tail 'wagging' in cats

[Kathywafer]

I had a cat who has adopted us as her family after living in one of our outbuildings. WE've now had her for four years and i noticed that she constantly moves her tail around ( like a dog) she does this when she walks whn were stroking her and even when shes asleep - but whilst purring at the same time! i thought cats moved their tails when they were angry or fed up but she appears to do it as a natural thing! Does anyone know why she does this or is she just one mixed up cat?! Katherine

[MrsCheeks]

All the cats I have had have done this - some more so than others lol. None of them were brought up with dogs either. One of mine not only wags her tail but also twists it around my legs of hands when she is creeping for food. Saying that, they DO twitch their tails if they are cross and omg you can tell the difference! They really flick it back and forth.

[Wisebird]

I second what MrsCheeks has said.

[Kathywafer]

she was brought up with a dog and she will aslo do this whn she wants food but iv never seen her angry - she doesnt seem to be able to control control it either she pins it down to wash it AND although she catches lots of things (nice things like black bird not mice and rats) her tail is often a prob as she disturbs the grass and alerts her prey of her prescence! thank u 4 ur help xx

[Yinzer]

Maybe wagging her tail is to her what shaking a leg under the table is to us?

[Mrs_Pegasus]

Yes we have a wagging tailed cat! Mind you yours does sound it wags alot more then any cats I have ever had! Could be a nerve in the tail that may have been damaged as a kitten esp. if she was a stray. Cats will whip their tails back and forth when uphappy and its normally accompanied with one of those 'paddington bear hard stares' where they pin back their ears and look generally naffed off with you! Unless she is getting stressed by it I wouldnt worry about it.

[rumanshu]

This is perfectly normal and has nothing to do with being brought up with dogs. Wagging their tails is one of the ways cats communicate with us. If the end of the tail twitches, it means something has caught the cat�s interest. If it wags back and forth, it means strong emotion, not necessarily agitation, but often excitement or irritation. The greater the aggravation, the harder the wags and tail thumps become. Remember, all cats are different. My cat loves being stroked but when he wags his tail, I know that although he'll let me stroke him for a while longer, he will get up and leave the room within the next couple of minutes. He will also wag his tail from side to side quite violently when "stalking" a bird outside the window.

[JoanneE]

My cat too, wags her tail like a dog. She does it constantly. It is a gently back and forth movement, and it seems like she enjoys doing it and is happy. Since she does it all the time, I don't think it is a predatory or conflicted emotional thing (I read that somewhere). You definitely know the difference...when she is mad or looking out window at a bird or squirrel her wagging angry & aggressive. But I just find her wagging tail amusing and really wonder what it means. I think she is a happy cat and her wagging is just a cute little habit.