Cat Curls Up on Lap Funny

When a cat curls its tail upwards, it means the feline is happy and feeling friendly. The upwards curled tail may be accompanied by a slight twitch, which means your cat is particularly thrilled. Do not ignore your cat when the tail is curled up because you are ignoring friendly overtures.

Once you learn how to read their signs and interpret cats' expressions correctly, you will see how expressive they are.

Some new cat parents mention how hard it is to read their feline to know what their cat wants. In a sense, they may be right, especially when you hear how simple it is to communicate with a dog.

When a dog is happy, it just wags its tail vigorously from side to side to express joy and a playful attitude. When a canine is afraid, it lowers its tail and drives it in between their legs.

That indicates that the dog is fearful or highly nervous.

However, their tail says so much more than most owners realize when it comes to cats.

Unlike a dog's tail, the cat's tail is more fluid in movement.

Other than the ability to move up and down swiftly, a cat's tail can also move side to side and curl up in several positions. All these tail movements by your cat communicate something different and speak to their mood and emotional state.

Let's dive into this post and find out more about what the cat tail curled upwards means. We will also briefly look at other cat positions and their meanings.

A Cat With The Tail Curled Upwards

That is one of the most common tail formations that you may be used to seeing your cat display around the house. Such as when your cat strolling through the house majestically with its tail held straight and high in the air but with a slight kink.

When your cat does this as it walks its territory, it is expressing calm and confident contentment.

A tail that shoots right up in the air even when straight and devoid of a curl still signifies that your cat is amenable and friendly.

If you watch the tail tip of your kitty buddy, the erectness and straight posture of the tail may be accompanied by an occasional twitch. That often means your cat is thrilled about something, a fleeting moment or thought.

It's the equivalent of smiling in kitty language.

The cat could be having a pleasant and ticklish thought such as chasing mice, hunting birds, simply looking forward to a meal, or the prospect of hanging out with a cat they are fond of.

The possibility of happy thoughts that your kitty could be having are endless.

As eyes are the windows to the human soul, the tail is certainly the window to the inner workings of your cat's thoughts. The cat's tail reveals to you the status of your their wellbeing both physically and mentally.

A raised tail, whose tip curls outward in the form of a question mark, reveals that your furry buddy is in a good mood and is more than willing to engage with you in some play or cuddles.

Cat owners, who love to spend quality time with their cats and bond, should take note of this tail position.

When you see it, be sure to make some time to engage your cat with a cuddle, pet, or some playtime. Reciprocating their attention helps to build trust and a bond between you and your feline friend.

Usually, a cat will display the above two-tail position when they are walking or standing.

If your cat strolls into the house with the tail in this position after being outdoors, it is saying that it has missed you and would love to spend some time with you. Be sure to oblige it.

Things To Do When Your Cat Shows Up with the Tail Curled Up

Well, since it is clear that your cat wants to engage with you, here are a few things that you can do to oblige it and feed its need for interaction.

You need to acknowledge to your cat that you understand its needs.

Remember, your cat can get bored from repeatedly playing catnip mice and jingly balls. It would be best to make your playful interactions short and fun but varied, and here are a few suggestions.

1. Provide It with a Playful Puzzle to Solve

Since your kitty is in the mood to engage and play, a favorite toy to play with is one way of showing that you understand and acknowledge its need to interact with you. Consider a mental challenge and a tasty snack.

There is no better way to combine fun and stimulation than using a toy puzzle to help with physical exercise and mental stimulation.

You can get some pretty interesting playful puzzles from your local pet store.

Keeping your feline's mind sharp, active, and engages is good for its health. Well, it is, and here is a brief study to show it.

The curled tail says your kitty is ready to play: So, play!

2. Build Your Cat a Makeshift Maze

Not all pet owners have the time or the creativity to build a maze structure for their cats.

But if you do, it is an incredible way to engage your kitty in some agile, energetic play that rewards it with snacks.

You can build a miniature maze by repurposing cardboard boxes. The maze can have tunneled areas and pass through high points where the cat can jump over or perch. You can achieve this with chairs or tables in the house.

