It is believed that humans once also had a tail, but modern homo sapiens have only one or two rudimentary vertebrae left of it in the coccyx region, and even then not all of them. However, all representatives of the feline family - including domestic cats - have tails, and, judging by the behavior of these animals, they are very proud of their tails. Why does a cat need a tail and what functions is it designed to perform?
Instructions
Step 1
Be aware that one of the main purposes of a cat's tail is a kind of natural balancer, which is always with her. In the wild, any cat is primarily a hunter, and she climbs trees and fearlessly walks along their branches, looking for prey or, conversely, fleeing from a larger and stronger aggressor. At the same time, the tail performs the same function for a cat as a pole for a tightrope walker - with its vibrations, it helps itself to maintain balance, preventing its loss and subsequent fall. Therefore, the animal can stand stably and confidently even on a small patch.
When a cat runs away from someone on a flat surface or, on the contrary, chases after prey, the tail helps her a lot in this. If the animal makes a sharp turn, then its tail descends in the opposite direction, performing the function of a counterweight. Thus, the cat does not skid when cornering, which allows it to maintain a high speed throughout the chase.
Step 2
You may or may not believe that having a tail allows cats to land on their feet when falling from great heights. This statement is quite logical, but one should not forget that there are also artificially bred cat breeds, whose representatives do not have a tail. These cats land on their feet in the same way when falling, like their long-tailed counterparts. Thus, the only correct opinion on this issue today simply does not exist.
Step 3
Note that the cat uses its tail as one of its most active communication tools. Remember how a cat in moments of strong irritation jerks its tail from side to side, how it fluffs it up and lifts it vertically upward if something frightens it. Combined with the position of the ears and the expression of the animal's eyes, the amplitude of the movement of its tail allows for accurate inferences about how the cat will behave in the next few seconds. For example, if the tail of the animal sharply "wags" to the right and left, and its ears are pressed to the head, but not completely, then this means that the cat is preparing to attack and is about to rush into battle.
