communication
The Tail-Up Greeting
Friendly greeting & trust
A cat that trots towards you with its tail held straight up, often with a little curl at the tip, is offering the feline equivalent of a warm hello.
Of all the signals in a cat's body-language vocabulary, the upright tail is one of the most reliably positive. When a cat approaches you — or another cat it likes — with its tail carried vertically, frequently with a small hook or quiver at the tip, it is greeting you as a friend and signalling confidence, trust and goodwill.
The behaviour has deep roots. Kittens raise their tails to greet their mother, and the gesture carries into adult life as a universal feline sign of friendly intent. Studies of cat colonies show that the raised tail is used precisely in this way: cats that hold their tails up when they meet are far more likely to interact peacefully, rub against one another and stay close. A cat that greets a person with a lifted tail is treating them as part of its social group.
Often the tail-up is the opening line of a longer conversation. It may be followed by a rub along your legs, a head-bunt, a soft trill or a slow blink — all reinforcing the same message of affection and security. Returning the greeting warmly, with a calm voice and a gentle stroke along the cheeks, tells your cat the feeling is mutual.
🐾 Most common in
Universal across all cats that feel safe and bonded with their people. Confident, well-socialised and affectionate cats offer the tail-up greeting most freely; a nervous or newly adopted cat may take time before it feels secure enough to do so.