Stalking cats + flicking tails = huh?

[Gravy]

I've always wondered why stalking cats violently flick their tails. That behavior seems to me to be an evolutionary disadvantage. My cat was just doing it as pigeons strutted on the window ledge. She has a huge, bushy tail. It may as well be a steam whistle. Once in the Alps I watched a wildcat stalk birds, and each time its tail raised a ruckus and the birds flew away. Tails certainly aren't necessary for feline hunting, as lynx show.

I finally bothered to do some Googling about this but didn't find a satisfactory answer.

One veterinarian suggested that the prey is hypnotized by the waving tail. I don't buy it. Wouldn't thousands of generations of predator-prey interactions teach antelope that the flicking thing in the grass means danger?

Another explanation was that the cats are trying to induce movement in the prey to be sure it's prey. For many reasons, that strikes me as absurd.

Am I wrong in thinking that these explanations are silly? Does anyone know of a better one?

 

[Darat]

I've watched my Maine Coon when he is actually hunting as opposed to play hunting and he holds his body and tail completely still as he stalks. Perhaps the tail flicking is not a hunting behaviour?

 

[Gravy]

I've watched my Maine Coon when he is actually hunting as opposed to play hunting and he holds his body and tail completely still as he stalks. Perhaps the tail flicking is not a hunting behaviour?

Interesting. My cat is indoors only, so I don't get to see her in action. I'm thinking, though, of lions, leopards, etc., which definitely do this when stalking.

 

[Worm]

In the case of the big cats, would a staionary object not attract attention just as much as a moving one?

I'm thinking of my impression of cats hunting, in long grass etc. which will surely be moving? So a stationary object would show up. Or is that complete rubbish?

Probably, as if the rest of the cat is stationary then it's a bit of a giveaway.

durrrr..

 

[Naughtyhippo]

I always reguarded it as a sign of excitement on the part of the cat. Perhaps there is no evolutionary advantage for it and it doesn't present a problem to replicating, so it hasn't been natural selected out?

 

[MRC_Hans]

Purely personal speculation, but I have noticed that cats (of which several have owned me, over time) seem to try (partly in vain) to suppress or minimize the tail movements when stalking an actual prey.

So, my thought is that the flicking tail is a social signal, like purring and several other signals. The idea is that when animals that are armed and dangerous, like predators are, are interacting with each other, it is useful that their moods and intentions are visible to their fellows. This will minimize the damage they can otherwise inflict on each other, and herein lies the evolutionary advantage.

The behavior does collide with hunting, unless the individual animal is able to suppress the reflex when actually out to kill, but traits that have conflicting effects are not that unusual in the animal kingdom (just think of gaudily colored and feathered birds that have a mating advantage, but loose camouflage and mobility).

Of course, domesticated cats are likely to loose the ability to suppress their tail flicking, since their survival depends more on social efficiency than on bird hunting success (especially since cats were probably originally domesticated to deal with rodents, where tail-flicking is less of a give-away).

Hans

 

[aggle-rithm]

In the case of the big cats, would a staionary object not attract attention just as much as a moving one?

I'm thinking of my impression of cats hunting, in long grass etc. which will surely be moving? So a stationary object would show up. Or is that complete rubbish?

Probably, as if the rest of the cat is stationary then it's a bit of a giveaway.

durrrr..

If it moves, it's a predator.

If it doesn't move, it's a predator.

Paranoia strikes the natural world...

 

[Mojo]

I've watched my Maine Coon when he is actually hunting as opposed to play hunting and he holds his body and tail completely still as he stalks. Perhaps the tail flicking is not a hunting behaviour?

I've also noticed our (indoor) cats making chirping noises while watching birds through the windows. I suspect this isn't stalking behaviour either.

 

[aggle-rithm]

Purely personal speculation, but I have noticed that cats (of which several have owned me, over time) seem to try (partly in vain) to suppress or minimize the tail movements when stalking an actual prey.

So, my thought is that the flicking tail is a social signal, like purring and several other signals. The idea is that when animals that are armed and dangerous, like predators are, are interacting with each other, it is useful that their moods and intentions are visible to their fellows. This will minimize the damage they can otherwise inflict on each other, and herein lies the evolutionary advantage.

The behavior does collide with hunting, unless the individual animal is able to suppress the reflex when actually out to kill, but traits that have conflicting effects are not that unusual in the animal kingdom (just think of gaudily colored and feathered birds that have a mating advantage, but loose camouflage and mobility).

Of course, domesticated cats are likely to loose the ability to suppress their tail flicking, since their survival depends more on social efficiency than on bird hunting success (especially since cats were probably originally domesticated to deal with rodents, where tail-flicking is less of a give-away).

Hans

Perhaps the tail flicks only when the cats are not hungry?

This would indeed provide an evolutionary advantage, because cats are known to kill even when it's not necessary; sort of like humans do with sex. They could very well hunt themselves to extinction if they wipe out all the prey animals and let the carcasses rot because they have plenty to eat. The tail flick allows them to satisfy their evolutionary drive to hunt without using up their resources.


