Why does my cat keep attacking his tail?

By Chyrle Bonk, DVM September 19, 2019

Table of Contents Show

Is Tail Chasing In Cats A Normal Behavior?
When To Be Concerned About a Cat Chasing Their Own Tail
Why Do Cats Chase Other Cats' Tails?
What Alternatives Can I Provide My Cat to Chase?
Chasing your tail is fun!
When pain sends your cat on a wild tail hunt
Stress and boredom leading to tail chasing
So, how to tell why your cat is chasing its own tail?

It’s three in the morning and your cat is whirling around in a circle fast enough to make even the most seaworthy cat parent a little dizzy. He is chasing after that pesky tail again, and it seems that poor thing never gets a rest. While tail chasing may be cute and a little curious, you wonder if this is normal. For an active little kitten, their tail may look like the ultimate chase toy that is always with them. But for an adult cat, sudden tail chasing may indicate a medical issue. Knowing your cat’s normal behavior is the best way to determine if tail chasing is just something fun for you to watch or a sign of something more serious.

For most kittens and young adult cats, tail chasing is a normal playful behavior. Adult cats that chase their tails may be doing so out of boredom. If the behavior starts suddenly, it could be a sign of one of many underlying health issues. Being in tune with your cat will help you sort through the possible causes behind their tail chasing behavior.

Cats display many perplexing behaviors, like leaving dead animals on your front porch! Most of these behaviors have an ancestral backing, but when your cat is performing their own version of a Tilt-A-Whirl, it might be a little more difficult to explain. Let’s look at some reasons why a cat may chase their tail.

Some playful kitties view their tail as a built-in plaything. It’s hard to ever be bored when you always have your tail to chase. Young kittens are especially infatuated with anything that moves, and tails are the perfect snake-like critter on which to pounce. Adult cats may chase their tail for entertainment as well, but by the time they reach a certain age, most are too dignified. For the cats that are too dignified to chase their tail, you can entertain them with a toy to scratch on instead.

Adult fleas love to congregate and bite at the base of your cat’s tail. What you interpret as your cat trying to catch their tail could actually be your cat trying to scratch far down their back where the tail attaches to the body. Fleas will leave other signs that they’re around, such as bumps on your cat’s skin where they have bitten. You may also notice your cat scratching or grooming excessively, and you may see extra ‘dirt’ when you groom your kitty. The most obvious sign is you running across an adult flea or two when you part your cat’s hair down to the skin. Treating fleas on your cat and in your home should stop your cat’s tail chasing behavior if it is due to a flea infestation. If you need more information about cleaning up a flea infestation, then read our article on how to get rid of fleas.

Environmental or food allergies can leave the skin of your cat’s tail and other places itchy and dry. This can have kitties spinning in circles trying to find a great way to reach that itch. Allergies typically don’t present themselves as an itchy tail only. There are usually other signs such as chronic ear infections, rashes, and itchiness in other areas of the body. Allergies can be treated by avoidance of the allergen if it’s known or with antihistamines. In more severe cases, steroids may be necessary to control the itch and prevent further damage from your cat scratching too hard.

Another irritation that may bring on your cat’s increased interest in their tail is an infection. Infections can stem from different sources, including the anal glands, which are located just inside the rectum. Sometimes they are caused by a secondary infection following scratching or an injury to the tail. Infections are best cleared up by treating the underlying cause (like expressing the anal glands) and then with a course of antibiotics.

This is also known as a supracaudal gland infection which typically occurs in intact male cats. The infection happens due to overactive sebaceous glands that are located at the base of the tail. Sebaceous glands are those that secrete oils that keep your cat’s hair soft. Too much of these oils can lead to a waxy accumulation at the base of the tail that can cause the hair to mat and create an irritating crusty buildup. If severe enough, an infection may occur. Treatment usually consists of neutering the male cat and proper hygiene.

This poorly understood but rare disease can affect cats of all ages and is caused by overactive nerve endings. This may lead to a tingling sensation in the tail or your cat being overly sensitive when touched. Cats with this issue may also have episodes similar to panic-like attacks where they run around wide-eyed and crazy for 20 to 30 seconds and then fall back asleep as if nothing happened. Any abnormal behavior should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Is Tail Chasing In Cats A Normal Behavior?

Depending on the situation, a cat chasing their own tail can be absolutely normal. Those kitties that are extra playful or those that are bored from spending the day alone are more prone to tail chasing than others. Tail chasing in kittens is more common than in adults. An adult cat is more likely to continue tail chasing behavior if they did it as a kitten.

When To Be Concerned About a Cat Chasing Their Own Tail

Generally, any sudden change in your cat’s behavior should alert you that something is wrong. An adult cat that has never chased their tail before and suddenly starts doing it should be a red flag that needs to be looked into. Most health issues that cause tail chasing come with other observable signs you should look out for. If your cat suddenly starts to chase their tail, then examine them for fleas, injuries, infections, or anything out of the ordinary. You should also note any other odd behaviors such as a change in affection, appetite, or energy level.

Playful tail chasing is one thing, but if your cat has started chasing and then biting their tail, be on the lookout for self-inflicted injuries and possible infections. Even if your cat’s tail chasing is stemming from a normal behavior, the repercussions of biting could be more serious. Always have injuries or bite wounds to the tail be looked at by a vet.

Why Do Cats Chase Other Cats' Tails?

Playful kitties are attracted to movement whether it be their tail or the tail of a feline roommate. If these kitties are on good terms, one cat may actually try to bait the other in with quick small flicks of the tail. This is all fine as long as both cats are on the same playful page.

