“Doctor, doctor, this kitten has a broken tail!”

These were my exact words to my vet.

We had just rescued our first kitten, Cappuccino. His tail was all tangled up, so we assumed something was caught in it.

I tried to find what was in his tail, thinking of how much pain he must be in.

After no luck, we took him to the vet. But what the vet said astonished me…

The vet explained that there was nothing in his tail. In fact, there was nothing wrong with his tail at all.

I had so many questions…

Why is his tail tangled? Does it cause him pain? Does it mean he is unhealthy?

If you’ve encountered cats in Thailand with broken or tangled tails, you’ve likely had the same thoughts.

So why do so many cats in Thailand have broken tails, and what are the repercussions?

Why Do Cats In Thailand Have Broken Tails?

Many cats in Thailand have bent, broken, or tangled tails due to a mutation of the HES7 gene.

As a result, they are born with a tail deformity that can vary from a minor kink to a fully tangled tail.

This mutation is not just present in Thailand but is common in many parts of Asia. The cause is likely due to the small gene pool among stray cats in these countries.

Many stray cats in Thailand reproduce within their colonies. This means the chances of inbreeding and genetic mutation are high.

If two cats mate and one has a kinked tail, around half or more of the litter will have kinked or shortened tails, while the rest will have full-length tails.

This mutation is just as common in Siamese cats as in domestic Thai cats.

Why Do Cats In Thailand Have No Tails?

The mutation that causes broken and tangled tails also causes shortened tails. Thailand cats tails can be much shorter than usual but straight or curled inwards, resembling a bobtail.

Interestingly, I’ve noticed bobtails are common in Bangkok, while bent tails are more prevalent in Phuket.

Myths Around Why Cats In Thailand Have Kinked Tails

There are many urban legends about why cats in Thailand and throughout Asia have kinked or short tails, some of which are pretty sinister.

For example, there is a myth that Thai people cut the tails of stray cats due to superstition or abuse.

Another common myth is that so many cats in Thailand have broken tails due to attacks by stray dogs.

Thankfully, none of these are true. The only reason cats in Thailand have kinked tails is a genetic mutation – except for a small percentage that may have an injury.

Aside from the street myths, there are some old folk tales about the cause of these unusual Thailand cats tails:

The King And His Cat

One tale is about a king and his cat.

The king’s cat noticed someone had poisoned the king’s tea. To stop him from drinking it, the cat wrapped its tail around the cup and would not let go.

The king and cat wrestled back and forth, but the cat refused to let go, and the fight resulted in the cat’s tail breaking.

The cup fell, and the poisoned tea spilled on the floor, revealing its dangerous contents. The cat saved the king’s life by sacrificing its perfect tail.

The Siamese Princess

Another tale is about a princess who went to bathe in a river with her Siamese cat.

The princess did not want to get her rings wet, so she took them off and looked around for a safe place to put them. At this moment, the cat offered her tail to the princess, and the princess placed her rings on the cat’s tail.

To keep the princess’s rings safe, the cat magically bent its tail so the rings would not fall off.

Are Bent Tails Painful For Cats?

Thankfully, kinked, bent, or tangled tails cause NO pain for cats. Likewise, this genetic mutation has no association with feline diseases or health issues.

That being said, research has found that the mutation of the HES7 gene increases the risk of infant mortality in humans, mice, and dogs.

But this is not the case with cats.

I can attest to that. Despite Cappuccino’s severely tangled tail (pictured above), he has never had any related health issues, nor has it affected his quality of life.

However, cats with tangled tails have an increased risk of catching their tail in something like a tree branch.

This actually happened on a couple of occasions when Cappuccino was a kitten, and it did cause him some pain and stress!

But…

Despite issues like that, tail deformities caused by a genetic mutation cause no pain.

Different Tail Deformities Among Cats In Thailand

So, what do tail deformities in cats in Thailand look like?

Here are the three most common Thailand cats tails I encounter.

The Kinked Tail

Kinks in tails can be significant or barely noticeable.

Sometimes, there will be a slight kink in the middle of the tail, giving it a crooked appearance (see the kitten on the right)

Other times, the tail bends at a larger angle but not curling all the way inwards like a bobtail (see the kitten on the left).

Another prevalent deformity is a kink right at the end of the tail, giving it a slight bend (see below).

The Tangled Tail

The tangled tail is neither a crooked nor bobtail. With this deformity, the tail is typically full length, but towards the end, it tightly curls inward multiple times.

Cats are born with the bones fused in this position. The tail then grows as usual without any issues.

The Short Tail

When a Thai cat has a shortened tail, it will appear straight with no kinks or bends. However, it will be 25%, 50%, 75% (or anything in between) shorter than a normal cat tail.

The black kitten pictured below has a tail about 50% of the length it should be, while her sibling has a kinked tail.

Final Thoughts On Thai Cat Tails

If you’ve adopted or found a stray kitten or cat with a crooked or tangled tail, don’t panic. In most cases, it will be due to the HES7 gene mutation, which is harmless and normal among cats in Thailand.

However, if the cat’s tail is bleeding, has an open wound, or other signs of injury, take the cat to a local vet. The cat might have caught its tail in barbed wire or injured it in a catfight, requiring immediate veterinary attention.

And if you’re wondering how much it costs to take a stray cat to the vet, check out my article on ‘Are Vets in Thailand Expensive?’