The behavior of cats can be extremely funny for people on many occasions. Having a small ball of fur that is capable of entertaining itself with any object it finds in its path unleashes situations that are very amusing for the human eye.
Watching a cat chasing its tail is one of these activities that can be very entertaining, however, is it a normal behavior? Is it positive for them to perform this behavior? Keep reading this article on our site so you know what it means and what we should do if our cat does it:
In puppies, an exploratory behavior
As you may have seen, cats are capable of distracting themselves with almost anything. A shadow that has crossed the window, something that fell to the floor, the loose thread of a cushion or curtain and much more, for felines, fun hides in every corner.
The cat is a hunting animal by nature, an instinct that it retains even when domesticated. That's why the game of chasing its tail is very common in puppies, who try to discover their surroundings. The kitten is calm, when suddenly it "realizes" that it has the tip of its tail next to it, so it starts to go after it, trying to catch it and even nibble it a little.
If you notice that he doesn't hurt himself, there is no reason to worry. The feline simply entertains himself with this innocent game, while releases some energythat he has accumulated from the many hours he spends sleeping. It is also very common in cats that do not have access to the outside, because their life is much more leisurely and carefree, so this game provides them with a bit of action.
In adults, a compulsive behavior?
There are various reasons why your cat may chase its tail, however, and unlike what happens with puppies, this is not normal behaviorin adult cats, so we need to see if it is compulsive behavior, also known as stereotypy. Some factors that can lead to this disorder are:
- Lack of socialization
- Changes in the cat's life
- Low stimulation
- Traumas
- Fear and stress
How to enrich your cat's daily life
It may happen that your cat is bored, receiving little stimulation (in the environment, for example) as well as a lack of socialization with the people of the household. In this case, your cat will need to spend more time with you and feel that he is important to you, so when an element appears that distracts you, causing him to stop being the center of attention, this can bring about somewhat irritating behaviors.
In this case it is advisable to get new toys and actively participate in the game with our cat, that is, it is no use buying a toy that we leave on the floor, we must be present in this fun time to enrich your day to day.
In elderly cats or cats with little mobility, playing time is not the best option. In this case, giving prizes (tasty food) or offering a long relaxing massage can be an option.
How changes affect cats
It may also happen that, after a baby arrives at home, for example, or from another pet, our cat feels isolated, sad or scared. We must know that cats are animals of routines and that, what may seem like a small variation to us, can mean a whole world to him. These types of changes generate jealousy and stress in your cat, which can drain trying to get your attention by chasing its tail or relieve itself by this movement.
In this case, it is convenient to assess the origin of the behavior and what could have produced it. Helping our cat to overcome this situation is not easy, however, with patience, affection and the environmental stimulation that we have mentioned in the previous point, we can move towards animal welfare.
What should we do? When should we worry?
Tail chasing can become a problem if it becomes a compulsive behavior for your cat. We could define a stereotype as "a repetitive and ritualized movement without an apparent purpose". It is important to assess why it occurs and what is the triggering factor, since without it we will not be able to help our feline.
Serious cases
When your cat is chasing its tail, pay attention in case it bites it too. If you notice areas without hair, blood or scabs, it means that your cat is self-mutilating, a situation that requires immediate veterinary assistance.
When tail chasing turns into self-mutilation, there are several reasons: stress, inattention and boredom, already mentioned, can make a simple behavior dedicated to distract him or regain his place in your life become something that puts the feline's he alth at risk.
It would be ideal to consult a veterinarian specialized in ethology, as well as feline behavior professionals. In the meantime, try to avoid the stressful stimuli that cause the start of the behavior in the cat, enrich his day to day with the above proposals and make his routine totally predictable.
Parasites and diseases
In addition, the presence of fleas can also cause your cat to chase its tail and, due to itching, bite it. Other problems, such as feline osteoarthritis, cause discomfort in this area of the body, so in the face of repetitive and destructive behavior it will be necessary to evaluate what is happening to find the best way to solve it.
