November 15, 2024
3 minimum read
Meow! A curly tail gives a cat an “accent”
Due to a genetic mutation, some cats’ tails may curl over their backs, giving them a sort of accent when communicating with other kittens.
Baby cats have a genetic mutation that causes their tails to wrap around their backs in a Spitz-like position.
If you get a cat with trendy features, such as the “salty licorice” coat color or the flat face of a Persian cat, you may find that your cat’s meowing improves. But some trends, such as the curled-back tail that’s gaining popularity among owners, can unintentionally complicate a kitten’s social life. Researchers say these cute and unusual tails may give felines a kind of non-verbal “accent” to other felines (and humans).
Cats have a wide repertoire of body language signals. They arch their backs, erect their fur, and flatten their ears to communicate fear or stress. They show affection and trust by squinting, kneading their feet, and rubbing their heads. And one of their most common “satisfied” signals is a simple straight tail. It is kept vertical, sometimes with a slight bend at the tip. This translates to the other kittens as “Hello, friend!”
Morgan van Bell, a cat behaviorist at the University of Ghent in Belgium, was studying cat-cat interactions in people’s homes when he discovered an amazing cat completely bent over a cat’s back. I found a tail. The participants sent her videos of two unrelated cats in a household who were able to wag, wag, twitch, and drop their tails, but were unable to keep them straight. The owners said each cat’s tail has always looked like this, suggesting a genetic mutation and that new breeding efforts promoting curly tails were also likely involved. A proposed name for a breed with this characteristic is American Ringtail (not to be confused with the small mammals of the raccoon family).
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Curious about how curly tails affect a cat’s ability to communicate, Van Bell and colleagues studied how two curly-tailed felines interacted with other cats who lived in their respective homes. Viewed 85 minutes of video footage. The normal-tailed cats happily groomed, played, rubbed their heads, and slept with the odd-tailed kittens that lived with them. That means the animals likely found another way to send a friendly message, the researchers report. veterinary journal.
Van Bell, lead author of the study, said the curled tail gives cats a “little accent” that may take time and effort for others to pick up on. “Maybe they’re using other cues, like ear position or smell,” she added. “Knowing each other probably also helps with communication. This shows how flexible cats are when it comes to communicating with each other.”
Sandra Nicholson, an animal behavior scientist at University College Dublin who was not involved in the new paper, agrees. “They still send signals through other parts of the body, including the face, ears, and overall body position,” she says. “So it’s not just the tail, but obviously that (curled tail) reduces some of the signaling ability.”
Unfamiliar felines, and even humans, run the risk of misinterpreting the tail cue. These cats “may be sending confusing messages,” Nicholson said. In fact, most cats are unable to perform this movement at all, so it appears that the tail curling up on the back doesn’t even exist in a kitten’s linguistic repertoire.
Whether communication problems exist among the roughly 70 curly-tailed “Spitz” breeds, such as Pomeranians and Shiba Inu dogs, remains to be investigated, said one of the co-authors of a new study at the American University says veterinary behaviorist Daniel Mills. Lincoln in England. “Breeds that have only experience with their own breed may have a more limited ability to communicate across all breeds,” he says, highlighting the importance of socializing dogs with different breeds. Point out.
Brittany Flokiewicz, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Lyon who was not involved in the new paper, said that on a broader scale, this cat study shows how prevalent breeding traits affect not only the physical health of animals but also their social health. This highlights the need to consider whether there will be any negative impact. Not only do snub-nosed animals such as pugs and Persian cats have a hard time breathing properly, they are also unable to produce all the facial expressions that are normal for their species.
On a more positive note, Nicholson points out that the paper highlights cats’ ability to adapt to each other’s individual differences. “These animals need to be supported and accepted and not disadvantaged because of their differences,” she explains. “Here you see them living a normal life. I find that very inspiring.”
