2023-10-20 08:25:41
Cats have a thousand ways of communicating with us, although very often the problem is that we humans don’t pay enough attention to them or aren’t able to understand them. Felines communicate their moods and needs to us with non-verbal language. Much of what cats “say” to each other and to humans is not expressed by voice, rather by their ears and tails. There are dozens of revealing gestures, which can have different meanings based on the context and your cat’s character: here you will find a quick guide to learn the basics. But if your cat points its tail at you, the reason could be much cuter than you imagine.
The meaning
This telltale sign actually means that your cat likes you. A straight tail is always a sign of good things. When a cat holds it high in the air it expresses confidence, excitement or contentment. Cats often greet their owners with straight tails, which is their way of saying they’re happy to see them again. In fact, it seems to be a peculiarity of adult cats that they keep the articulated appendage perpendicular to their back, with the tip “pointed” forward towards the individual to whom they feel most attached.
Field research
“The tail-up signal is specific to domestic cats and lions,” explains Sarah Brown, cat behavior specialist and author of “The hidden language of cats.” The researcher monitored the behaviors and relationships of a colony of free-living cats in Southampton, England. It was observed that the tail-up position preceded friendly interactions, with the cats often rubbing their heads affectionately and then sitting next to each other. Subsequent studies confirmed these observations: in tests in which cats were presented with images of felines with their tails pointing up, they elicited friendlier responses than those in which they held their tails down. And it has also been shown that cats use the tail-up signal in a similar way to us humans, even if we cannot reciprocate in return.
The evolution of the gesture
But why do our four-legged furry friends only share this behavior with the king of the jungle? This telltale sign is thought to have to do with the domestication of felines, which is thought to have begun about 10,000 years ago when wild cats gathered to hunt rodents in the fields and warehouses of Mesopotamian farmers. There they lived closer to each other than ever before. Finding ourselves in these inevitable social interactions, the need arose to implement easy-to-read strategies that quickly convey tranquility, avoiding unnecessary conflicts. Natural selection thus favored those who held their tails high, improving the cohesion of that social group. And the same goes for lions, which typically live in prides of several dozen individuals, while other cat species tend to be mostly solitary.
Question of smell
While we will never know exactly at what point in evolution our cats began to not only hold their tails high, but also point them at their favorite humans, let’s bask in this, remembering that under the tail are some very sensitive glands. important to mark the territory and spread their scent, and this also indicates that they consider us an integral part of their group. Speaking of which, do you know why your cat rubs against your legs when you get home? Find out here.
Subjects
#cat #point #tail #tune #sweeter #expect