A raised tail with a hooked tip is also a greeting
#0053 Animals & plants
Fact rank
B
No behavioural research (primary); only explanations by vets and animal-behaviour experts (secondary), so B
Wow rank
B
An easy-to-spot greeting shape
Usefulness
B
Helps read a cat's mood
Verification: Supported by evidence
AI verification reports the evidence it found; it does not guarantee that a claim is true.
A raised tail with the tip hooked over (a question-mark shape) is usually a happy greeting to someone the cat knows.
Why
A raised tail is a friendly signal, and the hooked tip is thought to be a relaxed version of it.Evidence
Secondary Cats Protection, a UK cat charity (2024). A raised tail with a curled tip means the cat is happy to see you and saying hello link
Secondary Blue Cross, a UK animal-welfare charity (reviewed by an animal behaviourist). It is often a greeting when the cat sees someone it knows and likes link
Notes and limits
The draft meaning "curiosity or playfulness" was not found in any source and was changed to "greeting". Some vets describe it as an invitation to interact, so context matters. The "why" is not in the sources and is given as a hypothesis.
Derivations
Derived from: 猫が大きくしっぽを振るのは喜びではなくいらだちのことが多い
Derived facts: —