Our cats are very good at showing us what they do and do not like but whether we read their disdain for something is a different matter. From the scratching post to the food they eat, cats are looking for very specific things to help them stay in tip top condition. If your cat has continually scratched the carpet, left food untouched or soiled outside the litterbox, your cat is trying to tell you that they don't have the resources and/or set-up they need.
When trying to read our cats we should always look at the whole picture - their face, their vocalisations, body, ears and tail and then put it into context by looking at their actions and what is happening around them. One part of the cat's anatomy that is a highly visual signal, from which we can tell a lot - is the tail.
What your cat's tail is trying to tell you.
Cats' tails often communicate their mood as well as giving us clues to their motivation. Below are some common cat tail positions and what they mean.
- The flagpole or a vertically held tail (as in the picture) - a beacon to other cats that they are on the scene.
- Held high with a question mark appearance - friendly greeting
- Loosely horizontal - a relaxed kitty!
- Lashing back and forth - an irritated kitty.
- Held low - unsure or afraid. In some contexts this can also be a defensive position.
- Depressed with tip wagging - stalking potential prey
Tail anatomy and function
The cat's tail is an extension of the spine and therefore a highly functional but vulnerable part of the body . The tail is an important tool for balancing and a cat will adjust their tail accordingly to changes in the platform they are walking on in order to remain stable. There are scent glands located at the base of the tail and also either side of the anus and many cat owners will have observed cats, both domestic and wild, rubbing their flanks to emit scent onto objects within their environment for various reasons (but that's a whole other blog post). When a cat sprays, his tail will twitch or quiver to ensure the target is well and truly marked.
Cat preferences and cat flaps
Any cat owner will know that cats have specific preferences for lots of things within their environment. Generally, cats do not like change. The changes may be environmental or physical but cats this can cause some degree of stress. Any cat that spends time outdoors can gain a lot from having access to and from the outside environment. Cats need space and are able to gain some personal space by using the cat flap. A cat that disappears through the cat flap as soon as a gaggle of visitors arrive in the house is attempting to do just that! Threats and stressful situations can occur indoors and outdoors, so the ability to create space and create distance can be very valuable to cats, particularly those in multi-pet households or those with neighbouring tyrant cats. However, for some cats, the flap itself, is something to be wary of.
Cat flap conundrums
I have witnessed cats perfect their own techniques for getting through a cat flap like it is some kind of obstacle to be conquered in a cat's version of 'It's a knockout'. A cat that was perfectly happy sauntering through a basic manual swing cat flap would then have to psych itself up to going through a microchip operated replacement flap and bolt through the flap at lightning speed. Such a change in behaviour doesn't necessarily correlate to the technological difference in cat flaps but it does tell us that the cat finds this flap somewhat adverse. The same is true of cats I have observed taking a stealth like approach through the flap once they get to the point of getting their tail to the other side. There could be many reasons why these cats behave in this way - from a one off adverse experience with the flap to associations with what awaits them on the outdoors e.g. a flap with a perfect distance from ground dwelling birds. However, what we can say, is that if a cat continues to use the cat flap, then their motivation to move into a different space is greater than their dislike of using the flap. There has been little research on cat preference regarding cat flaps but for the owner, if their cat uses it, then their money and time has been put to good use.
Cat flaps and pain
We need to be mindful that associations with the cat flap may be due to an adverse experience which caused the cat pain and although this pain may have been short-lived, for the cat, the memory and association remains. However, any sudden onset of behaviour that is not 'normal' for the cat should be checked out by a vet as there may be underlying and on-going pain. Changes in locomotion through the flap may be one visible sign. Other signs include changes in appetite, grooming, interactions and changes in sleeping patterns.
Cat flap training
Cat flaps are a great way of increasing a cat's availability to space so training a cat to use one as a kitten will be of major benefit. The Cats Protection League offer some simple but useful training steps to positively reinforce the use of the cat flap. By investing time in encouraging the kitten to open it independently, the young cat begins to associate going through the flap with positive outcomes. Remember to continue the training until the cat is opening the flap independently and is being rewarded for this. As with any behaviour you train, the more it is practiced the more confident your cat will become at using the flap of their own accord.
Our pet cats have no choice in where they live, what resources they have to hand or how many cats are in the neighborhood. Being able to 'read' our cat's preferences and consider where they like to spend their time and what enrichment activities they have access to can greatly help in the prevention of behaviour problems in the future.
References
Cats Protection (2019) Cat Flaps - Training your kitten to use a cat flap?
Catwise (2016) Johnson-Bennett, P. USA: Penguin.
Feline Behavioral Health and Welfare (2016) Rodan, I and Heath, S. USA: Elsevier.
Helping owners support the emotional and behavioural needs of the socially mature cat (2018)Hargrave, C. The Veterinary Nurse 9 (9). November 2018. Available from: https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/pdf/10.12968/vetn.2018.9.9.480