tail flicks & signals
+ meanings

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tail signals

stop
tail held erect

move forward slowly and with care
tail rippling

retreat silently
tail held erect and sweeping slowly from side to side

spread out
tail pointing low, parallel to the ground and sweeping

get down
tail flattened

enemy sighted
tail bobbing

danger
tail hooked

go that way
tail pointed sharply

stay behind me
tail held erect and waving from side to side

follow me
tail kinked over back

leave, but be careful
tail flicking over back

attack
tail tip facing the other way; kink tail

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tail flicks

a normal tail flick can represent many things: anger, rage, amusement, sarcasm, a joke, arrogance, anxiety, happiness, the need to protect, boredom, prompting, proudness, lecturing, or eagerness.

they can also mean:

annoyed, irritated, or impatient
sharp flick with an agitated expression

"get over here now!"
a bristle and sharp flick of the tail

"meet me over there"
a flick and the jerk of your head in a certain direction

a silent "i heard you"
if you call out to someone whose back is to you and they flick their tail

"sit!"
sticking your tail straight up in the air and flicking it sharply

"whatever"
an eye roll and a flick of the tail

"that was a good joke"
a mroww of laughter and a flick of the tail

"sorry! talk later?"
saying "oh, i gotta go!" and flicking your tail

"what is wrong with them?"
flicking your tail at someone and making a face

"attack!" or "help me!"
a sharp flick of the tail during battle

"oh well"
a shrug followed by a tail flick

"quiet"
a sharp flick, then putting a tail over another cat's mouth

"go/look there"
a flick in a certain direction

"surround them"
a tail flick one way then the other

change of direction while in the air
a flick of the tail

playful
a tail flick on the other cat's muzzle

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other

affection or sympathy
stroking a cat's spine, shoulder, or cheek

anger or excitement
a lash of the tail

affection or the need to protect
wrapping their tail around another cat

sadness
a drooping tail

first instinct when hunting
swish of the tail, however, to properly hunt, it must be kept still

excitement, commencement of an action, or contemplating a decision
swish of the tail

composure
lifting the tail

brush another cat away or beckon them near
a tail brush over the cat or a tail flick toward themselves

sign of affection
smooth the other cat's fur with the brush of their tail

conceitedness; showing off
whisk of the tail

skeptical
twitch of the tail

anger
crossly whipping the tail