You can also include a few safe obstacles in the tunnels, such as strings and plastic containers.

To encourage the kitty to participate when it is feeling playful, drop a few snacks in the maze and hide some in a place where the cat can reach but will have to engage some of its mental faculties to claim the yummy snacks.

That may mean hiding a favorite snack in plain sight under or inside a transparent container without a lid.

While kitty will have a blast chasing after yummy treasure, you will probably be in tears with laughter at some of the antics it pulls on its quest to navigate the maze and uncover threats.

I tried this with Sophia, my cat when I noticed she didn't get enough stimulation playing with the interactive toy mouse.

And the best part is that I can configure the maze in different ways each time, making it mentally stimulating for her each time.

I found this experience to be bonding and entertaining for both of us, and it cost me nothing. The card boxes were in the house already, and the rest was just moving my dining chairs around a bit.

So go ahead and get creative by building a DIY maze for your kitty. You will also be surprised at your kitty's ability to learn new things, such a running a maze in the hope of finding a treat.

3. Give the Cat Some Yummy Snacks

If you don't have the time to play with the kitty, you can acknowledge its need to engage with you by giving a quick rub and offering a tasteful snack.

However, one should make sure that the snacks are healthy and low-calorie. That ensures that you keep your buddy from the danger of gaining excess and unwanted pounds that may prove challenging to shed.

4. Introduce Some Cat Technology

When you get creative, bonding time with your kitty will always be full of pleasant surprises that the cat can look forward to.

For example, your feline buddy can also benefit from technology. If you have ever walked in the living room and found your cat fixated on the TV, then you know a cat is well capable of enjoying some form of TV watching.

Sophia, my cat, has a knack for settling on the carpet in the bread position facing the TV, and enjoying episodes of the cartoon of Tom and Jerry with my daughters. So don't rule out incorporating electronic gadgets in your playtime.

You can download cat apps on your smartphone or tablet. When kitty tells you that it would like to spend some time with you through its shot up straight tail with a hooked tip, you can try putting it on your lap, turning on the cat app on your phone or tablet, and put it before the cat as it rests on your lap.

Most cats seem to like quick-moving objects and interesting realistic sounds. The cat app that I've tried on my kitty is the pocket pond, which IS free on both iPad and Android devices.

It's interesting to watch my kitty's ear and tail twitch in every other direction with eyes glued to the screen and one paw slightly raised in readiness to swipe or scoop at the goldfish on the screen; it's pretty relaxing and hilarious all at the same time.

At times I can't help but chuckle as I watch her frantically clawing at the screen in an attempt to arrest a koi fish or the rapidly moving lasers.

The only caution you will need to take is investing in a fairly tough screen cover for your electronic device and check with your vet for the right screen light that will not adversely affect your feline buddy's eyes.

5. Get a Laser Light Pointer

When you have a kitty in the home, the question is not whether the kitty will want to play, but rather when it will want to play.

So, the best thing is to stay ahead of things by thinking of interactive ways to engage your cat in a bonding session. A laser light pointer will get it to exercise and expend excess energy while playing and bonding with you.

That is particularly crucial for house cats. Remember that while cats may be docile for the better part of the day, they will want to get active from dusk or dawn.

That means that they may want to play with you or with another cat. After all, you are their pet parent, and at some point, they will want some bonding time which often involves a short play session.

Of course, by now, you know the signal is a raised tail and curled tip like a hook.

One of the ways you can oblige your feline friend on her need to interact with you is by having a laser light pointer. This gadget looks like a pen and uses a rechargeable battery.

By pressing a button and pointing it to the wall or to the floor, it emits a stream of colored light that manifests as a dot on the wall or floor. When you move it around, it erratically moves.

You and kitty will both have a blast as you watch your cat tirelessly chasing the colored dot wherever you point it to.

Cats are therapeutic to most humans. So whenever they show a willingness to engage in a cuddle, a petting session, or a game of chase the laser dot, you want to oblige your feline friend because it is healthy for both you, and it builds a stronger bond between the two of you.

