Cats, especially strays, so let’s call the one here Stray Willy, do not misbehave intentionally. They react according to their life experiences, their basic instincts and their deep need to survive. They don?t climb on top of your refrigerator and launch bottles of spices onto the dog?s nose because they are trying to push your buttons. The spices sitting on top of your refrigerator must be prey, otherwise the bottles wouldn?t move, and that animal prowling below definitely is a predator- so ?Predator Be Gone!?
The cat?s instinctual behavior can be broken down into several areas:
Stray Willy?s behavior is going to be based on a large portion of what he endured before arriving at your home. It can be daunting indeed to eagerly approach a new cat, only to be met with teeth, claws, growling, hissing and swatting. Your new kitty is now puffed up like a poison toad. And here you thought he would be grateful for the rescue.
Cats don?t misbehave intentionally as some people believe they do. They simply react by instinct. Stray Willy is scared and on the defensive. In his mind, he needs to protect himself and will do so at any cost. He has inherited behaviors and learned behaviors. Watching subtle body changes in his crouches, paying attention to his ears, tail, whiskers and eyes will give you awareness of what he is going to do next.
Pretty much at this point in his life Stray Willy is of the opinion that anything larger than him is capable of eating him. This includes you, the human with a kind heart who just wanted to rescue Stray Willy from what can be a cruel existence outdoors.
Just like a hermit crab, Stray Willy is going to seek out a hiding place if he is scared, upset or stressed. But unlike a hermit crab, Stray Willy?s refuge won?t be portable, so he will stay put. He will place himself at an advantage, going where he can see you, but it takes a bit for you to find him. Generally this is behind a piece of furniture you got from Aunt Mabel when she passed away. Made of oak, the dresser takes an act of God to move, either that or three strapping young men whose arms are so long their knuckles brush the ground when they walk.
Or he could decide to just dive under the bed and keep the dustballs company. This way, he can watch all feet as their approach, and he can scamper away clear to the other side of the bed if need be. No one can reach him there, unless they become an under-the-bed diver and navigate their way through the dust balls, misplaced socks and various other items that find refuge under a bed.
If you don?t want Willy to be under the bed, you can effectively block that hiding space with pieces of cardboard duct-taped together. But you better be sure that Willy has alternate safe places to hide unless you really want a stressed out cat peeing out of the litter pan or doing what us humans believe is “unacceptable behavior.”
You can watch his body position, the placement of his tail and his whiskers in order to get a clue what type of a mood he is in.
Just like those mood rings that were so popular in the 1970?s Willy?s tail and ears are a good indicator of what his mood is in the moment.
The Tail Talks-
Stray Willy?s tail is the needle pegged into his temperament and moods. Watching the placement of the tail will give you a good indication of how he is feeling at that moment, and how you should proceed with him.
Upright, slight curve at the tip, tail waving back and forth slowly:
Your cat is indifferent. He is going about his day, without a care in the world. In other words, he is mellow.
Tail raised in the air as the cat rubs himself alongside another cat:
This is a typical cat greeting. Cats have sensors all along their back and these sensors are engaged when this rubbing activity is going on.
They are also swapping their scent, accepting of each other.
Many times when you are opening cat food for mealtimes, your cat will swipe himself alongside your leg. He would do the same thing with his mom-cat when she is presenting prey (food) to him when he is weaning.
Back arched tail up at full -mast and quivering.
Watch out! This cat is ready to spray!
Yes, even neutered males, spayed females and 6 month old kittens can and do spray. Fully intact males and females are notorious for spraying.
Unaltered male cat pee is extremely foul-smelling. Nature makes it this way to help lure in females that are in heat and scare away other tomcats that also want to mate with the females.
When the female pulls her tail off to the side and lowers it to the ground:
She is signaling to the toms that she is ready to be mounted. She will duck her head in submission waiting. Once the tomcat mounts her, he will grab her neck in his mouth and bite down, pulling her head up, making her back further into him.
Flicking tail:
This motion can indicate your cat is irritated. If the tail is flicking while the cat is resting, the tail is being used as a sensor to feel for any presence behind him.
While the cat is sleeping, the paws and tails will also flick from time to time.
Cat is at rest, and his tail is wrapped around his body unmoving:
He is contented and happy. Maine Coon cats have such long tails that they use their tail to keep warm when the weather turns colder.
Chasing the tail:
This is common kitten and young adult play. The tail is raised and the hair is fluffed up. Prey instinct is engaged, because the tail moves, therefore it must be a mouse!
If your cat is chasing his tail and won?t quit, you might want to investigate a disorder called Feline Hyperesthesia- compulsive tail chasing and running in circles repeatedly are two symptoms of this baffling disorder.
Tail biting:
Tail biting can be a result of a flea infestation, a sign of pain or early signs of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). If your cat is repeatedly biting at his tail, please contact your vet quickly. Tail wounds are sometimes slow to heal and bacterial infections in deep bite wounds can occur.
Combat Signals: Or Stray Willy is ready to rumble:
When cats are getting ready to do battle, their tails tell a tale. A fully aggressive cat prior to attack will be puffed up from the head to the tail. This is an attempt for him to look larger than life and intimidate the aggressor. The tail is held low to the ground, and once he launches, he tucks his tail protectively between his rear legs. This is why many cat bites appear right at the base of the rump. The tail would be an easy ?mark? to hold onto, so the cat instinctively tries to protect himself by keeping it low.
If the cats go airborne, as they often do in battle, the tail is used as a rudder to direct the action of the body. Once the cat is locked in battle in the air or on the ground, the tail again is lowered into the protective position. Any time the cat stands with his butt in the air and his tail held low, this cat is ready to do battle and should not be approached.
A cat?s weapons of war are fully engaged when the cat is on his back. Claws and teeth at the ready, the tail is held, not protectively between the legs but spread out flat on the floor.
The attack will come from the rear when the aggressor targets the neck or belly. The cat instinctively knows and protects the tail which is quite fragile because ten percent of the bones found in cats are located in the tail. Thus, the cat keeps the tail out of the way of injury.
A well placed bite on a tail can cause the tail to break. This break can result in bladder and small intestinal problems for Willy and large vet bills for you.