Sometimes cats may chase another cat’s tail out of aggression. This can lead to damage. In these instances, take note of both cats' body language during the interaction. Cats that are playing will have their ears perked forward and may bounce around or roll on their side once they ‘catch’ the other’s tail. Aggressive cats will most likely have their ears pinned back, growl or snarl, beat or flick their tail, and be tense all over. Once they pounce, they will be out for blood rather than a playful interaction. For aggressive tail chasing, it’s best to separate cats to avoid injuries. For tips on calming down an angry cat, read our article here.

What Alternatives Can I Provide My Cat to Chase?

If your cat’s tail chasing has become a problem, you can try to break the habit by giving them something else to chase. Wand toys or toys on a string work great for real hands-on playing with your cat. For playing at a distance, a laser pointer may be more in order. If your cat is chasing their tail out of boredom from being home alone all day, then an interactive toy will satisfy that chasing itch without the destruction to your cat’s own body. This goes for cats that chase other cats' tails too. Try to avoid toys that look like snakes or cat tails since you want to get that idea out of their head.

Conclusion

As a cat parent, there’s nothing better than watching your cat do something that they love. For some kitties, spinning in circles wildly until they either catch their own tail or tumble over from dizziness is that one thing they love to do. Tail chasing is always a fun activity for us to watch, but be aware that it’s not always a normal behavior for cats. If your adult cat grew up acting like the Tasmanian Devil, then chances are their tail chasing in adulthood is normal. However, if your cat is suddenly focused on their hind end with undeterred determination, you might want to dig a little deeper for explanations behind this new behavior.

Petozy is a brand dedicated to pet and pet parent happiness. Learn more about us here.

Is your kitten going round and round in circles, trying to catch its own tail? Wondering what's going on? Is he or she physically ok? And how about mentally?

Many cats can be observed chasing their own tails, leaving owners baffled about this strange behavior. After all, cats are supposed to be smarter than that, right?

Note: We may get commissions for purchases made through links on this page.

Actually, there's more than one type of tail-chasing behavior in cats.

What might at first seem like a funny quirk could have more sinister implications. As a cat owner, you should try and understand why your cat is chasing his or her tail and act accordingly.

Chasing your tail is fun!

Yup. In most cases, Kitty should put up a disclaimer saying "This tail is being chased for entertainment purposes only". Why is chasing one's tail so much fun? There's actually a good reason.

When cats play, they're in fact practicing their hunting skills. This behavior starts at a very young age, with kittens chasing and hunting down any moving object of the right size, and some immobile objects or those of the wrong size, too.

This tendency to chase moving objects usually decreases as the cat gets older, but with some cats it lasts a lifetime. These cats are particularly playful and may react to the enticing wiggling tip of a tail - even their own.

This is what typical playful tail chasing looks like -

There's not a whole lot you need to do in the case of playful tail chasing. Keep your own hands away so Kitty doesn't accidentally grab your fingers instead of that fluffy tail. Think that your cat is too old for so much tail chasing? Does your cat seem to hurt its tail? It's time to consider a different explanation.

When pain sends your cat on a wild tail hunt

When a certain place itches or hurts, your cat is likely to be paying extra attention to that spot. The attention is often in the form of licking, scratching or biting. Injury or disease affecting the tail could make your cat take a special interest in that appendage. Since the tail tends to move around when touched, your cat may need to grab it to hold it down, creating the impression of tail chasing.

What to do? If your cat suddenly begins to focus on its tail, talk to your vet. Kitty may be in pain or discomfort due to an abscess, Stud's Tail Syndrome or some other medical condition of the tail.

Stress and boredom leading to tail chasing

When a cat is stressed or bored, it may resort to all kinds of strange behaviors, one of them being chasing and attacking the tail. Some cats can become obsessed with their tail and exhibit excessive tail licking, biting and chasing.

What to do? First, you must make absolutely sure that the cat is healthy. Any change in behavior can indicate a medical problem. Even if you're sure that the tail itself is fine, you should still consult your veterinarian to rule out other more systemic conditions.

Once medical issues have been ruled out, try Six Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats. It won't happen overnight, but once you find the right way to address the problem of stress, your cat will be less likely to attack its own tail.

If stress isn't the problem, boredom may be. Environmental enrichment is the key phrase here. Provide your cat with a more stimulating home environment where he or she can find forms of entertainment that do not involve the tail. You can find some great ideas in our article: Beating Boredom - What Indoor Cat Owners Need To Know.

So, how to tell why your cat is chasing its own tail?

Figuring out whether the tail chasing is just harmless playfulness or an actual problem isn't always easy. Here are a few questions to ask yourself -

How old is the cat? A kitten chasing his or her own tail is perfectly normal. In an older cat, consider the cat's personality, including the tendency to play-chase objects. A playful cat may keep chasing its own tail occasionally even when no longer a kitten.
Has this behavior started recently or changed in frequency? Any change in your cat's behavior can indicate a medical problem. Changes in behavior patterns can also mean your cat is suffering from stress. You know your cat best - if you notice a change in behavior, it's time to call your vet.
What's your cat like when he or she is playing with its tail? Does the cat seem relaxed and playful? Is there actual biting involved? Does the cat growl, hiss or otherwise show signs of real aggression? While playtime excitement can get out of control to the point of the cat being agitated, signs of real aggression indicate that the behavior goes beyond a playful chase.

As always, if you're not sure, talk to us about it! Post about your tail-chasing cat in the cat behavior forums. Try to capture the behavior on video or in pictures and share those as well. It would help those of our members who are more experienced with cats to assess what's going on.