Weird thing my cat does, any insight?

[satindesire]

Okay, as soon as I get up in the mornings, she gets up on my chest, kneads, purrs and wants attention. Of course I'm happy to give it to her, and we usually spend about ten minutes after I get up just bonding.

Well, I've noticed that when she gets in those moods where she gets up in my lap and wants pet (no matter what time it is), she will fluff the base of her tail out. Now, I'm not talking about the full-on 'bottle brush' tail they get when they're scared or playing, JUST the BASE. It's the cutest thing, but it's so bizarre, because I've never noticed any of my other cats ever do that!

I can always tell when she's feeling super-cuddly because she'll tread all over me, with that tail base fluffed out as far as it'll go.

I've owned many cats before, and have had cats ever since I was born. I've NEVER noticed any other cat do this.

I tried looking it up online, but there's nothing definitive. Is this just 'her quirk' that this individual cat does, or have any of you other cat owners noticed your kitty doing this too?

 

[chy_girl]

My girl cat will, but I've never seen my boy cat do that. Honestly, I've never really thought about why before.

 

[satindesire]

My girl cat will, but I've never seen my boy cat do that. Honestly, I've never really thought about why before.

I can't count how many google searches I've done, and I can't come up with any concrete theory with why she's doing that. I only saw one other incidence where a cat was said to fluff the base of her tail out when being pet, and it was another female cat, too.

I've never heard of a male cat doing this, nor have I seen it.

 

[chy_girl]

I can't count how many google searches I've done, and I can't come up with any concrete theory with why she's doing that. I only saw one other incidence where a cat was said to fluff the base of her tail out when being pet, and it was another female cat, too.

I've never heard of a male cat doing this, nor have I seen it.

Maybe it has to do with how they're moving the muscles when being petted and boy cats are a little different in the groin muscle structure?

 

[satindesire]

Maybe it has to do with how they're moving the muscles when being petted and boy cats are a little different in the groin muscle structure?

Huh. Maybe so!

 

[PertPerth]

Has she been spayed?

 

[satindesire]

Has she been spayed?

No, she has not, actually.

 

[chy_girl]

Mine has.

 

[DVS]

I've always had male cats, except for two. All of them enjoy being lightly patted at the base of the tail, either right on the base of the tail or on their back, right where the tail meets. It's been a while since I've had a female, so I don't remember if she was that way.

Now as for fluffing out the base of the tail, I've seen it a little, but not to an extreme. My males will do it, when I'm patting them like that, but it isn't as pronounced as I think you are describing. Maybe it's just how she is. She has more control over her tail fur than most cats?

 

[PertPerth]

I've always had male cats, except for two. All of them enjoy being lightly patted at the base of the tail, either right on the base of the tail or on their back, right where the tail meets.

Same, it's where they have scent glands (and also behind their ears) apparently.

I still get the feeling that it's something to do with attracting a male cat...though as I've only ever had boy cats, and I've not actually seen this, so I'm only guessing.

 

[WriterDom]

It would be the same as goose bumps for us if we had fur wouldn't it?

Almost any cat boy or girl will stick their ass in the air if touched back there. Probably something to do with the mating instinct.

 

[satindesire]

The thing is, though, is she does it even if I'm not petting anywhere near her heinie or base of her spine. She'll fluff the base of her tail out when she wants affection, starts purring, and gets in my lap or if I'm lying down, climbs onto my stomach/chest area or my hip if I'm sideways, and kneads, rubs her face against my face and bites my fingernails. She mostly wants to get scratched around the chin and ears a lot when she gets like that. Petting her body isn't her 'thing' when she wants SERIOUS affection, she'll literally MAKE me scratch her face and head.

I'm starting to think DVS is right....I think she probably does just have more 'control' over the fur on her tail, and that's just a personality quirk of hers. Just like her biting my fingernails, which I always thought was hilarious, like "Mom, your claws are too long, here, let me help you." OM NOM NOM!

