid problem! So I think a second opinion is always a good idea.

Good luck! I hope it's nothing and just a cute, unique tail!

It's apparently a genetic mutation. There's a long section on the history of curly tailed cats on this page, toward the bottom:

http://www.messybeast.com/bobtail-cats.html

If the cat is healthy and active, and the tail is mobile, I wouldn't worry.

Does she twitch it like a normal cat?

Originally Posted by emmylou

It's apparently a genetic mutation. There's a long section on the history of curly tailed cats on this page, toward the bottom:

http://www.messybeast.com/bobtail-cats.html

If the cat is healthy and active, and the tail is mobile, I wouldn't worry.

Does she twitch it like a normal cat?

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Oh wow, that link was amazing! The pictures look exactly the same as Roxie's tail!! Yes, she twitches it like a normal cat does. That's why we were so confused. We knew that if it was a break she would lose some movement and would have had pain at some point but there never was any of that. One day we just noticed her tail hung differently! Every time someone comes over they always ask whats wrong with her tail and I felt so bad for her! But now I'm kinda excited, we have a unique little girl! It doesn't surprise me after reading the article -- She was a stray kitten found in a parking lot and then fostered through a shelter which we adopted her from.

I feel much better now, what a relief!! I was getting ready to have to pay for some big surgery or something! At her next vet visit I will probably mention it again just to be safe. I think we are going to switch vets too, I don't care too much for the one we use now.

Thank you so much emmylou for the amazing info! I can't wait to tell people that she is a "rare" cat when they ask us what is wrong with her tail

Heehee, I think it's cute! ^_^

Bestia's brother had a curled tail and I thought it was the cutest thing in the whole world!

Originally Posted by TortieBaby

Heehee, I think it's cute! ^_^

Bestia's brother had a curled tail and I thought it was the cutest thing in the whole world!

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I always thought it was pretty cute myself... but I was nervous at the same time... this was a huge relief! Thanks guys

She's adorable!

I want a piggy tailed cat!

It's interesting that she's a tortie. My mom's tortie has a kinked tail, as did a stray tortie I once met. My boyfriend has a black cat who holds her tail bent over her back rather than behind her.

Originally Posted by cloud_shade

It's interesting that she's a tortie. My mom's tortie has a kinked tail, as did a stray tortie I once met. My boyfriend has a black cat who holds her tail bent over her back rather than behind her.

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It's funny that you mention the tortie thing because when I tried to look up pictures most of the cats with this trait were either torties, black cats or ginger. Maybe it's somehow linked to their coloring too

I have no idea, lol, just a theory -- plus there were some different colored cats in the mix. Who knows really, there wasn't much info when I tried to search further!

Well, now that you mention it....

Bestia's brother is all black too and his mom is a tortie?!?!

Originally Posted by TortieBaby

Well, now that you mention it....

Bestia's brother is all black too and his mom is a tortie?!?!

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So maybe we do have a little theory going...

I'm going to try and do some more research! This is so interesting to me!!

I found it interesting, too. I hadn't heard of it or seen a cat like that before this week. But those pictures of the curly-tailed cats were awfully cute... made me want one.