10 Surprising Facts About Your Cat’s Tail

Cats’ tails get much less attention than their canine counterparts, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t just as (if not, more) fascinating. From cat behaviors to anatomy to unique breeds, there is a lot to learn about tails! Here are 10 surprising facts about your cat’s tail.
***
CAT OF THE WEEK
Enter your cat's picture and brief bio for a chance to be featured as "Cat of the Week."
★ Entry Form
➡️ www.thepurring...
***
CHAPTERS
Intro: 00:05
Fact #1: 00:28
Fact #2: 01:54
Fact #3: 02:35
Fact #4: 03:53
Fact #5: 04:33
Fact #6: 06:10
Fact #7: 07:10
Fact #8: 07:56
Fact #9: 08:33
Fact #10: 09:28
Cat of the Week: 10:05
Outro: 10:36
***
ABOUT US
The Purring Journal posts anything and everything related to cats. That's why our tagline is "Content for cat lovers." 😺
★ FAVORITE Cat Products
linktr.ee/thep...
★ Join this channel to get access to PERKS
bit.ly/444NRP3
★ Website
www.thepurring...
★ Merch
bit.ly/3kICZCt
***
DISCLAIMER
This video is made for entertainment purposes only. The Purring Journal is NOT in the medical field. Use the information presented in this video at your own risk. ALWAYS seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.
***
FOLLOW US
★ Instagram
/ thepurringjournal
★ Twitter
/ purringjournal
***
SOURCES
pangovet.com
fussiecat.com
catster.com
twocrazycatladies.com
blog.omlet.us
petsradar.com
purina.com
kritterkommunity.com
ccmr.cornell.edu
guinnessworldrecords.com
autumntrailsvet.com
wedgewood.com
***
SONGS
Main: "Cat on the Loose" by Tiki Tiki
Cat of the Week: "My Favorite Day" by Reed Mathis
***
#cats #catbehavior #catvideos

[@ThePurringJournal]

Which of these facts about cat tails did you find the most surprising? 🐈

[@ameliawarfield5637]

I know that a lashing tail means the cat is angry 😡.

[@NxNWhiskey]

Wow! 10% of their bones are in their tails! I had no idea!

[@alvaroq2024]

I don’t know anything about cats, hence my presence here. Mama cat got killed in the woods and now I’m looking after her two beautiful black kittens. (3 months old) ❤

[@rainbowtropolis]

That Manx cats have breeding issues. I agree that the breeders associations should take the health of animals into account when giving trophies so all the animals can have a chance to be healthy while still being our wonderful companions!

[@gabrielapaulinho1luv]

I was surprised that a cat's tail helps them with balance.

[@karyannfontaine8757]

My Maine Coon Cat, Alice and an amazingly long fluffy tail. If she liked people, she would sit with them and plume their faces with her tail. I love to see cats hold their tails up when the see me, Sadly, Alice passed away at 20 years old. I have an 18 year old male cat left who is very affectionate. Love to hear him purr.

[@RJDA.Dakota]

You should appreciate the fact that you had your cat that long. My kitty lived with me for just over 20 years as well. I still miss her.

[@jimbarron9939]

I had a flatmate in uni who had a kitten that broke his tail. It was at a 90 degree angle 2 or 3 inches from his butt, so no doubt it was broken. The vet wanted to amputate it but he refused - which turned out, at least in his case to be the right thing to do (or rather not do). With no splinting or first aid at all it straightened up and healed on its own to be fully flexible, straight and with normal functioning. Not sure it this was because it was so young or whether adult cats can do this as well. Just as with their claws, a functioning tail is extremely important to cats. You could survive, for example, despite a missing arm or leg. But that doesn't meant the loss is not hugely significant to you. Broken tails can cause problems, even serious ones, while healing. But if it were my cat, I'd wait and watch carefully for problems and not allow an amputation unless one arose that could not be treated without amputation.

[@7JCDiva]

I have a Manx and she was once featured as "Cat of the Week"...my Manx is fun and sassy and oh boy is she rambunctious...I have found the benefits of having a Manx such as not getting slapped in the face with a tail but in a way, I do miss it...but my Penny is something else...thanks for the info on cat tails Purring Journal

[@kasugaifox8571]

I recently got a manx cat. He is such a sweet. He was a freebi from a lady giving them away. He has such pretty green eyes. He has made friends with the other 9 cats I have.

[@scottbruner9266]

I just adopted two 8 week old sisters from SPCA Sacramento. One was born with an adorable little crook at the end of her tail. It is “evened out” by the radar dishes she calls ears.

[@melorbode]

My cat wags his tail like a dog when he is very happy. He slapps my face while getting pet...he wags his tail when he gets treats and when you call him for a treat.

[@itsjustme7487]

I thought my cat was the only face slapper. LOL😅😅

[@gabrielapaulinho1luv]

When my boy does that, I say in a high-pitched, soft voice: "Well, I never."🤭

[@MikeCohenSF]

@@itsjustme7487 My long hair cat does that.

