The Terrible Tail

Hi All,

That's what we call it, "the terrible tail," when one of our babies
walks across a table or a computer desk with tail lashing left and
right and woe to any small or light object which receives the terrible
tail. What I don't (and perhaps never will)understand is why, when
you'd think things would have a 50/50 chance of getting knocked off a
desk or back onto it, it always seems to hit the floor.

Do cats have some cosmic sense that lets them see behind them so that
a sweep of the tail has the most effect on small items that are not
nailed down?

The worst one at this is my boy Sumo. He's an altered male, and an
inside cat (as are they all). Still, he has to show he's a boy by
lashing his tail when it's not standing straight up or in a relaxed
and confident j-hook shape that hooks forward over his back.

Regards and Purrs,
O J

Dan M wrote in message ...

Amelia has a quite expressive tail. When she appears to very interested
in what she's observing she curls her tail with a hook in the end -
almost like a question mark. When she's stalking one of her younger sibs
she tends to lay her tail down flat along her back. And when she's
hunting her tail is very still until just before she pounces, then the
tip lashes back and forth quite energetically.


I was so used to tailless Mike, watching the other kitties' tails is
funny. Ozzy lashes and twitches his tail all the time; it even
twitches when he's asleep. Tiger's tail is *always* straight up.

Guest Cat has a very expressive tail; it goes straight up in greeting
when she sees us, lashes when she's playing, twines around my ankles
and wrists, and curls and bends into interrogative shapes while she's
exploring the house. All of this is done very gracefully. It's a
hula tail!

------
Krista

Dan M wrote in message ...

Amelia has a quite expressive tail. When she appears to very interested
in what she's observing she curls her tail with a hook in the end -
almost like a question mark. When she's stalking one of her younger sibs
she tends to lay her tail down flat along her back. And when she's
hunting her tail is very still until just before she pounces, then the
tip lashes back and forth quite energetically.


I was so used to tailless Mike, watching the other kitties' tails is
funny. Ozzy lashes and twitches his tail all the time; it even
twitches when he's asleep. Tiger's tail is *always* straight up.

Guest Cat has a very expressive tail; it goes straight up in greeting
when she sees us, lashes when she's playing, twines around my ankles
and wrists, and curls and bends into interrogative shapes while she's
exploring the house. All of this is done very gracefully. It's a
hula tail!

------
Krista

Dan M wrote in message ...

Amelia has a quite expressive tail. When she appears to very interested
in what she's observing she curls her tail with a hook in the end -
almost like a question mark. When she's stalking one of her younger sibs
she tends to lay her tail down flat along her back. And when she's
hunting her tail is very still until just before she pounces, then the
tip lashes back and forth quite energetically.


I was so used to tailless Mike, watching the other kitties' tails is
funny. Ozzy lashes and twitches his tail all the time; it even
twitches when he's asleep. Tiger's tail is *always* straight up.

Guest Cat has a very expressive tail; it goes straight up in greeting
when she sees us, lashes when she's playing, twines around my ankles
and wrists, and curls and bends into interrogative shapes while she's
exploring the house. All of this is done very gracefully. It's a
hula tail!

------
Krista

"LOL" wrote


I was so used to tailless Mike, watching the other kitties' tails is
funny. Ozzy lashes and twitches his tail all the time; it even
twitches when he's asleep. Tiger's tail is *always* straight up.


Frank's tail is like Ozzy's - constantly in motion.

Guest Cat has a very expressive tail; it goes straight up in greeting
when she sees us, lashes when she's playing, twines around my ankles
and wrists, and curls and bends into interrogative shapes while she's
exploring the house. All of this is done very gracefully. It's a
hula tail!

LOL!

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

"LOL" wrote


I was so used to tailless Mike, watching the other kitties' tails is
funny. Ozzy lashes and twitches his tail all the time; it even
twitches when he's asleep. Tiger's tail is *always* straight up.


