There is a basic language to be found in a cat’s tail. A cat uses its tail primarily to aid balance during movement, but a secondary use is to communicate its intention to other cats:
- A tail that is lowered suggests that the cat is calm or submissive.
- A tail that is fully raised suggests that the cat is about to display a dominant form of behavior such as marking or aggression.
- A tail that is repetitively swaying from side to side suggests that the cat is about to pounce in play or in attack against prey or competitor.