Humans often affiliate the motion of “tail wagging” with dogs. Canines are pretty easy with their tail communication. Cats, nevertheless, are far more delicate of their physique language and cat tail wagging may be very nuanced.
Marilyn Krieger, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and creator, says, “Although tails are expressive, eyes, ears, and body positions combined with the tail language paint a more complete picture of how cats feel.” Cat tail wagging can imply many alternative issues. Here’s decipher the messages despatched by cat tail wagging!
1. What “The Swish” Means
Marilyn Krieger advises, “The direction and speed [with] which cats move and swish their tails conveys their feelings. When felines thrash their tails quickly back and forth, it indicates that they are unhappy and want to be left alone. Tails that move slowly from left to right often indicate that cats are mildly annoyed. Sometimes, cats who are playing will swish their tails from side to side before pouncing.”
This means we must always take note of the way in which our cats swish their tails and never make assumptions.
2. What “The Twitch” Means in Cat Tail Language
We’ve all seen any such cat tail wagging: A cat is sitting on a windowsill concentrating on close by birds or rodents when her tail begins twitching. It’s not the identical motion because the beforehand talked about “thrashing,” however it could look comparable. Their ears, eyes, and vocalizations will point out if she’s upset or just sustaining laser-sharp give attention to a squirrel. As with the thumping, the twitch additionally carries the message, “Leave me alone.”
3. What “The Quiver” Means
A “quiver” is a fast, tiny cat tail-wagging motion. When your cat is worked up to see you, she could strategy you together with her tail in a vertical position, with simply the tip of it making fast, little quivering motions, much like a rattlesnake’s tail. Unlike the snake’s warning sign, a quivering kitty tail is a welcome sight and is often accompanied by purring, face rubbing, and generally even pleased vocalizations. Return the greeting, even in the event you can’t fairly do the tail-shaking factor.
4. What “The Sleepy Flick” Means
Unlike dogs, who’re more than pleased to come back when referred to as, cats prefer to mull over the state of affairs and determine if we’re price their time at that actual second. When meals is concerned, there’s usually no query—all they’ve to listen to is the pop-top of a can and so they race into the kitchen like a baseball participant sliding into home base.
Other instances, in the event that they’re sleeping once we name their names, they prefer to play video games. Instead of blatantly acknowledging us, they select to satisfy us with a single—generally ever-so-subtle—flick of a sleepy tail. This is cat tail wagging meaning, “Yeah, I hear you—I’m just choosing to ignore you.”
This kind of cat tail wagging is definitely an indication of contentment as a result of your cat is telling you that she feels comfy remaining asleep in your presence. The backside line, nevertheless, is that cats are going to do the whole lot on their phrases, which is not any shock to anybody who shares their lives with a kitty.
The Bottom Line on Cat Tail Wagging
A cat’s tail can be a barometer of their emotions. Cat tail wagging is a approach to talk these emotions with us, however we should take into account your entire image, together with non-tail physique language and total demeanor, earlier than precisely deciphering it. When we be taught to learn the messages our cats are sending us, we are going to reply accordingly and develop a trusting, respectful relationship with our beloved felines.
Featured Image Credit: YULIYA Shustik, Shutterstock
