Hi! My sister has a cat he’s a male orange tabby.He’s about 5 months and he’s always flicking his tail while he lays with her or when she holds him. He doesn’t meow and he doesn’t seem to hate or be bothered by her so I was
wondering what it could mean? He’s not neutered yet
Hi Janise
Thank you for asking a great question.
If a kitten or adult cat flicks its tail while lying or being held, they may feel agitated or overstimulated. However, it's essential to consider other body language cues and the situation in which the tail flicking occurs.
Encourage your sister to concentrate on where her tabby likes being petted (usually on top of the head and chin, sometimes on the back) and limit patting to these areas. Next, assess how long he likes being stroked and whether he likes slow or fast caressing or something in between. Lastly, cease contact before he displays signs of agitation (stops purring, dilated pupils, swishing tail, stiff body, etc).
I recommend reading this helpful article to understand what your cat's tail can tell you to help your sister better understand your cat's behavior: https://cats.com/cat-tail-meanings
All the best,
Melina