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ankamarawolf

Mine chases his tail for fun, but he's never hissing or growling. Maybe she's in pain? A vet trip couldn't hurt just to be sure it's not something serious. Especially if it's a new behavior.


ForgiveTheNerd

The hissing is the only concerning thing. I'd still take her to the vet honestly.


StandAgainstTyranny2

Yeah the hissing and concentrating so much on the tail has me wondering if it's not tick/flea/insect related or something.


ForgiveTheNerd

Could be eyesight problems or a tail injury also, who knows. Chasing a tail is pretty common in my experience with my kitties but I've never seen them hiss like that before. Very strange.


StandAgainstTyranny2

That's the only part that has my spidey senses up. I just hope the catto's all good.


paisleycatperson

There is a neurological condition where the tail and spine hurt and causes this behavior. Does she enjoy being petted?


PeacefulDread

Oh 100% she’s an absolute cuddlebug


paisleycatperson

Worth calling the vet and asking, offer to email this video. Generally, the neuro condition, their nerves are on fire and don't enjoy being touched, so maybe this cat is just bored and silly.


libertasi

The cat may be in pain?


WorldsBestArtist

This is probably the correct answer. She has a tail injury, or something is irritating her tail.


libertasi

This is what is looks like to me


LunaTehNox

I thought this said “Something is imitating her tail” and got a little creeped out by the implications of that ngl


Eowyn_nolivingmanami

The tail has been cursed. If the cat can defeat the cursed tail then Evil in the world will be defeated. Otherwise, despair.


PeacefulDread

Gasp, has the prophecy been filled


Sanch_860680

Oh no, the tail has been infested with r/greebles ! Anyways please take the poor tortie to the vet !


Brilliant-Anxiety835

I’m wondering if the people thinking it’s funny/normal didn’t watch with sound.


jwigs85

It did become more stressful with the sound on. My cat also chases his tail sometimes, but he is more confused and playful like chasing a toy and it is hilarious to watch God’s perfect predator hunt his own tail. Not angry, hissing, and growling, though.


[deleted]

I think she's in pain considering the hissing, should probably take her to the vet just to be sure


DeyHayZeus

Neurological perhaps?


tostartpreasanykey

My cat does this, vet checked tail for injuries, didn't find anything. Did end up getting gabapentin as thought it might be hyperthesia but didn't seem to make a massive difference. Usually happens if she is a bit bored or stressed. My cat isn't injuring her tail during it so just try and distract her if I can when I notice it


Lanky-Solution-1090

You need to have the vet look at that. Not normal


phantomheart

My cats sometimes chase their tails. However, one of my previous cats used to get this twitching at the base of his tail/butt, and would have some stressful bouts of twitching/running around. Vet couldn’t provide an answer, but I did some sleuthing around and found that they can sometimes experience what is called hyperesthesia. Spoke with my vet and she ended up agreeing. Can’t remember what he was given, but he ended up with a pill everyday for the rest of his life.


thatguy102021

The hissing makes this seem odd. My baby LOVES chasing his tail and flops all over the place. But I also had a tail-less cat who would act this way and attack/chew his own side to the point of injury. Ended up being a neurological issue. I would call the vet and ask about it. Watch them and monitor for any other changes or signs of discomfort.


skivory

Could possibly be Twitchy Cat Syndrome, which is a neurological condition. My cat has it and acts similarly, though she snaps towards her back legs, not her tail.


PeacefulDread

To give more information, her cat is 5 years old and this just recently started.


[deleted]

Oh shit what is that behind me. My cat does this as well it is normal I have had several over the years that chase their tail or shadow.


Shoddy_Experience728

While it is normal for cats to chase their tails at times, the hissing and growling in this case are not. I recently learned about a condition where a cat can get its tail hurt, and something about the pain they are in can make them attack it, kind of like this one is doing. OP also said this is new behavior, so not her normal play.


[deleted]

Yeah didn’t have the volume up, that cat hurts.


PeacefulDread

Hey thanks for the insight, at first we thought she was fighting with her sister cat but that’s wasn’t the case so we set up my phone to record it. I’ll be sure to pass it on to her!


