Do you wonder sometimes when your cat is in the best mood to play? Your cat’s tail is quite the communication device. He uses it very efficiently and effectively to let you and his cat companions know just what’s going on inside that brain of his. Here are a few interesting tail communication signals:

• When feeling confident, your cat usually will walk with his tail straight up. It may have a little curl at the tip. When walking through tall grass, if the cat wants others to know he’s there, he’ll also hold his tail straight up.
• When greeting you, your cat may flick his upright tail a few times. Consider that a friendly “welcome home.”
• A relaxed tail is loosely horizontal.
• When a cat lashes his tail back and forth that usually means irritation, however, if kitty is watching a bird outside he may whip his tail back and forth in excitement.
• A thumping tail can also mean irritation.
• When walking, if kitty holds his tail very low to the ground it can indicate he is afraid or unsure. Depending upon specific circumstances, it can also mean he’s feeling defensive.
• A puffed up “Halloween cat” tail is a defensive display. It usually occurs when kitty is startled or frightened.
• A tail wrapped tightly around the body usually indicates that kitty is afraid and wants to be left alone.

The above descriptions are very general though because the immediate environmental circumstances must also be taken into consideration.

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Pam Johnson-Bennett is the star of Psycho Kitty airing on Discovery UK. She is author of seven best-selling books on cat behavior including Think Like a Cat: how to raise a well-adjusted cat – not a sour puss. Think Like a Cat has become known as the cat bible. Pam is considered a pioneer in the field of cat behavior consulting. In addition to her television series and public speaking engagements, Pam owns Cat Behavior Associates, a private veterinarian-referred behavior company in Nashville, TN. Cat Behavior Associates offers private cat behavior appointments on a limited basis. Pam Johnson-Bennett is a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant.