Shake, shake, shake. Shake, shake, shake. Shake your tail.
June 17, 2013 2:12 PM
My cats shake their tails, but only the bottom part. What gives?
I have 2 seven-year-old unrelated female cats who I've had since they were kittens. Their behavior has always puzzled me, especially in light of the previous cats I've had who were ultra normal.
The specific behavior I'm curious about involves how my girls shake the bottom parts of their tails sometimes. I've read that kittens hold their tails straight up and shake them when their mom comes around and this is an expression of happiness/excitement/greeting/whatever. Also, apparently male cats exhibit the same tail shaking behavior immediately prior to marking.
My cats sort of quiver their tails, but they never have their tails straight up and when they get to quivering, it's always the bottom 50% of their tails while the top half of their tails flop around like a dead fish. I initially noticed this behavior when I called them into the kitchen to eat their disgusting wet food, so I thought it was excitement, but I've also seen them doing it in different rooms when there's no hope of food.
Googeling "cat shaking the bottom half of her tail" doesn't help. WHAT ARE THESE WEIRDOS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE?
I have 2 seven-year-old unrelated female cats who I've had since they were kittens. Their behavior has always puzzled me, especially in light of the previous cats I've had who were ultra normal.
The specific behavior I'm curious about involves how my girls shake the bottom parts of their tails sometimes. I've read that kittens hold their tails straight up and shake them when their mom comes around and this is an expression of happiness/excitement/greeting/whatever. Also, apparently male cats exhibit the same tail shaking behavior immediately prior to marking.
My cats sort of quiver their tails, but they never have their tails straight up and when they get to quivering, it's always the bottom 50% of their tails while the top half of their tails flop around like a dead fish. I initially noticed this behavior when I called them into the kitchen to eat their disgusting wet food, so I thought it was excitement, but I've also seen them doing it in different rooms when there's no hope of food.
Googeling "cat shaking the bottom half of her tail" doesn't help. WHAT ARE THESE WEIRDOS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE?
It's to show affection/happiness. My cat does it as well. Check out youtube, there are plenty of cats
doing it.
posted by travelwithcats at 2:36 PM on June 17, 2013
doing it.
posted by travelwithcats at 2:36 PM on June 17, 2013
it's always the bottom 50% of their tails while the top half of their tails flop around like a dead fish.
My cat Sparky did this exact thing as a kitten: the base of his tail would shake while the tip would curl and uncurl like an animated question mark. It was his hopeful "I can has a fud?" gesture, and usually accompanied by meowing.
If they tend to do it within two hours of mealtime, it's probably dinner excitement. If not, it's probably just regular excitement.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:04 PM on June 17, 2013
My cat Sparky did this exact thing as a kitten: the base of his tail would shake while the tip would curl and uncurl like an animated question mark. It was his hopeful "I can has a fud?" gesture, and usually accompanied by meowing.
If they tend to do it within two hours of mealtime, it's probably dinner excitement. If not, it's probably just regular excitement.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:04 PM on June 17, 2013
One and only one of my cats does this, mostly when kneading me. It seems to be some sort of happiness/excitement/love movement.
posted by jeather at 3:14 PM on June 17, 2013
posted by jeather at 3:14 PM on June 17, 2013
The above posters are correct. Happiness! Contentment! Pleasure! Joy!
posted by bebrave! at 3:14 PM on June 17, 2013
posted by bebrave! at 3:14 PM on June 17, 2013
You are all so cute.
The tail shake is scenting behavior. They are attempting to distribute tiny bits of scent from their nether regions. Just like when they rub their cheeks on things, except well...
posted by Good Brain at 3:23 PM on June 17, 2013
The tail shake is scenting behavior. They are attempting to distribute tiny bits of scent from their nether regions. Just like when they rub their cheeks on things, except well...
posted by Good Brain at 3:23 PM on June 17, 2013
My cats do this when I get home - it's their way of being excited or saying they're really happy to see you.
posted by sephira at 3:38 PM on June 17, 2013
posted by sephira at 3:38 PM on June 17, 2013
Seriously, it's marking behavior (warning, video of cat marking behavior).
posted by MrMoonPie at 3:44 PM on June 17, 2013
posted by MrMoonPie at 3:44 PM on June 17, 2013
The tail shake is scenting behavior. They are attempting to distribute tiny bits of scent from their nether regions. Just like when they rub their cheeks on things, except well...