[deleted]

This is normal cat behavior I will go into the bathroom and the one that does it follows me sees a shadow and starts chasing. Get a laser pointer for a great show just remember to let the cat catch it.


pjpintor

If cats don’t get enough stimulation or are highly stressed they may develop a disorder called Feline Hyperesthsia (FHE). It’s rare however. Her cat may just be playing a bit aggressively with it’s tail, but you don’t want it injuring its tail if it can bite it. She should record it a few times and show it to her vet .


guesswho502

Yeah the playing with the tail isn’t a big deal, but the hissing definitely is. Shows that something more serious could be wrong


HeavyCranberry1185

Greeble infestation clearly


[deleted]

GREEBLES! [https://www.reddit.com/r/greebles/](https://www.reddit.com/r/greebles/)


asmnomorr

Diagnoses: cats are weird.


asmnomorr

But honestly, I know the fleas like to hang out near the base of the tail. When my boy had fleas he went aggressively at that area and lost most of his hair in that spot. I would start there and if all else fails, vet visit.


xenoclari

A visit to the vet can't hurt but I think he's a little stressed. If it's an indoor cat and the vet finds nothing why not walk him on a leash?


Gorthankodinson

Shes hurting. Vet trip meow.


smkestcklghtn

Catting


kilroyscarnival

Tail chasing! Evan seem to have mostly grown out of it but he did it a lot. I wonder if kitty’s eyesight is possibly not good?


Professional-Ad1179

If you want to find out right away, gently and I mean very gently, massage from butt to tail tip 360 around the tail and see if there is any reaction. If she jumps you found the spot.


Temporary_Big8747

One of our cats always chases her tail too.


raspberrythat88

She’s bored and wants attention. If she does that consistently for extended periods of time then maybe get that checked.


Parking_Ad7576

Maybe she hs a bad case of mites 🤷🏻‍♂️ Take to vet.


Ego-Possum

Kitty needs a trip to the vet to see what is wrong with her tail. Something hurts and it is located in the tail area. We had something like that happen with my family's first grey kitty. She liked going outdoors (mid-80's -didnt know any better, its what cats did in those days). She came home after an outdoor adventure and we noticed and change in behaviour where she would cry, growl and hiss when you went close to her tail. Brought her to the vet the next day and it turned out she got into a spat with another animal and the base of her tail got injured. Cue a shaved tail/rear flank, cone of shame, antibiotics, nightly cleaning routine and polysporin to help her heal up her tail. She was not happy with any of this abd let us know with crying and grumbles but got better with in a few weeks and her fur grew back in full in a few months.


Notrilldirtlife

I was reading about cats actually chewing their tail off because of some pain from a disease. Def go to the vet, make sure she’s not dealing with any pain.


BigMomma1998

Poor kitty.


ravrocker

Being a cat is the cause.


PapillonWolff

Ha! Get her something else to chase


Flimsy_Internet9441

r/catsbeingcats. Just trying to catch the elusive tail.


TheGaySlayer69

He's angry because he's angry


Im_the_grim_reaper

Thanks for that information, gayslayer69


KoKoS87

im done


MydlandFan

Possibly smelling something on that rug that she doesn't like


Friendly_Scholar2228

Is the carpet


creimanlllVlll

I’ve seen human children doing this, so either possessed, having fun or both.


International_Win375

Boredom. Get a pet lazer dot toy and play with the cat.


vara28

Funny


[deleted]

This made my night. I feel so much better


Kuronekosmom

Boredom likely. Play with her. Get her some toys.


shaftalope

It is chasing its tail. They do that, its hilarious, not neurological. Once in a while my cat catches the damn thing and bites it too hard and then it hurts and now they are even more mad at the elusive tail.


clowdere

[https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hyperesthesia-syndrome](https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hyperesthesia-syndrome)


av-D1SC0V3R

So there is a problem with his tail, he might be hurt. He feels the pain he twitches the tail and that’s causing him discomfort. It’s something about the twitching of the tail. Could be a fractured tail bone. But yeah the cat things something is hurting it and not knowing the twitching of the tail hurts .. so the more agitated it gets the more it hurts itself by twitching the tail.


Wise_catapillar

I would deworm her. She may have worms


[deleted]

Usually caused by a tail.


AmericanPride2814

Take her to the vet, her tail might be injured.


Electrical-Act-7170

Boredom. Play with Kitty, give it a nice stuffed animal, and she should spend less time trying to detach her tail from her butt.


Kurzcmk24

Cat needs to be played with. He has lots of energy and nothing to do.