Do you know how to decode your pet's tail twitches? It’s our job as pet owners to recognize when our dog or cat
is feeling happy, uncomfortable or scared. Our pets give us numerous signs of
their feelings through their body language. They give signals that we can learn to decode
with the right information.
Catster and the
ASPCA give us tips for learning the
tale of the tail – or what your pet’s tail movements mean for their mood.
A cat’s tail is an incredible tool of self expression. If
you are unable to read the expression on your cat’s face, always look to their
tail.
Catster
tells us that you can tell a lot about your cat’s mood from the height and
movement of their tail.
-
A Tall Tail
held straight up in the air is a sign of a happy cat. Your cat may be saying,
“I’m happy to see you!”
-
A Question Mark
Tail where the tail is straight up in the air but hooked forward at the tip
indicates a curious but unsure cat. Give your cat a little encouragement and
assure them that the situation is okay if you see this tail.
-
Tip Twitch is a
relaxed tail that starts to twitch back and forth at its tip and is an early sign
of over stimulation. Your cat may have had enough with the current situation and
is ready to move on.
-
Tail Flip is
when
your cat whips their full tail once in a single direction. They may be giving
you a little bit of ‘tude. You may see this twitch if you need to scold your
cat for bad behavior; it’s a “yeah, whatever” from your cat.
-
Tail Hug is if
you are lucky enough to have a cat tail wrapped around your wrist. Consider it
an affectionate hug!
-
Exclamation
Point Tail is a startled vertical tail position and is often accompanied with
an arched back and fur standing on end. Your cat may have been caught by
surprise by something. A soothing voice and slow petting will help them to calm
down.
- Hunting Tail is when a cat is stalking prey, whether it’s a mouse or a favorite toy. They will hunker
down low to the ground and stretch out their tail behind them, where it may
twitch slightly. This cat is full of adrenaline and ready to pounce!
A dog’s tail can, surprisingly, be more complicated to
decode. Although a wagging tail does often mean a happy dog, this movement does
not always mean your dog is pleased and ready to play. The
ASPCA
tells us a bit about decoding a dog’s tail, noting that one of the most
important things is to know your dog’s resting tail position.
While most dogs have a relaxed tail that hangs low to the
ground, certain breeds have a tail that hangs naturally in more intense
positions, like a pug’s curly tail or a greyhound’s naturally tucked-under
tail. Knowing your dog’s natural tail position will help you to decode their
emotions.
-
Relaxed Tail in
its natural position means that your dog is at ease.
-
Gentle Wag is a
tail that wags slowly side to side and indicates a happy dog.
-
Forceful Wag is when
your dog’s tail wags enthusiastically back and forth or even in a circular
pattern and it indicates that they are excited to see you!
-
Low Wag or
Tucked Tail is if your dog’s tail is held lower than normal or curled
underneath them just between their back legs. This means they are feeling nervous or
submissive. The may still wag their tail side to side in a rapid manner, but if
the tail is low, this is a nervous wag.
- High, Stiff Tail is when your dog is alert. You may see them hold their tail higher than usual in a
stiff position without any movement.
- Flagging Tail is if
your dog is alert with a high tail and starts to “flag,” or rigidly move his
tail back and forth. This is a sign that your dog is standing their ground. It
may look like a tail wag at first, but the rigid movement actually indicates a
more threatening behavior.
Once you learn the way pets talk with their tails, you can
learn the best ways to communicate with your pet!