Every cat behavior blog or book I've ever read has said that the tail shake can mean either marking behavior or excitement. If it's a spayed female, I'd assume the latter.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:48 PM on June 17, 2013
Every cat behavior blog or book I've ever read has said that the tail shake can mean either marking behavior or excitement. If it's a spayed female, I'd assume the latter.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:48 PM on June 17, 2013
My kitties do it too! I asked about it here! Happy Cats!!!!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:53 PM on June 17, 2013
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:53 PM on June 17, 2013
My male cat does it, and we asked the vet because we were worried about him spraying (we'd just moved).
That vet had a huuuuuge crush on our big male Orangie, and the feeling was mutual - so he actually did his shaky-tail routine for her when we took him in for a check up. She confirmed it was the sign of a Very Happy Cat who is Thrilled to See You! Probably does include pheromone release... but that's why they rub their cheeks on you too. They like you and want you to smell like *them*.
He's been doing this for several years now, and has never sprayed/marked anything despite several moves and varying neighbourhood cats. (Good kitty!)
posted by jrobin276 at 5:15 PM on June 17, 2013
That vet had a huuuuuge crush on our big male Orangie, and the feeling was mutual - so he actually did his shaky-tail routine for her when we took him in for a check up. She confirmed it was the sign of a Very Happy Cat who is Thrilled to See You! Probably does include pheromone release... but that's why they rub their cheeks on you too. They like you and want you to smell like *them*.
He's been doing this for several years now, and has never sprayed/marked anything despite several moves and varying neighbourhood cats. (Good kitty!)
posted by jrobin276 at 5:15 PM on June 17, 2013
only my male cat does this. when he does, he's Shakytail Magee.
posted by hollisimo at 7:37 PM on June 17, 2013
posted by hollisimo at 7:37 PM on June 17, 2013
I've always known this to mean the cat is very happy to see you. And a cat breeder once told me it was called Ticky Tail.
posted by MexicanYenta at 9:41 PM on June 17, 2013
posted by MexicanYenta at 9:41 PM on June 17, 2013
I have a spayed female who sprays (fortunately only outside, ew) and she shakes her tail like this when spraying, AND when generally excited. I think the two things probably are connected somewhere deep in their little kitty brains.
posted by lollusc at 10:45 PM on June 17, 2013
posted by lollusc at 10:45 PM on June 17, 2013
I think this page was linked on another ask recently. Tons of info on cat body language. Sounds like happy/excited cat.
posted by catatethebird at 3:56 AM on June 18, 2013
posted by catatethebird at 3:56 AM on June 18, 2013
I forgot to mention: one of my cats, who was adopted and neutered in adulthood and certainly sprayed as a stray, still goes through the motions with the shaky tail and all (though nothing comes out, thank goodness). He always does it with his butt to something: usually the cabinets under the kitchen counter (happy food area) or the bed (happy sleep and snuggle with humans area). His tail's straight aside from the shaking, not flopping around.
I'd say that if they have their butt facing a surface and tend to do it in the same places, it's definitely a marking attempt. If they're standing in the open, it might be a marking-related/derived behavior, but they're probably not thinking about marking territory.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:40 AM on June 18, 2013
I'd say that if they have their butt facing a surface and tend to do it in the same places, it's definitely a marking attempt. If they're standing in the open, it might be a marking-related/derived behavior, but they're probably not thinking about marking territory.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:40 AM on June 18, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
My cat does the same thing. Here's the thing you're missing: to a greedy cat, there is always hope of food.
posted by Think_Long at 2:21 PM on June 17, 2013