tail-up – Michael Broad

The origin of the cat tail-up greeting. Infographic.

December 17, 2024 by Michael Broad

Kitten tail-up greeting which is carried forward into adulthood in the human-to-cat relationship

The origin of the domestic cat ‘tail-up’ body language greeting is interesting and important as it highlights a central element in the human-to-cat relationship, namely that cat caregivers are perpetual mothers to their adult cats which serves to indoctrinate the adult cat into maintaining kitten behaviors one of which is the tail up greeting; …

Why is your cat’s tail always up when you are petting her, but down otherwise?

October 16, 2023 by Michael Broad

Essentially, domestic cats use their tail as a means of communication and its position conveys their emotions and intentions. A domestic cat holds their tail vertically – called the “tail-up” position – when greeting a friendly cat. They’ll do the same when greeting their owner. It’s a sign of relaxed confidence in the encounter. …