[@Debz.W]

I really like your videos and find them very informative! I just want to add that a cat can poof their tails when they are happy too. I know this from experience because when my cat is really really happy when I’m petting him his tail goes all out poof!!! Hence his nickname Mr Pooftail!!! Yes I am very sure he’s happy and not scared or in defence mode. It’s really beautiful when he poofs his tail!!! I know he’s really happy 😃

[@charlesmoore1762]

Cats like to wrestle (some more than others). When resting near another cat, the instigator may slap its tail against the floor (sofa, bed, whatever) and then perhaps swat the other cat with it. Using the tail swat to provoke a "fight" is very common in my house. Two of my orange boys (neutered) begin most days by wrestling -- usually about 4:30 am (which is okay, because that's my usual wake-up time anyway. They are so funny! Sometimes I have to grab my phone and shoot a video (with the camera light off so they don't know I'm doing it). It's fun to watch the older stronger cat taunt the younger one during the short breaks in the action. The tail can be very active during these "fights."

[@ameliawarfield5637]

Awesome facts about cat tails.

[@joanbrooks619]

Omgaud I so love this channel!!! This was very interesting and satisfying to learn from... thank you so much for being attentive to the details ❤️ 💕 💛 💗 💖 ❤❤

[@resourcedragon]

Now I'm a little surprised that you said that only domestic cats hold their tails upright. Some years ago there was a long-running documentary series called "Big Cat Diary". One of the stars of this series was a cheetah called Half Tail (she'd had an accident). The film makers claimed that when cheetahs were not hunting they would go around with their tails up (and the other savannah animals recognised that the cheetah was not looking for dinner and largely ignored them) but that when the cheetahs' tails were down, that was a sign that the cheetah wanted to something to eat. Because Half Tail didn't have the regular length of appendage, the forest animals couldn't read the signs properly and so they'd be yarrking and squawking any time they saw her, even when her short tail was raised in the air. That said, many years ago, I had a surprisingly wild cat and she rarely walked around with her tail in the air. It definitely did swish menacingly if she felt that I was trying to thwart her from some mischief. (And yes, she was one of the best cats ever.)

[@edstevens4439]

My cat Kojak threw his tail out. He couldn't move it. I held it at the base and he gave a jerk forward. I felt the pop. He was fine then.

[@susanscott3333]

It's their mood ring.

[@pamelamays4186]

In the old Tom And Jerry cartoons, poor Tom often either gets his tail chopped off or chopped into pieces.

[@Opinionated181]

My cat almost had to have her tail amputated due to an injury, but the veterinary hospital was able to save it! 🙂 Poor kitty.

[@cherylcalogero3330]

I love your channel! Very interesting video today! ❤🐱❤

[@ThePurringJournal]

Thank you very much!

[@deirdrecaskenette5473]

I've always thought that when a cat tail is upright and curled at the end, it looked like a ?.

[@lw216316]

I'm fond of cats...was around them a lot in my younger days. I worked with a guy who when he was upset with you would pretend to be holding a cat, pretend to wind up its tail as if it was a wind- up lever and then pretend to throw it on you - even though I loved cats I thought that was very funny - always made me laugh.

[@pamelamays4186]

My Ace has a small break in the end of his tail that looks like a crook. Ace does like it when I wipe down his tail with a cleaning wipe.

[@michellecoleman5577]

Lol tails are my primary measuring device for determining how much longer I have to get this nail clipping or medicine session done before kitty decides they're done with this "being held" bull crap.

[@estamnar6092]

My cat is a siamese/manx mix, and his tail is about the size of your thumb, and hes absoloutely perfectly handsome. No story or anything, hes just the single best cat in my whole house, and no, your cat cant come over.

[@lauraadacerri1311]

Mi interessa molto scoprire la relazione tra la posizione della coda e lo stato d' animo del gatto....lo trovo molto interessante! Grazie come sempre per i video che ci mandi, sempre molto interessanti E complimenti a Cosmo che gran bel ragazzo...fai il bravo piccolo..😂 Grande gesto quello di averlo adottato da un rifugio.. Grazie ❤

[@dwuagneux]

I just wanted to add that when a cats tale is lashing, it can also mean that they are very excited, for example, when my boys are watching birds through the bay window.

[@terfalicious]

Cosmo! 😻

[@MikeCohenSF]

My shorthair always walks around with his tail up like a question mark. My long hair has a big fluffy tail like a squirrel's tail and she's always putting it right in my face.

[@nicolerfranklin71]

My cat broke his tail. For health reasons, it was amputated. Cost $800. The vet thought it would affect his balance, but so far, so good. He's an active, healthy 18-pounder.😂

[@sajjadali9174]

Thank you so much.

