Cat Behavior Question - Why Does My Cat Shake His Tail?

by Lisa
(Upland, Ca)

Does my cat know that I love him? When I talk to him in a sweet voice, his tail rattles kind of like a rattle snake! Is this a voluntary or involuntary muscle action?


Reply from Liz (Editor): I think know exactly the sort of cat behavior you mean, I'm guessing his tail quivers at the base, which then makes it shake all the way up!

You're absolutely right, this does mean that he knows you love him. But this cat body language also shows a great affection for you on his part. He loves you, loves it when you talk nicely to him and this is one of the ways he shows it.

It's not an involuntary muscle action, but your cat will do it without thinking - a bit like a human automatically tapping their foot to music they like I guess.

Thank you for your question, and for the lovely photo of your cat.