Chasing Its Own Tail

Kittens chase their tails for the simplest of reasons: the tail moves, it is attached to them, and their predatory play system responds to movement long before they have learned what belongs to whom. Young cats spend a great deal of time practising the stalk, pounce and grab sequence on whatever is available — a littermate's ear, a curtain hem, their own hind end — and tail-chasing is part of a normal developmental repertoire that usually fades as better targets appear.

In a healthy young cat it looks like play, and reads like it. The movements are loose, the cat is easily distracted by a toy or a person, the bout is short, and it ends without any sign of distress. Occasional tail-chasing in adults, particularly in playful or under-stimulated indoor cats, falls into the same category and is generally answered with more interactive play, puzzle feeders and vertical space.

Adult-onset, intense or repetitive tail-chasing is a different matter. When a cat spins persistently, is difficult to interrupt, attacks the tail rather than batting at it, or bites hard enough to damage the skin, the behaviour has moved out of the range of play. Compulsive tail-chasing in cats is one of the recognised presentations of feline hyperaesthesia syndrome, a poorly understood condition in which cats show rippling skin over the back, sudden bouts of frantic grooming or biting at the flank and tail, dilated pupils, vocalisation and an apparent inability to settle.

Physical causes are also common and should be excluded first. Fleas and flea-allergic dermatitis concentrate irritation at the tail base; anal gland impaction, tail injuries, arthritis in the lower spine, skin infection and nerve pain all produce a cat that harasses its own rear end. Pain and itch look very similar from the outside, and neither can be ruled out from the behaviour alone.

The practical approach is straightforward. Note when the bouts occur, how long they last and whether the cat can be distracted, and film one if you can — vets rarely get to see the behaviour in the consulting room. Ensure flea treatment is genuinely up to date. Increase enrichment, since stress and boredom amplify almost every repetitive behaviour. And do not punish a spinning cat; if the underlying cause is pain or compulsion, punishment only adds anxiety to it.