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Due to decreasing use over the years, I have decided to disable the forum functionality of the site.

Forums will still be available to view but new posts are no longer allowed.

What gene would cause . . . .

Curling the tail over the back? I know it's not a 'color' question, but it is a genetic question. My 8 year old 'mutt' cat has curled his tail over his back since he was about 5 or 6 months old (I've had him since he was 3 weeks old). I suspect he has some siamese blood, due to his eyes staying blue for a long time (past a year old), but they did eventually turn yellow. I have no other clue what breed he would also have as he's competelely black with only 2 white spots on him (lower chest and belly).

I have done 'some' research on what might cause him to carry his tail like this, but all I've found is a website for the American Ring-Tail Cat Association (which isn't even a real association lol). The site gives a general discription that any breed of cat can have this 'quirk' and so they can't be called a 'breed' association. If you wish to look for it, just type in Ring Tail Cats on either google or yahoo and it should bring up that site and others.

Just thought I'd see what others might think to cause this.
I'll post some pics later, if I can find some where he's NOT laying down. Lazy bum!:)

SpiffyGrl Mon, 08/01/2011 - 21:41

Yup, that's them.
Here's the 'offical' site for the Ringtail's.
http://www.americanringtail.com/

Very interesting, isn't it. My cat, K.C., will do the 'aerial curl' sometimes and other times he'll do the full on curl. I loveingly call him my 'Chow Kitty', since he kinda curls it like a Chow dog and I started calling him this before I foudn the site.

Here's the most recent one of him, he's so lazy!
[IMG]http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo49…]

One of him cleaning his paw.
[IMG]http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo49…]

King of the recliner, lazy bum.
[IMG]http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo49…]

And a scan of a photo of him. He used to sleep with me, until I got the 'evil' pug that now sleeps in her crete in my room at night.
[IMG]http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo49…]

I'll have to try and get a pic or 2 of him standing with his tail curled sometime soon.

Oh, another reason why I think he has some siamese blood is because he's very very picky about who he lets touch him and he's not very keen on kids either (but that's for a different reason). Even though I think it's sterotypical about the 'one person' thing on Siamese, we had a few that were very friendly to anyone they meet, I've read/been told that most siamese are one owner cats.

SpiffyGrl Tue, 08/02/2011 - 17:31

Okay so I got him to stand long enough to get a 'standing' pic of him with his tail in it's normal position, over his back. And yes, he's waiting to get fed. Only time he'll really stand still long enough. Lol! Hope you can se his tail, since he's black and it's kind of a dark pic. :)
[IMG]http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo49…]

Daylene Alford Tue, 08/02/2011 - 17:46

That really is neat. Thanks so much for sharing. If you can get some good clear pics sometime I'd love to add him to the gallery.

SpiffyGrl Wed, 08/03/2011 - 17:10

No problem. I'll try and use a different camera for pics. Ive been using my phone since my digital is now useless (the screen is completely blank and can't see what I'm taking a pic of). I'll just have to 'borrow' my dad's camera. It's digital, but a heck of a lot more expensive then my little cheapy Polaroid (sp?) digital camera was. Lol!