Does a Cat Need Its Tail for Balance?

Cats are impressive when they use their climbing and balance skills. Whether walking along a length of fence or balancing on a narrow ledge, it's quite unusual if Frisky looses her footing. Her tail helps keep her sure-footed, but she's made for stealthy movement across a variety of terrain.

  1. Frisky's Tail

    • If you measured Frisky's tail, it would probably come in around 10 or 11 inches long. Long and lean or big and fluffy, her tail is comprised of between 19 and 23 caudal vertebrae, as well as a network of muscles, ligaments and tendons holding it all together. Her tail is affixed to her rear at an area referred to as the tail head, and the first caudal vertebrae is attached to the sacrum, which connects the tail to the lower back. Frisky's spinal cord does not reach her tail, so if she suffers a tail injury, her spinal cord is still safe, though it can cause nerve damage.

    A Long Counterweight

    • Frisky's tail is important for her balance, however it's not necessary. A cat's tail provides counterweight, so when she's on the back of a chair and feels a little wobbly, she can adjust her tail to even out the distribution of her weight. She can do the same thing when she races around a corner and begins to slide. Although her tail is helpful for her balance, she can do without it, as Manx cats do every day.

    Balancing Tools

    • Frisky's inner ear is more critical to her balancing skills than her tail is. Deep in her ear, she has three semi-circular canals filled with fluid that help her maintain her balance. When Frisky moves her head, the fluid in the canals shifts, sending information through the auditory nerves to her brain, telling it how she's moving relative to gravity. Her balance is more likely to be affected by an inner ear infection than by lack of a tail.

    The Work of the Tail

    • If Frisky doesn't have a tail, or suffered an injury to her tail, she'd balance just fine. However, she would lose one important method of communication. You've probably learned to "read" her tail pretty well: a fluffed up, bristly tail indicates anger or fright; a rapidly thrashing tail may mean she's agitated; if she greets you with her tail straight up, she's happy to see you. If Frisky has a feline roommate, they may use their tails for play or to "tail twine" to reinforce their bond with each other.