Cat Behavior: Tail in the Face

Cats communicate through body language to let other cats and their owners understand their needs.

Cats use their tails to communicate with their owners and with other animals as well. Cats may lower their tails and swish them back and forth when angry or raise them high and quiver the end slightly as a sign of affection or excitement. Cats may also turn away from someone and place their tails in a person's face. What does that mean?

Love and Trust

Your cat is not dissing you if he does an about face and puts his tail in your face. Cats identify with one another through smell, and smelling of the backside among cats can be likened to a handshake greeting among people. What your cat is actually saying is that he loves you so much that you are welcome to smell his scent--not that you should take advantage of the invitation, of course!

Desiring Attention

If your cat is repeatedly approaching you and then doing an about face with tail pointed straight up, her body language is suggesting that she wants to be noticed. The gesture should be considered a compliment and not an annoyance. Your cat may want to be scratched on the backside, just above the tail.

Respect

Kittens typically approach their mothers with a tail straight up like a flagpole as a way of signaling both love and respect. If your cat approaches you with a tail held high and the end slightly bent, consider it a compliment and that he views you as a favorite beloved parent figure of sorts.

Other Interests

A cat may approach you, turn, and point her back end toward you with the tail raised and then quickly move on. This may very well be her way of simply acknowledging you in a loving way and then telling you she has other interests she wishes to pursue. Any feline owner knows that a cat is highly independent, so be grateful that your cat took time to acknowledge you lovingly before taking care of other matters of interest.

Overall Communications

Your cat doesn't rely entirely on his tail to communicate. To have the best possible understanding of what your cat is really trying to communicate, you need to look at his overall body posture, tail, ears, eyes, and voice. Cats typically make it a point to make sure their owners know what they want, and if your cat is approaching you with a raised tail and presents its backside to you, you can be assured it is a positive sign--at least in the animal kingdom. That's because a tail in the face is never offered if your cat feels threatened, is aggressive, or is ready to fight or flee.

References

• Reading Your Cat's Body Language
• Tail Talk
• Best Cat Art

Resources

• Cat Behavior