With these few suggestions, the next time you see your kitty raise the tail straight and curl it at the top, it means that the cat is excited to spend some time with you.

Being prepared with a range of options well beforehand will ensure that you don't miss a play session with kitty.

It's worth noting that sometimes, a raised tail curled like a hook at the top can mean that your cat is doubtful about something. While most of the time, it means that the cat is feeling thrilled and ready to engage you in some fun play, it may also mean that your feline is doubtful.

Observing your furry friend for a bit should reveal its emotions and what it is in the mood for.

Swishing a feathery toy around should put that question to rest. If the cat is feeling playful, it will pounce and be all over the toy. However, if it's because of doubt that the cat has its tail in that position, it may not be as responsive to play.

Figure out what the problem is and eliminate it if possible.

Other Reasons a Cat Curls Its Tail

How a cat curls its tail can signify several things. We have covered a cat's emotional state when the tail is erect, straight, and facing upwards with a question mark like curl at the top.

Now we explore other positions that a cat may curl up its tail and communicate to you.

i) Anxiety

Besides being happy, doubtful, or playful, your cat also experiences other emotions, such as feeling submissive or nervous.

When your kitty is sitting, and its tail is curled around itself, this often signifies that your furry buddy is feeling submissive, guilty, or fearful.

The best way to respond to this is to leave your kitty alone and allow it some space to be and relax or overcome the fear.

ii) Needs Space

If your cat is asleep with its tail curled around itself, that can be interpreted as needing some time alone to rest.

Active as your cat may be, it also needs to take a break from everyone, everything and enjoy some undisturbed reflective peace.

iii) Needs Companionship

There are instances when your furry buddy feels particularly friendly, amiable, and ready to interact with you or other cats.

It is not uncommon to see your feline curl its tail around that of another cat in such instances.

This display means friendship and affection. Sometimes when my kitty is relaxing on my lap and purring a storm, she tends to wrap her tail around my arm. This is a typical show of affection and friendship.

iv) Show of Aggression

If your cat stands with the tail curved from the base in the form of an" inverted U," it has assumed an aggressive defensive stance against a threat of some kind in its environment.

Problems That Can Make Your Cat Unable to Curl Its Tail

A cat's tail has many more combinations of movements and curling positions than that of a dog. That explains why the tail of a cat is so remarkably fluid and easily accommodates a wide range of motion.

The tail comprises skin, bones, nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and fur. It is quite sensitive, thanks to a generous supply of nerve endings that make it respond to even the slightest stimuli.

The tail of the cat extends from the spine. In addition to expressing and communicating the cat's emotional state, the tails help the cat in counterbalancing when running, jumping, and climbing on both horizontal and vertical surfaces.

So avoid stepping on the tail, closing a door on it or pulling on it. Kids are particularly fond of the pulling the cat's tail so discourage this behavior.

All of the above can result in conditions like tail paralysis. Other cat tail injuries include:

• Lacerations
• Dislocations
• Fractures
• Nerve damage

You can tell your cat's tail is hurt because it hangs down limply. The cat may also flinch when the tail is touched or handled.

You may also notice your cat may have trouble moving its hind legs or have no control over its bowels and bladder.

If you see this, it is critical to get your feline friend to the vet immediately.

The need for a healthy tail is vital to your kitty because its overall wellbeing depends on it. Your kitty knows that and naturally keeps it clean and well-tended to.

You do not need to do so much as your feline is naturally hygienic, and makes sure that its tail is kempt. You will also notice that your cat is quite protective of its tail and will not let you or anyone mess around with it.

In the event of an injury to the tail, you will need to gently hold the tail for your kitty to avoid further pain and damage to it.

That's because tail injuries on cats can cause severe pain, discomfort, and stress for your furry pal. The good news is, most tail injuries that are not severe will heal by themselves, provided your fury friend takes enough rest.

Writer: Mercy Nandika Amatieku

Read my bio

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Source: https://archiecat.com/cat-tail-curled-up/

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