Often we can see cats that don't have a tail, have a short and crooked one or barely have one. This is normal, since there are mutations that some cat breeds have, such as the Manx cat or the Bobtail, and when cats with normal tails are crossed with cats with this mutation can manifest this appearance. In addition to being used to express emotions, the tail is an area that has a good blood and nerve supply, but at the same time it is an area that is very susceptible to injuries that can have unpleasant consequences for our cats and cause great concern to their caregivers.
Does a cat's tail have bones?
Yes, the tail of cats is made up of about 22 caudal or coccygeal vertebrae, which are small rectangular bones that decrease in size from the base to the tip. The feline tail is a continuation of the vertebral column , in such a way that the sacral bone around the hip separates the lumbar vertebrae from the tail vertebrae.
The vertebral column of cats is more flexible than that of dogs, especially the area of the tail allows them a lot of mobility and flexibility, in addition to serving as axis of turn when they fall to readjust their posture and intervenes in the center of stability
Why are there cats without tails?
The absence of a tail in a cat is considered a mutation (changes in the DNA sequence). Today, we can see more and more cats without a tail, with little tail or with a crooked tail. This is because some people found them surprising and decided to select cats like that and reproduce them so that said mutation could be perpetuated. In cats we can find two types of mutated genes that produce alterations in the tail:
- Manx cat M gene: This gene is dominantly inherited, so cats with one or both dominant alleles for the gene (Mm or MM, respectively), they will have no tail. Those with the two dominant alleles (MM) die before birth with serious damage to the nervous system. Heterozygous cats (Mm) are the ones that we can see have very short tails or none at all. In addition, some Manx cats have hip bone and organ defects and die before one year of age. For this reason, cats should be prevented from becoming MM by crossing Manx cats with other breeds that are recessive for the (mm) gene, such as the British, American Shorthair or Long-tailed Manx, which are homozygous for the recessive gene (the one that does not cause disease, that is, they are mm), to avoid the fatal outcome.
- Japanese Bobtail Gen B: Inheritance is dominant as above. Heterozygous and homozygous cats for this gene (Bb and BB) show their short tails and are cats with twisted tails, being more evident in cats with the two dominant alleles for the gene (BB homozygotes). This gene, unlike the M of Manx cats, is not lethal and does not present associated skeletal disorders.
Types of tails in cats
There are other cats that have shortened tails and are indistinguishable from the bobtail or manx mutations, and can appear in any cat, regardless of race Perhaps some are mutations that have not been investigated yet. It can also be seen in crosses between normal cats and those with mutations. In general, cats according to the length of their tail can be called:
- Rumpy: cats without tails.
- Riser: cats with a tail of less than three vertebrae.
- Stumpy: cats with a tail with more than three vertebrae but not reaching the length considered normal.
- Longy: Cats with a tail with several vertebrae but just short of the normal average.
- Tailed: cats with normal length tail.
My cat does not lift its tail, why and what to do?
When we see that our cat does not lift its tail, it is floppy and even immobile, we must think that something has happened to the caudal nerves. Specifically, fractures, dislocations or subluxations of the caudal vertebrae can cause spinal cord damage with flaccid paralysis, which means that the cat does not lift its tail when it is paralyzed.
However, the exclusive involvement of the tail is not the most frequent, but medullary segments of the sacrum are damaged next to the tail area, causing a injury sacrococcygeal (sacrum and tail). In this case, more symptoms will occur, since the nerves of these segments are injured, such as the pudendal nerve and the pelvic nerves, which innervate the sphincters of the urethra, bladder and anus, causing urinary and fecal incontinence. In addition, they also intervene in the sensitivity of the perineum and genital organs, which are accompanied by lesions of the caudal nerves, which lead to a loss of sensitivity in the tail or flaccidityIf the blood supply is also affected, necrosis or gangrene (death of tissue due to lack of blood supply) will be seen in the affected area.
Therefore, in this situation, it is necessary to take your cat to a veterinary center urgentlyto assess the state of him and give him the best treatment
How do you heal a cat's broken tail?
The tail is a relatively common location for bone fractures in cats, due to accidents, falls, getting their tail caught or fights with bites from other animals. If the wound is very superficial, you can consult this other article on Wounds in cats to learn more about first aid.
When a cat breaks its tail, the treatment will depend on the severity of the fracture and its location, since those located closer to the tip usually heal well without going through the operating room, putting a splint or bandage with anti-inflammatories and antibiotics However, when they are close to the base and there has been damage to the nerves mentioned in the previous section or damage to the tail is unrecoverable, the solution is to amputate the tail of the cat, totally or partially.
Amputation is the best solution for a cat with a severely damaged tail and nerve damage. After the operation, you should be on anti-inflammatories and antibiotics to avoid secondary bacterial infections, as well as to avoid damaging the area, not scratching or licking the wound. If the treatment is followed and the evolution is favourable, the stitches are usually removed after a week and a half and then healing will occur and your cat will be just as lively than with tail maintaining a good quality of life.
And if you have problems when giving medicine to your feline, we encourage you to read this other article on How to give medicine to a cat?
