Why does a cat need a tail?

Almost every cat has a tail. In some it’s very fluffy, in others it’s not very fluffy, in others it’s very smooth or without hair at all. There is an exception to the rule - cats without a tail. The habitat of this animal miracle is an independent island of Great Britain about. Maine There are simply no stray dogs - that’s it.

Now back to the cats with tails. Cats are common in our lives. Some love cats more than all other pets, and consider it their duty to take care of these wonderful and cute creatures, so they keep them in an apartment or in a country house on a personal plot. Someone goes to visit and meets a cat there. Neighboring or local animals are running around at the cottage. Sometimes they can be found in the courtyard in the city. Be sure to find a volunteer who will look after them and feed them. Today you will not meet a man who has never seen a cat.

A cat is such a beautiful animal that you always admire its beauty, dexterity and grace. The tail complements all its qualities, which fascinates the person and hypnotizes him, and also talks about the state of the animal, its mood.

A cat can always instantly be on the couch, then on the closet, and sometimes on the fence and on the tree. All this is done thanks to the flexible and faithful companion - the tail.

Now let's talk about the tail, how does it help the cat to exist?

What is a tail?

The size of the tail of an adult cat is 25–28 cm and includes 19–23 vertebral discs. It contains a large number of nerve endings. That is why cats do not like to touch her tail. He is especially sensitive.

The nervous system of the tail passes into the inner part of the vertebra and is inextricably linked to the paws and head. If the cat greatly damages the tail, then complete or partial numbness of the hind limbs may occur. And as a result - urinary incontinence and severe pain in the hind legs and vertebra. All this can lead to depletion of the animal, and in the future and to death. Never yank, do not bend the tail of a cat - this is its important part of the body.

Tail - lever and balancer

During the jumps, the cat almost always lands exactly where it planned to jump. She can immediately jump onto the back of the sofa, window sill and even a handrail by the open balcony. The tail helps her in this. When the tail turns in one direction or another, the cat also turns its body in a jump and lands exactly where it planned. The tail helps to turn the body in the right direction.

While moving around the fence, curb, back of the chair, besides its soft paws and tenacious claws, the cat uses its unique tail. She walks on narrow subjects, like a tightrope walker under a circus dome on a pole and pole. Balancing the tail, it rises a little, then falls, then abruptly freezes and creates the feeling that it is completely motionless.

When hunting a mouse, mole or bird, the cat’s tail helps it to quickly change its trajectory. She can grab the victim in a matter of seconds in a jump. If you slow down the movement of the cat in the air, you can see that when the mouse or bird moves in space, the cat rotates its body along with the tail in order to catch the prey.But this is not always noticeable with natural movement. This happens so fast that the human eye cannot always focus attention.

However, tailless cats from birth are no less graceful and agile, like cats from the Isle of Man, which lack the gene responsible for tail growth. In such cats, the muscles of the hind legs are highly developed. Plus, such a cat can be more accurate. She doesn’t have to hide and run away from her pursuers. Therefore, cats that previously had an injury, and they lost their tail or he stopped working and help her move, did not lose their grace and the ability to jump. Over time, their hind legs will be stronger, and the cat will also be able to jump and run along the street and climb trees or sofas and armchairs. It's just harder for such cats to get away from danger and change their direction dramatically when turning. Therefore, tailless cats like to lie and nap more.

Tail in hot and cold indispensable helper

The unusual use of the tail helps the cat cool its body. Unlike other animals, such as a cow, a horse, a cat needs a tail, not in order to drive away insects, but to create ventilation around itself. During the heat, she sometimes waves her tail, thereby creating a small breeze. Plus, during the movement, air masses cool the tail itself. Thus, the body of the cat is also cooled.

When a cold snap comes and the cat is not comfortable and cold, she curls up strongly into a ball and covers her nose, ears and muzzle with her tail. It works in this case as a warm heating pad. Unfortunately, in this case, the tail of bald cats does not really help, since there is no wool, which creates more heat.

The tail is an emotional signal

1. When the cat is angry and does not want to be touched and annoyed by her, she begins to beat her tail on the floor. These may be light strokes at first, but if she doesn’t like something at all, she will strike her tail with a characteristic sound. Thus, warning, do not come to me.
2. If the cat’s tail twitches a little, sometimes imperceptibly, then the cat is ready for communication and affection.
3. When a cat wants to have a bite, she starts walking around the owner and rubbing herself on her legs, the tail sticks out with a pipe, and the tip can sway slightly in different directions.
4. When she is very frightened or angry, all the hair on her and on her tail stands on end. The tail sticks up, and sometimes when ready to throw, it is lowered down and knocks hard on the floor. Everything says that, one more step - and a bite or paw hit is provided.

These are the main points in watching cats. If for a long time and more than one day to observe and study the habits of your pet, then you can understand without words much more that a cat wants. If the tail is sluggish and the cat is drooping, then it is worth the alarm - the animal fell ill. And here it’s immediately clear, you need to see a doctor.

Cats need a tail to be agile and fast animals. It gives beauty and grace to the body of the animal. Helps in jumping, works like a steering wheel and balancer. It helps to cool the body in hot weather, or vice versa to warm it on cold winter days. By the behavior of the cat and its tail, you can understand the mood and desires of the animal. So the tail is an important and irreplaceable part of the body in the life of such an amazing and one of the most beautiful animals in the world.

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