Witnessing your cat’s tail quiver like a rattlesnake is quite the phenomena.
For most people, it can really catch them off guard. Your cat’s tail stands straight up and starts to vibrate, just like a rattlesnake.
It’s very surprising, because unless you are a cat owner, you have probably never seen this behaviour in a cat before!
It’s doubly surprising, because it actually looks like a rattlesnake’s tail and can almost be alarming!
If you’ve seen this before, then you know the exact experience that I’m talking about.
So why does your cat’s tail do this? Why does my cat have a rattlesnake tail? Should I be concerned?
Rest assured, most of the time, there is no reason to be concerned. If your cat’s tail is quivering away like a rattlesnake, you can determine the cause by considering your cat’s context. The reason for your cat’s tail shaking so sharply is usually strong feelings of excitement, or happiness, or on the flip side- anxiety, anger, aggression or annoyance. Once you have a look at your cat’s situation and environment and determine the cause, you will usually notice that your cat typically shakes his tail like that for certain emotions. Some cats may typically shake there tails like this in excitement and happiness, and others typically in aggression and annoyance.
The rattlesnake tail happens when your cat is expressing strong emotions, such as excitement, pleasure, worry, annoyance, or anger, or showing you affection and love.
Your cat will point its tail straight in the air and the end will vibrate very fast, just like a rattlesnake’s tail.
It will shake and quiver away, very quickly.
The behaviour is easy to spot since most cats don’t often vibrate their tails like this.
If you are confused as to why your cat’s tail is shaking away- is this a good thing, or a bad thing?- then consider their context, including their physical environment as well as their situational environment.
Context is really the key to figuring it all out. Your cat’s situation and surroundings will tell you if their tail is showing off positive or negative feelings in your cat.
—> Learn More: want to know why your cat thumps their tail while you pet them? See our article on the subject here.
If your cat is shaking their tail because they are anxious or restless, you will probably be able to see why in their environment around them or the context of their situation if you take a closer look. Keep in mind that cats are sensitive to things that we are not sensitive too, such as certain noises and smells.
Maybe they are receiving too much attention, a small child is scaring them by running around the house, or a loud noise from outside is throwing them off- or even something inside that you may not initially think of. Perhaps you tried a new food that your cat actually doesn’t like very much and isn’t eating, and now they are grumpy.
Conversely, if your cat is just really excited or happy, you will probably be able to identify something that is causing their sudden joy, such as a new, fun, toy, a sniff of their favourite food, or seeing you after you come in from work.
—>>Learn more: want to know why your cat’s tail sticks straight up sometimes like an antenna? See our article here.
->>Curious about the unique behaviours of your cat? Does your cat like to sit in the sink? For more info, see our article here. <<-
Another common time you will see your cat wip out the rattlesnake tale is if they are greeting you.
For example, did you just come home from work? Chances are they are giving you a friendly greeting and are very happy to see you.
If you come in from an errand, or some time with friends, your cat may also be welcoming you home.
Your cats tail quiver is part of your cats language. Cats use there tails to indicate that they are ready to interact with you, or another animal.
This can, of course, be accompanied by other behaviours, such as rubbing there face on your leg, meows, and purrs.
One of the things my cat will do is ‘head-butt’ my leg, and rub the top of his head, or the side of his face, on my leg. Pretty cute!
Cats may not be as obvious in there affections for their humans as dogs, but they still really do love their humans!
Many pet parents report that there feline friends rattle their tails when the food comes out, or some beloved treats do.
My boy will not do this as often as some, but he will if he has been wanting food for a while and I’ve been asking him to wait. (My cat is on a diet). Then that tail will stick straight up and rattle at the end, and sometimes he will run or skip over to where the food is being offered.
If I have a special treat for my cat, he has also been known to vibrate his tail like a rattlesnake in excitement.
My cat will not typically shake his tail like a rattlesnake if he is anxious or restless, but many cats will. However, he has been known to occasionally.
As with most things cats, getting to know your cat’s unique personality is key.
You will probably find that they will vibrate there tail for certain things, but not others. For example, with you cat, it may be more of an anxiety behaviour. On the flip side, it may be typically a happiness behaviour. My cat typically will shake his tail out of excitement and happiness over food and treats.
Of course there is no hard and fast rule, and your cat may surprise you one day and step out of their routine, shaking their tail at something that isn’t too typical for them.
Cats can become anxious about almost anything- from a favourite toy gone missing to strange noises in their surroundings.
One thing that cats generally get anxious over are loud noises, chaos, changes in routine, energetic small children, or other animals that are bothering them.
It may be worth researching your cat’s breed to find out what traits run in the family. Some breeds do not do well with noisy houses or small energetic children. In this case, it may be best to set aside a quiet and safe room for your cat to chill out in.
For more on your cat’s breed’s traits, consider visiting Catalogical. They have great articles on all sorts of cat breeds. Insight, knowledge, and research can definitely help you understand your feline pal!
It’s also important to monitor their anxiety until you can determine the cause and help them out. Something that isn’t well known is that animals can definitely experience and develop anxiety, just like humans.
Similarly to anxiety and restlessness, your cat can become impatient, angered, and annoyed by many different things.
I have seen my cat’s tail whip around like a snake’s when he is hunter mode, attack mode, or on the defensive.
This typically happens when new animals are introduced on the scene, like big dogs, or even small dogs, or other cats.
If your cat is really angry or annoyed, they will probably show other signs, such as hissing and an arched back.
Have you noticed that your cat has a curly tail? Check out our article here on the subject.
Nothing irritates, angers, or sometimes worries your cat more than if they don’t receive enough attention and love from you!
I know that dogs have the reputation of being ‘man’s best friend,’ as the pets that want to soak up all the attention and love from their owners, but cat’s actually need that love and attention as well, just as much.
If you have your eyes out for this, you will see what I mean.
A sure way to take care of your cat’s overall well being is to spend quality time with them, and giving them attention and love from you.
We love our kitties for so many reasons, including all those kitten-like traits that are just so cat-like!
One of their unique traits, the quivering tail, may catch you off guard.
Understanding that your cat’s tail is part of their unique language will help you answer your question, “Why does my cat have a rattlesnake tail?
Having a careful look at their surroundings and context will show you what emotions their tail is displaying, and help you take care of your cat, and bond with your cat, even more.
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