As a pet owner, especially if you have a dog or a cat, you’ll know how expressive their tail can be. From your dog wagging his tail furiously to greet other dogs when out dog walking in Glebe to your cat letting you know she’s unimpressed with a flick of her tail when your toddler gets too affectionate, your pet’s tail serves an array of practical purposes.
Here are some fun facts and trivia – all about your pet’s tail!
Did You Know?
- Tails play a huge role in balance. Dogs and cats both use their tail as a counterbalance when running, turning, leaping, and for cats, walking along a narrow surface like the top of a fence. Without a tail that functions properly, the pet will need to relearn and adjust their balancing skills.
- The tail is part of the spine. It has its own muscles, nerves, vertebrae (bones) and discs. Injuries to the tail are very common and can even impact on the control of urination and defecation in some cases.
- 170 dog breeds and some cat breeds have naturally occurring bobtails, including the Highlander cat, Australian Shepherd, Jack Russell Terrier, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Spanish Water Dog, English Bulldog, Boxer, French Bulldog, and Old English Sheepdog.
Dogs:
- More than 70 breeds of dog traditionally had their tails cut off (docked) a few days after birth, purely for cosmetic reasons. This practice was banned in Australia in 2004.
- Dogs use their tails to spread their scent from their anal glands – alphas who hold their tails high will release more scent than a timid dog whose tail is held low and submissively.
- Dogs only wag their tails in the presence of “someone” else – another dog, a human, or another animal.
- Puppies acquire the skill of “tail talking” from around six weeks of age. They practice this with their mother and other companion dogs.
- Is your dog chasing his tail? This could be a way to exercise, express silliness, or a sign of curiosity or natural predatory instinct. Excessive tail chasing may even indicate fleas! In a small number of dogs, this behaviour may also indicate an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Tails are a great tool to help your dog swim, used as a type of rudder. Retriever breeds are excellent at using their tails for this purpose.
- If your dog is wagging his tail more towards the left, he may be anxious.
- The speed at which your dog wags his tail demonstrates his mood. A wag that is swishing broadly is a sign of friendliness, while a slight wag when greeting someone new indicates that your pet is unsure but open to making friends.
- Dogs can wag so hard they hurt their tail! In the news just recently, a family noticed their dog’s tail had “stopped working”. A trip to the vet revealed that, due to the family being home all the time as a result of isolation due to COVID-19, the happy little doggie wagged his tail so hard he sprained it!
Cats:
- The Domestic cat is the only cat that can walk while keeping its tail erect and in a vertical position. Other felines (lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, etc) walk with their tail held horizontally or tucked in between the back legs.
- Manx cats are born without tails. They adjust very well to life without a tail.
- The Japanese Bobtail cat has a kinky, curling, or stubby tail.
- Cats invite other cats to smell them by raising their tail high into the air. Draping their tail over another cat, a dog, or a human indicates friendship.
- A cat’s tail is a huge indicator of her mood. A swishing tail is a sign that she is not at all happy. Be warned – her claws may come out!
- A cat that approaches you with a straight, tall, quivering tail is very, very happy to see you.
- A curved tail (like a question mark) indicates a desire to play.
- A tail that twitches just at the tip is mildly annoyed.
- Cats concentrating on prey will be excited – holding their tail low to the ground and twitching the tip very slightly.
Your local Annandale, Glebe, and Rozelle dog walkers and pet sitters speak the language of your pet’s tail! You, too, will learn what your dog or cat is telling you – and there is no better communicator than a wagging or swishing tail.