This, too, is purely personal speculation.

 

[aggle-rithm]

I've also noticed our (indoor) cats making chirping noises while watching birds through the windows. I suspect this isn't stalking behaviour either.

I've noticed that, too. Maybe mirror neurons at work?

 

[Gravy]

Well, I just watched some videos of lionesses hunting and they weren't flicking their tails, but they weren't crouched either. Just standing still. Maybe they only tail-flick in specific circumstances.

 

[MRC_Hans]

On big cats: Well, some of them still hunt in packs, and pack-hunting behavior may lie in them all, so it could be a useful signal to the rest of the pack: "I'm just about to jump this prey, so don't make a sound!".

Hans

 

[Gravy]

Purely personal speculation, but I have noticed that cats (of which several have owned me, over time) seem to try (partly in vain) to suppress or minimize the tail movements when stalking an actual prey.

So, my thought is that the flicking tail is a social signal, like purring and several other signals. The idea is that when animals that are armed and dangerous, like predators are, are interacting with each other, it is useful that their moods and intentions are visible to their fellows. This will minimize the damage they can otherwise inflict on each other, and herein lies the evolutionary advantage.

The behavior does collide with hunting, unless the individual animal is able to suppress the reflex when actually out to kill, but traits that have conflicting effects are not that unusual in the animal kingdom (just think of gaudily colored and feathered birds that have a mating advantage, but loose camouflage and mobility).

Of course, domesticated cats are likely to loose the ability to suppress their tail flicking, since their survival depends more on social efficiency than on bird hunting success (especially since cats were probably originally domesticated to deal with rodents, where tail-flicking is less of a give-away).

Hans

Perhaps the tail flicks only when the cats are not hungry?

This would indeed provide an evolutionary advantage, because cats are known to kill even when it's not necessary; sort of like humans do with sex. They could very well hunt themselves to extinction if they wipe out all the prey animals and let the carcasses rot because they have plenty to eat. The tail flick allows them to satisfy their evolutionary drive to hunt without using up their resources.

This, too, is purely personal speculation.

Interesting comments! I think Hans' may make the most sense, since cats obviously do use their tails to communicate with each other (and with us).

 

[aggle-rithm]

Border collies are famous for their head-down stalking stance, where motionlessness is punctuated by rapid advances every few seconds or so. The difference here is that border collies WANT their "prey" to see them and be intimidated. This is essentially watered-down pack behavior, as their intent is to keep the animals from escaping or to drive them towards the pack leader, who will then decide what to do with them.

Maybe the tail-flick is some sort of social behavior, where one cat is driving the prey towards another? Seems doubtful, though, since most species of cats don't even have a hint of cooperative hunting behaviors.

(By the way, if you ever see a large dog in this "frozen" stance, staring at you...get the hell out of there.)

 

[MRC_Hans]

I once saw a film of a cheetah killing a young antelope. Now, after the initial smack-down, the stunned (and probably wounded) antelope stood giddily, and the cheetah was standing beside it, panting (but not holding the prey), and for a few seconds the scene seemed almost idyllic as they stood peacefully together. Then the antelope tried to run ......

Again, even if they're not normally living in flocks, they need to interact with others of their species (mates, offspring, siblings), and if they are not to hurt each other, they need some inhibitory mechanisms to keep their weapons so to speak, sheated, so tail signalling is one way. Another can be that the killer instinct requires the prey to flee, so it may not be as much a hunting disadvantage as you might think if the prey is aroused and starts to run in the last moment. In fact, a cat may simply stalk a prey till it starts to flee or it bumps into it.

Hans

 

[Gravy]

Here's an expert stalker at work. Reminds me of some relationships I've had.

 

[aggle-rithm]

Another explanation was that the cats are trying to induce movement in the prey to be sure it's prey. For many reasons, that strikes me as absurd.

This reminds me of a joke: "Tastes like dog poop, all right. Good thing we didn't step in it."

 

[MRC_Hans]

(By the way, if you ever see a large dog in this "frozen" stance, staring at you...get the hell out of there.)

Ehr, no! Running will very likely switch him to 'chase and catch' mode, so unless you are a truly exceptional runner or safety is very near, you should back off slowly, while facing him.

Hans

 

[aggle-rithm]

Ehr, no! Running will very likely switch him to 'chase and catch' mode, so unless you are a truly exceptional runner or safety is very near, you should back off slowly, while facing him.

Hans

Well, yeah, I meant "get the hell out of there" in a sensible manner. I wasn't more specific, because, well, I wasn't planning on being there myself.

...and you should actually avoid facing the dog directly, as eye contact and "squaring up" give the social signal "I want to fight!"

 

[Gravy]

Here's a lioness in a classic stalking creep. She's certainly not flashing her tail. I may be all washed up about this. Although there are plenty of anecdotes that mention it, and I've seen it on a small scale, perhaps tail flicking isn't normal behavior on a stalk at all.