Frank's tail is like Ozzy's - constantly in motion.

Guest Cat has a very expressive tail; it goes straight up in greeting
when she sees us, lashes when she's playing, twines around my ankles
and wrists, and curls and bends into interrogative shapes while she's
exploring the house. All of this is done very gracefully. It's a
hula tail!

LOL!

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

"LOL" wrote


I was so used to tailless Mike, watching the other kitties' tails is
funny. Ozzy lashes and twitches his tail all the time; it even
twitches when he's asleep. Tiger's tail is *always* straight up.


Frank's tail is like Ozzy's - constantly in motion.

Guest Cat has a very expressive tail; it goes straight up in greeting
when she sees us, lashes when she's playing, twines around my ankles
and wrists, and curls and bends into interrogative shapes while she's
exploring the house. All of this is done very gracefully. It's a
hula tail!

LOL!

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 04:19:28 GMT, Tanada
yodeled:



Kreisleriana wrote:
On Sun, 08 Aug 2004 17:12:43 -0500, Cheryl
yodeled:


In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.anecdotes", O J
artfully composed this message within
m on 02 Aug 2004:


Do cats have some cosmic sense that lets them see behind them so
that a sweep of the tail has the most effect on small items that
are not nailed down?

Shamrock doesn't bother with the tail, he just uses his paws to bat
things off tables, shelves, dressers, anything he can jump on. And,
he loves to watch them fall to the floor.



That was Mimi's specialty. If the thing was too big for her to bat
with her paw, she would get behind it and push with her head. She
would always watch the thing fall, too, and give a little triumphant
twitch of the head when it landed. I used to call her "Little Isaac
Newton."



Well, they have to do gravity experiments to make sure that everything
is working correctly.

Pam S.

And of course, the findings are no good, unless they are reproducible.




Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com
alt.tv.frasier FAQ: http://www.im-listening.net/FAQ/

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 04:19:28 GMT, Tanada
yodeled:



Kreisleriana wrote:
On Sun, 08 Aug 2004 17:12:43 -0500, Cheryl
yodeled:


In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.anecdotes", O J
artfully composed this message within
m on 02 Aug 2004:


Do cats have some cosmic sense that lets them see behind them so
that a sweep of the tail has the most effect on small items that
are not nailed down?

Shamrock doesn't bother with the tail, he just uses his paws to bat
things off tables, shelves, dressers, anything he can jump on. And,
he loves to watch them fall to the floor.



That was Mimi's specialty. If the thing was too big for her to bat
with her paw, she would get behind it and push with her head. She
would always watch the thing fall, too, and give a little triumphant
twitch of the head when it landed. I used to call her "Little Isaac
Newton."



Well, they have to do gravity experiments to make sure that everything
is working correctly.

Pam S.

And of course, the findings are no good, unless they are reproducible.




Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com
alt.tv.frasier FAQ: http://www.im-listening.net/FAQ/

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 04:19:28 GMT, Tanada
yodeled:



Kreisleriana wrote:
On Sun, 08 Aug 2004 17:12:43 -0500, Cheryl
yodeled:


In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.anecdotes", O J
artfully composed this message within
m on 02 Aug 2004:


Do cats have some cosmic sense that lets them see behind them so
that a sweep of the tail has the most effect on small items that
are not nailed down?

Shamrock doesn't bother with the tail, he just uses his paws to bat
things off tables, shelves, dressers, anything he can jump on. And,
he loves to watch them fall to the floor.



That was Mimi's specialty. If the thing was too big for her to bat
with her paw, she would get behind it and push with her head. She
would always watch the thing fall, too, and give a little triumphant
twitch of the head when it landed. I used to call her "Little Isaac
Newton."



Well, they have to do gravity experiments to make sure that everything
is working correctly.

Pam S.

And of course, the findings are no good, unless they are reproducible.




Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com
alt.tv.frasier FAQ: http://www.im-listening.net/FAQ/