 

[teknight]

The thing is, though, is she does it even if I'm not petting anywhere near her heinie or base of her spine. She'll fluff the base of her tail out when she wants affection, starts purring, and gets in my lap or if I'm lying down, climbs onto my stomach/chest area or my hip if I'm sideways, and kneads, rubs her face against my face and bites my fingernails. She mostly wants to get scratched around the chin and ears a lot when she gets like that. Petting her body isn't her 'thing' when she wants SERIOUS affection, she'll literally MAKE me scratch her face and head.

I'm starting to think DVS is right....I think she probably does just have more 'control' over the fur on her tail, and that's just a personality quirk of hers. Just like her biting my fingernails, which I always thought was hilarious, like "Mom, your claws are too long, here, let me help you." OM NOM NOM!

It could be random reinforcement...you were petting her when the base of her tail was fluffed up, so now she associates the two?

Does the whole of her tail fluff up?

 

[satindesire]

It could be random reinforcement...you were petting her when the base of her tail was fluffed up, so now she associates the two?

Does the whole of her tail fluff up?

Yeah, that's entirely possible. I know my husband and I encourage her to be vocal by paying attention to her every time she vocalizes, so she's used to positive reinforcement in behaviors that we like.

She only fluffs the entire tail up when she sees another cat, or if dogs come to the house and she sees them. When she was a kitten, she used to fluff up her tail a lot when we played with her, but now she only does it when she's scared.

 

[VelvetSin]

The thing is, though, is she does it even if I'm not petting anywhere near her heinie or base of her spine. She'll fluff the base of her tail out when she wants affection, starts purring, and gets in my lap or if I'm lying down, climbs onto my stomach/chest area or my hip if I'm sideways, and kneads, rubs her face against my face and bites my fingernails. She mostly wants to get scratched around the chin and ears a lot when she gets like that. Petting her body isn't her 'thing' when she wants SERIOUS affection, she'll literally MAKE me scratch her face and head.

I'm starting to think DVS is right....I think she probably does just have more 'control' over the fur on her tail, and that's just a personality quirk of hers. Just like her biting my fingernails, which I always thought was hilarious, like "Mom, your claws are too long, here, let me help you." OM NOM NOM!

My female cat will do that. I have a male cat from the same litter and he doesn't. She was the runt of the litter and her momma weaned her too early. Our vet said it's a mommy issue thing associated with maternal affection, and the scratching she demands is her people imitation of mother cat grooming. The kneading is related (for our fuzzy friend, anyway).

 

[FungiUg]

I've seen it, but I never really paid it much attention. Do you think there's a link to BDSM?

The glands are at the base, not the tip, so I don't think that's the connection. Maybe it just feels nice to her? Cats are individuals, and sometimes downright kinky.

I had a cat (male burmese) with a wool fetish once.

 

[DormantEvil]

*cough*

Like owner like pet? You do live in New Zealand after all.

I couldn't help myself, it's the Australian instinct.

 

[FungiUg]

*cough*

Like owner like pet? You do live in New Zealand after all.

Meow!

 

[satindesire]

She's so cute. We got her a new collar, it's purple with tiny gemstone paw prints.

 

[Etoile]

Pictures are required.

 

[satindesire]

Pictures are required.

Yeah, if I could find my godamn camera. Ever since we moved a bunch of stuff to the garage, we haven't been able to find it. And I ain't going in there. In the middle of summer, it's a bed of spiders in there.

I've wanted to take pictures of a bunch of stuff, Brooke's almost a year old...I got highlights and a new haircut, and Sage got a new collar. There's so much to catch up on!

 

[Etoile]

What does she look like, then? I love cats SO much!

 

[satindesire]

What does she look like, then? I love cats SO much!

She's a slightly chubby grey tabby with very dark black stripes, HUGE slanty oriental eyes that are shiny and glisteny bright grape green colored. She's really pretty.