Is a cat's tail involuntary? Does it move on it's own?

[howard]

I always wonder this.

Is it like blinking for humans?

 

[shanynne]

LOL no not involuntary at all! They pretty much move their tails according to their moods, etc.

 

[howard]

So, cats move their tail consciously then.

Nice to know.

Thanks.

 

[killerapple]

Well, if you get an email that ticks you off, your brows will furrow and your heart may start beating faster, etc. It's the same thing with a cat - their tails reflect a mood.

 

[lmunsie]

I always know cello's mood by the way he flicks his tail! it's pretty funny

 

[katkisses]

LoL, a couple of mine will hit me with their tail on purpose if they are sitting close to me. I think some of their tail movements are similar to us breathing, it just happens. Other times I think it is completely on purpose.

For example, I was holding Cody on the table at the vets office, waiting on the vet to come back to the room, and every time I leaned over to hug/kiss Cody, he would start slapping me in the face with his tail, as if to say "I am sick of this place, put me in the car and take me back home!" He wasn't mad or that upset, just being a turd.

 

[addiebee]

It is an instantaneous communication between the brain and the tail, IMHO! Like when you see someone you like, you don't consciously think... I am going to break into a smile... but cats use their tails to communicate with US if we read them correctly AND with other cats.

 

[mystik spiral]

Originally Posted by KatKisses

LoL, a couple of mine will hit me with their tail on purpose if they are sitting close to me.

When I am on my laptop and Holland decides she is being ignored, she will hop up onto the table, stand between me and the computer screen, and give my face a couple good flicks with her tail.

 

[katkisses]

Originally Posted by AddieBee

It is an instantaneous communication between the brain and the tail, IMHO! Like when you see someone you like, you don't consciously think... I am going to break into a smile... but cats use their tails to communicate with US if we read them correctly AND with other cats.

Yeah, you explained it better than I can.

 

[mysterycat]

Sometimes I'm having a hard time on reading Charlie's tail movement

 

[cheylink]

This thread made me giggle....in the best way! I have always joked about the triple a batteries they store in their tails. Sometimes it seems like their tails have a mind of their own, or atleast batteries of their own

.
A kitties tail is the first point of communication. Sometimes I play with Maia just because I know she is always listening to what I am doing

. While she is curled up next to me I will talk to her, calmly tell her "I love you" and her tail will twitch every time!

Originally Posted by AddieBee

but cats use their tails to communicate with US if we read them correctly AND with other cats.

I totally agree! This is the center of kitty communication, and it works better with those willing to read between the tails

 

[citty-cat]

My 3 year old neutered male feline seems to become very annoyed at the apparently involuntary twitching of his tail on numerous occasions. He tries to subdue it and control it but it has a mind of its own!!! Is this normal???

 

[nansiludie]

 
My 3 year old neutered male feline seems to become very annoyed at the apparently involuntary twitching of his tail on numerous occasions. He tries to subdue it and control it but it has a mind of its own!!! Is this normal???

Has he ever had a tail injury that you know of? He could have gotten it injured and it now may have nerve damage. I think you should take him to the Vet and let them look at it. It must be either painful or uncomfortable.

 

[kkoerner]

I think of tail flicking like us tapping our feet when we are being impatient or ticked off at someone.

Faster/harder "tapping" meaning I'm so mad I could just _____.... LOL