Why Do Cats Chase Their Tails. Cats of all ages have a tendency to do things that may seem a little unusual to us humans.
When scratching themselves or licking their fur, they’re generally grooming themselves in order become clean and remove any lingering scent giving any would-be predators the wrong idea about the cat’s health or disposition.
Similarly, if you notice that your cat is prancing around on his hind legs while extending one of his front paws into the air while doing so, he is typically marking territory that belongs to him and therefore discourages other animals from invading what he considers his own.
Why Do Cats Chase Their Tails
Kittens and young cats are very playful. Sometimes they end up chasing their tails. This is a normal part of growing up for them, so don’t worry that something bad will happen if your kitten or young adult keeps doing it. If you notice this behavior suddenly starting in your adult cat, you should check out some medical causes first like a tumor, cyst, or other growth.
That might be making noise when he’s chasing his tail and therefore letting him know he’s thereby giving off a tapping sound against the ground or coarse fur on his tail.
Entertainment
Some cats play serious games of fetch and others like to chase their own tails. Although chasing your tail usually isn’t as common among felines as it is among canines, physical or mental stimulation might be the reason behind this behavior.
If your furry friend tends to renew his energy by doing a lot of running and you catch him enjoying some tail-chasing fun at the same time, perhaps he’s simply having some innocent fun on his end.
Boredom Or Stress
If your cat is chasing its tail, you should investigate what is causing the change to ensure it isn’t something to be concerned about.
Although it is natural for kittens to pursue their tails, chasing your adult cat’s tail, especially if it is an indoor cat, is more likely to indicate that your cat is lacking in excitement.
Boredom may be avoided without spending money by doing things like hiding your cat’s toys or food, as well as increasing their overall excitement.
Instinct
Cats are just one example of wild animals that have been domesticated and adapted to living with humans.
They are fascinating creatures and while many cats don’t go out hunting in the wild, they do retain the hunting instinct in their genetic makeup.
Even indoor cats develop some instincts they survive because they want to. Hunting is something that’s passed along from generation to generation and it’s essentially a skill or talent that your kitten is born with at birth.
You might notice him or her swiping at things around them even if those things aren’t moving on purpose like the tail.
Pain
If your cat isn’t feeling well, it is more than likely to target an irritable area with its mouth. Because of this, you may catch your cat licking or bite its tail excessively.
It will often appear as though the cat has a disorder when in fact it might be visiting Doctor Cat for treatment.
Although cats cannot speak, they will groom themselves or the area that is hurting them and we can learn a lot by paying attention to their grooming habits.
If we see our cat scuffing the ground frequently or chasing his own tail then there could be a few possible reasons why this is happening like fleas or worms.
Lonely
A lonely cat will do anything to get attention and have something to do. In the same way, if you spend a lot of time away from home and leave your kitty there alone they can start chasing their tail to lose some of the accumulated energy.
This is very much similar to loneliness but it also points out that your best friend needs more than three meals a day; they need love and attention in order to live a happy life.
Many people think that getting a cat is less serious of a commitment than getting a dog, but it actually still requires a fair amount of effort.
Final Words
As a cat parent, there’s nothing as rewarding as watching your feline friend do something they love. For some kitties, twirling around on the floor in circles like Tasmanian Devils until their little heads go completely dizzy from the activity is exactly what puts them into blissful kitten mode Slow-motion action is always entertaining to watch, but you should be aware that chasing their tails isn’t necessarily normal for every adult cat. If your adult kitty grew up being equally insane and has been acting this way ever since then it very likely may be truly normal by now.