Cats have long been known for being independent creatures who don’t always follow human rules. They often get into trouble when they decide to go exploring or play outside. Can you imagine what would happen if a cat lost its tail?
Cats have a unique anatomy that allows them to move around without having to rely on their legs. Their bodies are built in such a way that they can rotate 360 degrees at the waist. This means that they can turn themselves upside down and even walk backward.
However, cats also have a very sensitive tail that helps them balance and navigate through obstacles. If a cat loses its tail, it won’t be able to move properly. The result? It’ll become disoriented and fall over.
So as you can see, tails are incredibly important to cats. But like dogs, can cats actually control their tails?
Can Cats Control Their Tails?
Yes! In fact, this is something that all felines do naturally. When a cat wants to stop moving forward, it will simply raise its tail up above its backside.
This is called “tail-flagging” and it’s used by cats to communicate with other animals. For example, if your cat suddenly stops walking and does this with its tail, it may be trying to tell you that there’s an intruder nearby.
Another interesting use of tail-flagging is when cats want to attract attention from humans. By raising its tail, a cat can signal to us that it wants to interact.
In addition to communicating with each other, cats can also control their tails using only their minds. A cat can voluntarily raise its tail by thinking about doing so.
For instance, if you’re playing with your cat and she starts running away, you might notice her tail start to wag. You then think to yourself: “Oh no, I’m going to chase after my cat.” At this point, your cat will immediately realize that you’ve started chasing her, and they’ll run faster than ever before.
In short, yes, cats can control their tails. However, if a cat loses or damages its tail because of an injury or illness, it cannot control it anymore.
Limp Tails
It’s a very unfortunate thing that we can’t communicate with our cats. If they have a problem, they have to find creative ways to tell us. A limp tail can often be the biggest sign that there’s something wrong. A limp tail is when your cat’s tail doesn’t move as it used to. In some cases, it might not move at all.
A limp tail is one of the most common signs of feline health problems. There are many reasons why a cat could lose control over its tail. Some of these include cancer, infection, trauma, and congenital defects.
If your cat has a limp tail, it should never be ignored. Your vet should examine your cat to determine the cause.
Cancer is the leading cause of death among domestic cats. Sadly, some cancers can affect the tail. One of the most common types of cancer that affects the tail is anal sac carcinoma (ASCC).
As the name suggests, ASCC occurs in the anus area. Most commonly, this type of cancer develops in older cats. It usually causes a lump near the base of the tail.
The good news is that ASCC is highly treatable. Surgery is typically performed to remove the tumor. After surgery, your cat will need regular checkups to ensure that the cancer doesn’t return.
Other forms of cancer can also affect the tail. Skin tumors, lymphoma, leukemia, and mammary tumors are just a few examples.
Trauma is another reason why a cat’s tail could be affected. Common injuries include car accidents, dog bites, and falls.
Congenital defects are another possible cause of a limp tail. These conditions occur during birth and can affect any part of the body.
One of the most common congenital defects is hemangiomas. Hemangiomas are growths on the skin caused by abnormal blood vessels. They can grow anywhere on the body but are most commonly found on the head and neck.
Hemangiomas can appear as red dots or lumps on the skin. They don’t normally hurt your cat unless they get too big. The best way to prevent them from getting bigger is to keep your cat indoors.
One final note about limping tails…if your cat’s tail looks swollen, it could mean that he has a urinary tract infection. Urinary tract infections are fairly easy to treat. Just give your cat a dose of antibiotics and watch for improvement.
Tail Loss
When a cat loses their tail, it’s a sad day indeed. Losing your cat’s tail is one of the worst things that can happen to them. This happens due to several different reasons.
Some of the more common causes of tail loss include:
Infection
Cancer
Trauma
Congenital defect
Spinal cord disease
Urolithiasis
Urethral obstruction
As mentioned above, each of these conditions can result in a cat losing its tail. Fortunately, most of these conditions are easily treated.
If your cat loses its tail, contact your veterinarian right away. They’ll be able to perform tests to determine what’s causing the loss. Once the issue has been identified, the doctor can recommend treatment options.
Infections are one of the most common causes of tail loss. Many times, an infected tail becomes gangrenous. Gangrene is when tissue dies because there isn’t enough oxygen available. Because of this, the only option left is amputation.
Another common infection that can lead to tail loss is FIP. FIP stands for feline infectious peritonitis. This condition is often fatal if not caught early. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and lethargy.
FIP is spread through feces and urine. To help prevent this condition, you should make sure that your cat always wears clean litter boxes. Also, try to avoid letting your cat lick himself after using the bathroom.
Final Thoughts
Yes, your cat can control their tail. And tails are incredibly important. Remember to help your little one take care of it as much as possible. Losing that tail that they have control over would be heartbreaking.
I’m Courtney Trent and I hope that I can answer some burning questions that you have about cats, as well as some questions that you’d never have thought to ask before.
I am aiming to shed new light on these amazing pets and hopefully change some people’s opinions on them. Also, let’s talk about wild cats - they’re just as awesome as domestic cats!
So, stay a while and learn more about domestic and wild cats from Windhaven Ocicats.