[@Pootycat8359]

I refer to what they do with their tails as "tail talk," and I understand some of the basic vocabulary. Two comments....Have you noticed when they attack each other, in play (especially kittens), they swish their tails back & forth, vigorously? I think that's part of their practice for potential future situations involving combat. Of course, when they stalk, preparing to pounce, their tails stick out, horizontally. Also, some of them wiggle their tail tips, while eating. Could that be a decoy, distracting a potential competitor away from the food?

[@ThePurringJournal]

Good question! That's a topic worth exploring. 🤔

[@MountainRaven1960]

0:33 if it wasn’t for that cat’s tail, you couldn’t tell if it was coming or going! 😂

[@wprobe]

I think the lower tail and neutral tail also occurs when the cat goes into hunting mode.

[@TheSleepingonit]

The litter box is below the shirts hanging in the closet, the other day I found one of my shirts in the litter box

[@ThePurringJournal]

@@TheSleepingonit 🙀🙀🙀

[@marymorris8185]

Move your litter box , under hanging cloths is asking for a mistake to happen.

[@thegreypath1777]

Or get a litter box with a “privacy lid”.

[@TheSleepingonit]

@@thegreypath1777 make it like a cave?

[@jimkon5767]

I like your stuff and am subscribed. Your point about wrapping the tail in a tight groove around themselves is not quite right. I've had cats for 40 years and they all wrapped themselves snugly with their tails. Keep the good stuff coming ...

[@MaiBarslev]

The Reersø-cat in Denmark do not have tails either

[@miketully9905]

I dunno how important a cat's tail is to balance. Manx cats have bobbed tails and they're no less agile that any other breed of cat. So, seriously, how important can a cat's tail be if a cat that doesn't have one to speak of is just as agile as one that does? That doesn't make sense to me. It sounds like one of those ideas that has been assumed to be true just because it sounds logical, when in fact no one has ever run any experiments to verify that particular hypothesis.

[@earthlightsmusic2743]

I think most vertebrates have a tail. I read that in mice if the tail doesn't develop, nigher do the kidneys, so it doesn't survive, so maybe the Manx trait also means something else inside missing if both parents have the gene.

[@InfiniteLoop]

Wild Cats never walk with their tail up because they can never be happy enough to do it, they know they will never be a house cat and live the great life.

[@DinksDinersArtbox]

I'm looking to get another cat. We lost our Kannika earlier this year. And I'm not sure I want, except I'm partial to Black and tuxedo cats. Just a personal preference, and I've ended up with one or the other throughout my life. So when looking around for a feline family member, who will be an indoor only cat, how do you discern the personality of a cat quickly on first meeting? Is this possible?

[@mindstateblunted]

my cat always wraps her tail around herself when sleeping... she never did differently

[@barbarycoast3972]

I consider a cats tail their subconscious mind or the extension of it. Easy to tell what my cats are thinking and what they are going to do by their tails, like when the tail is wrapped around my leg 🐈

[@mitk065]

10:12 👍

[@yvonnerogers6429]

👍🏻

[@MostlyIC]

it is a commonly repeated myth that cats use their tails for balance, if that were true then lynx and bob cats wouldn't have the agility to catch rabbits, their primary prey, and the weight of the tail is absolutely insignificant in the sense of a counter balance.

[@jimcurt99]

My boy Scotty has a little kink at the tip of hid tail- don't know if he was born that way or if he was injured when he was a tiny kitten (he was 5 months old when we found each other)

[@lw216316]

don't find these facts to be surprising...learned them by just being around cats and learning their language - their tail language and their voice language

[@georgeschnecker5338]

I did not want to say this but I have 7 spirit cats I got after my dad passed on one thing is one cat boomer is if he laps his tail on you it means big trouble but only happend once the (only) reason I can talk about them is that I can prove him in a minute so in my case you are never to even get the slightest brush .........or else .

[@Lion_of_Judea]

Ehhh.. Have you ever seen a Leopard?? (7:40)

[@vilod]

Counter balance is not what it's doing. We had a farm cat that lost its tail. He had no problems. And bobcats dont have tails.

[@Boombayaha]

First! Great vid ❤

[@karyannfontaine8757]

Second.

[@triadmad]

I had a Siamese named Dinsdale (see my avatar) who liked to be "spanked". I would spank him at the base of his tail, on the top side just above his back. He'd stand on his tip toes while I did it, and bristle out the fur at the base of his tail. He passed away in 2022 at the age of 16.

[@sandrajordan3802]

My cat doesn’t have a tail at all.

[@thegreypath1777]

@sandrajordan3802 - Do you know why?

[@sandrajordan3802]

@@thegreypath1777 I think he’s a product of inbreeding as he fell out from under a car as a kitten. He’s a little different but he’s my biggityboy

[@marymorris8185]

My husband knocked a stool over and cut our cats tail half off. Vet could not reattach it.

[@stephenhudson8739]

A cat's tail kind of looks to me to be a bit prehensile like a monkey