Tail length

I was just sitting here petting Nora, and a thought came to mind. Does a cat's tail affect how well they are able to jump? All three boys have really long tails, and they have already been exploring on top of our kitchen cabinets and wherever else high up they can go. Nora on the other hand has a really short tail, and other than minimal trips onto the counter and onto our bed to sleep, she doesn't jump very much. Could her short tail be the reason for that? Maybe she doesn't feel as stable? I just thought I'd ask and see what you all think. I'm just sitting here bored and weird things pop to mind. haha!

I've never noticed any correlation as even a short tail still works as it should. You'd probably have to ask manx owners instead.

I have however noticed a difference in how bold a cat is based on gender. Males are far more likely to be up exploring risky areas. I've always noticed that most female cats seem to weigh the odds a bit more carefully (especially cats vs kittens).

I don't think tail length matters very much if at all. I think like people there are a range of atheltic abilites in cats that have to do with many factors: weight, age, joint issues, energy levels and personality, etc...

I also don't think gender is a big component. I've seen some lazy-bum male kitties and had 2 olympic athelete type females who will climb or jump anything. Aya is one of them. The other, our late family pet Gracie, used to take running leaps 8 feet up into trees, and caught a baby rabbit a third of her size at 13yrs of age 6 mos before she passed.

The one case where I know a physical factor has influenced a cat is our family pet Midori. She is a polydactyl with 2 extra thumbs on her front feet. This means she stands with her front legs turned out at an odd angle. There is also something wierd about her hips. She sashays side to side as she walks stiffly like board. As she has aged, she is now 10, she is reluctant to jump or climb more than the distance from the floor to the bed. And even when young she was never a graceful feline. she goes 'thud' when she lands, and she's not a heavy cat always 8-9lbs.

Its probably a contributing factor to balance, the same way long limbs make you better at most sports. Its all about what you do with those natural advantages. Being used to the length is another factor; there is a cat with a partially amputated tail at the shelter I visit, and even 2 years after having his tail halved he has problems jumping well.

Its not the size that counts, its how you use it... said the insecure cat.

In all seriousness though, I had read the japanese bobtail cat didn't have any agility issues. *shrugs*

Originally Posted by Ducman69

Its not the size that counts, its how you use it... said the insecure cat.

Click to expand...

Cute!

Originally Posted by Ducman69

Its not the size that counts, its how you use it... said the insecure cat.

Click to expand...

Defintely the train of thought that came to my mind too.

As for the OP, I wouldn't really know. Both my cats have really long tails and neither are particularly agile. Belle's always been a bit of a clutz, whereas Delilah's agility has decreased appropriately with the increase in the size of her back end!

Lazlo has a REALLY long tail, and he's a total spaz. Flowerbelle has a normal sized tail for her frame, I guess, and she is REALLY agile and leaps around like a madwoman.

I don't know, I never really thought about it. Lynxx's tail was very long, even when he was a kitten, he was an excellent pouncer. He even pounced from the floor to the ceiling rafters of the place we boarded him at. We had to get him down. And no the ceiling rafters weren't low. That's why we boarded him at the vets every vacation after that.

Midnight's tail started off very little, and shorthair. Now his tail is long, and fluffier than Luna's. He can pounce, but he's not as good as Luna. I don't think it's because of his tail. I think it's because all his weight is in his bum. If his bum slips, he goes right down.

Luna's tail has always been long and fluffy. She's an excellent pouncer. She never misses. She even makes it look easy!