My 11 month old cat has always hated her tail. We rescued her at 2 weeks old from a family who’s home burned down. The momma cat rejected the babies after the fire. Anyway, she gets pretty vicious with her tail. Ever since she got fixed, she’s putting on weight so now she’s having a difficult time actually getting her tail. Is this normal? Fixable? Will her and her tail ever get along again?
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My cat hates her tail.
- Thread starter TashaLyn
- Start Date
Have you talked to the vet about this at all? There is a condition called hyperesthesia that might apply, but there are typically more than one symptom. I have included a couple of links below so you can read about it and see if there are any other signs pointing to it. Either way, it would be likely be something you should discuss with your vet. Most cats diagnosed with this are generally easily over-stressed and have anxious-type personalities, and may benefit from calming products and other environmental changes to help relax them.
About the weight gain - exactly how much weight has she gained to get heavy enough to not be able to get to her tail? That is a concerning issue unto itself. If she is extremely overweight and isn't being overfed, that is just another reason to have a vet check her out as there are many health conditions that could lead to excessive weight gain - hypothyroidism for one, as well as other endocrine related issues, just to mention one aspect. Do you 'free-feed' and how much does she eat in day?
Hyperesthesia in Cats
Hyperesthesia Syndrome
About the weight gain - exactly how much weight has she gained to get heavy enough to not be able to get to her tail? That is a concerning issue unto itself. If she is extremely overweight and isn't being overfed, that is just another reason to have a vet check her out as there are many health conditions that could lead to excessive weight gain - hypothyroidism for one, as well as other endocrine related issues, just to mention one aspect. Do you 'free-feed' and how much does she eat in day?
Hyperesthesia in Cats
Hyperesthesia Syndrome
Other than the articles above, I will only add that I, too, had a cat who hated her tail. She attacked it to the point that she almost degloved it (removed the skin). We ended up wrapping it and applying bitter apple to the bandage, It took about two weeks for her to stop attempting the attacks. At that point, we were able to remove the wrappings, and she and her tail got along just fine from then on. IF there are no underlying issues, such as hyperesthesia, try this, but DO get your vet to show you exactly how tightly to apply the wrapping. It has to stay on without cutting off the blood circulation!
There's also this TCS article: Why Does My Cat Chase Its Own Tail? – Cat Articles
We've had a few posts where this reaches pathological levels, and the cat seems genuinely afraid of or actually hostile to their tail, and I dug out an article that lists the various medical causes such as arthritis, but sometimes it may be psychological as well. Anyway, you need vet help to dx the issue if its at that level. Of course, its common for cats to play with/chase their tail, and even that can be a problem sometimes if it is extreme as
rubysmama
mentioned. If its not at that level and there is no tail damage, maybe just watch it.
rubysmama
mentioned. If its not at that level and there is no tail damage, maybe just watch it.
Loki is 16 1/2 years old, and he still sucks on his tail.
Not as much as he used to... he used to suck on it so much, the fur on the end became choppy and discolored.
I asked the vet about it, because the discoloring made me wonder if he was drawing blood, but he wasn't.
It's basically a kind of grooming/stress response. He would do it mostly right at bedtime, as he would groom before settling down. Since he wasn't actually hurting his tail (except by making it ugly), we just called it his woobie.
Not as much as he used to... he used to suck on it so much, the fur on the end became choppy and discolored.
I asked the vet about it, because the discoloring made me wonder if he was drawing blood, but he wasn't.
It's basically a kind of grooming/stress response. He would do it mostly right at bedtime, as he would groom before settling down. Since he wasn't actually hurting his tail (except by making it ugly), we just called it his woobie.
I have a cat with true hyperesthesia and you certainly have enough here to learn from so I will only add to start filming on your phone so that the vet can see what the episodes look like.
I meant to mention...here's what we figured started Berry's obsession, She had a very long, floofy tail. She saw it wiggling as a kitten, pounced and bit. It HURT, and rather than realizing that it was HER tail, and biting it hurt her, she thought her tail was the enemy and causing the pain. Same reason cats with UTIs start avoiding the litter box...they think the BOX is causing the pain, not their own bodies.
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I would recommend asking your vet about it. When I first brought Charlie home from the shelter, I noticed that he was licking the tip of his tail to the point that it was literally dripping wet. Naturally, I was super concerned and I asked the vet about it on his first appointment. The vet felt his tail and found a slight kink at its tip, and suspected that he may have gotten his tail slammed in the cage door at the shelter and that that, combined with the stress of being in a new environment is what caused the compulsive licking. Today, Charlie hasn’t licked his tail in forever. The situation is probably not exactly the same for your cat, but the point of my story is that, “tail obsession” can decrease over time, and your vet can provide some valuable insight as to the possible cause.
Baby Su had a short episode of this (as an adult) but it didn't last long and she didn't need a vet visit or any special treatment to stop doing it. Wishing and hoping your little girl will outgrow this quickly, too!
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Everyone else is covering the hyperesthesia, so I’ll echo the first comment - how much does she weigh? Can you post s photo?
What is her diet and feeding schedule like? It is very difficult to overfeed a cat under a year old. It’s generally recommended to feed them as much as they want the first year.
So if kitty really is overweight, this is particularly concerning. It might really just be a diet/quantity/schedule change, but medical issues need to be ruled out first.
What is her diet and feeding schedule like? It is very difficult to overfeed a cat under a year old. It’s generally recommended to feed them as much as they want the first year.
So if kitty really is overweight, this is particularly concerning. It might really just be a diet/quantity/schedule change, but medical issues need to be ruled out first.
I second this, if she's that young and already overweight then she may well have some underlying condition like hyperthyroidism. When is the last time she was in to see a vet?
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My beautiful tuxedo cat Thirteen actually chewed the tip of her tail off when she was young. Three different vets could find no medical basis for this after thousands of dollars in testing. Once she succeded in chewing off the tip she seemed to be satisfied. Five years later she's a completely normal (still beautiful) cat with a lovely, fluffy tail.
