I want to add to my OP that the kink is not visible - the tail looks straight. The kink is about half-way down the tail. It also does not appear to be painful to the kitten in any way. I read that a kink could be caused by the bone breaking at some point (caught in a door or whatever), or the cat could be born with it. I am inclined to believe the kitten was born with it, since she is a Tonkinese breed, and I read that Tonkinese and Siamese cats are particularly genetically prone to tail kinks. But having said all that, will it be something I will get used to feeling? Anyone have a cat with a tail kink?

It's not uncommon, and as far as I know, not harmful or painful at all. A kitten at the shelter (I volunteer) has an extremely kinked tail and it doesn't appear to affect her in the least. Our Suki had a slight kink near the tip as does our Miku--not visible, but can be felt. No problems from it.

It's a variation, but a normal variation, especially for Siamese & their close relatives.

sort of like some people have bumps on their noses, or crooked little fingers, or they can wiggle their ears.

I've had two cats with kinks. One was a Siamese I gre up with, and one was the first stray I ever took in.

I loved them as much as cats without kinks! In fact, it endeared them to me!

I've had several Siamese cats with kinks in their tails, and it's nothing you really concern yourself with. It's there. It's no big deal. You will notice it in the sense that you'll feel it when you pet the cat, but not the same way you notice it now. You'll just know that Cat A has a kinked tail and move on.

My sister's cat broke its tail (tumbled in the dryer) and it was bent for many years.

If he was facing north the end of his tail would be facing west... over time, like about 5 years, it eventually straightened out. The vet said physically straightening it, might be more painful, than just leaving it alone. The cat didn't seem to mind.

Thanks everyone. I do feel better now. Also, I was looking on the 'net, and learned that in Thailand, a cat with a kink in its tail is considered lucky. Also, while nowadays the Siamese kinked tail has become a show "fault", in the early shows it was mandatory for a Siamese to have a kink in its tail to be considered a true Siamese.

And I came across this charming legend about how Siamese came to have kinks in their tails:

* It is said that there was once a Siamese Princess who was frightened of losing her rings while she bathed in a stream. Looking around for somewhere convenient to place her jewelry, she noticed that her favorite cat had crooked his tail for her benefit. Ever since that time all Siamese cats have been born with a tiny kink at the end of their tails to hold the Princess' rings.

Isn't that sweet? So I will getting a lucky cat who will also protect my jewelry LOL!

Wow cool legonds Anyway I have a kinked tailed cat, a black one, rather small and gangly he was born with it. It does no harm and its just one thing that makes them who they are.

I was recently found a kink in my kittens tail. I asked the woman I got him from about it. She got really happy and excited when I told her about the kink. She then informed me after looking at her strangely that the kink in the tail means that it is a lucky cat.

That's very interesting, Akchicago! I do have a cat with a little kink and know it is of no harm, but the info you found is new and interesting to me! :)

When I was a kid, we adopted 2 kittens that had been born under an abandoned building. The boy cat had had his tail broken- it must have been right at birth because it seemed healed when we took them at ~7 weeks. It was broken about halfway up and bent almost completely over- the end pointed at the ground.

It was very disconcerting for a few weeks, but after a short time you stopped noticing it. New people, seeing it for the first time, would be a little uncomfortable with it, and they definitely would not touch his tail when petting him, though it didn't bother him at all. I bet you will mostly forget about the kink being there after a short time- not that it bothers you, but being a part of your kitty you will just focus on all the other things.

Both of my current kitties have little natural kinks at the ends of their tails.

I used to have, not a Siamese, but a Snowshoe with a kink. She was born with it. But to tell you the truth, she wasn't purebred. In fact, she was just any old cat but with snowshoe markings. It's kinda strange to me.

Is it normal for a Russian Blue to have a kinked/ slightly bent tail? I just got my kitten from a reputable pet shop, but I noticed two weird things about him, first his whiskers are oddly short, not the whole length of his body, and second his tail is slightly crooked. Its affected his jumping, not as smooth or graceful as my last Russian Blue that died from a tragic vaccination side effect.

The whiskers will grow back in time. Apparently, they get munched on by the mamma and/or litter mates. My kitten had the same thing. If I remember correctly, it took a long time for them to grow back.

Has the kitten been in to see your vet yet? I'd just want to make sure he didn't have a broken tail at some point if he's off-balanced like that. I never had a kinked-tail cat but did have one that broke her tail. There was a noticeable bump in it when you ran your fingers down it.

Do you know where your kitten originally came from? Reputable breeders normally won't allow their animals to be sold in pet shops.

i have had many of thease sweet little ones the kinl ranging from a single kink that is almost not there to my favorite baby kaida whos tail is compleatly balled up with kinks you get used to the idea of your little bundal of joy haveing this difference and if you are like me you will actuly start to seek this trate in your little ones i just cant pass up a kittly with a kinled tail now the only sies i have had with the trait is our little tortipoint and she has a very very subtle kink at the very tip of her tail i have found it more in tabys and black cats than any others

i've have a young yellow tom, i got at the animal control,
bout 8-9 months ago and one of his ears is all crumpled
up..it looks like it's all there,and i'm not sure if someone
messed w/him as a kitten / or born this way...yet it makes
him so special and i love him very much. it does seem to make him more susceptible to injury, tho. and maybe my
other cats find it easier to bite - when playing,...
i'm all bout the unusual ~*
he doesn't get out much cause of the foxes in our neighbor-hood...i'm very protective of the cats i have left....

An elderly friend wasn't able to drive her cat to the vet & had no one else to do it.

The cat scratched his earmite-laden ear until it crumpled;
years later, he's still like that.

(Somebody finally did help her get him to the vet.)

My cat Magic, a solid black Siamese mix, has a little kink in his tail.

He's a sweetie.

An elderly man I used to know had a male siamese with a kink in his tail as well as crossed eyes. He was tough as nails. Nobody but my friend could pet him. In fact, if you were talking and he thought you were going on too long (or loud) he would come over to you, jump up and press his nails into your knee caps. My friend would have to step in and stop 'Punkyboy' from hurting anyone.

A neighbor in his apt bldg used to allow their cats to roam the halls. They would come to my friends door and it would bother his cat. One day they were there and my friend opened the door. His cat shot out of there like a rocket and attacked them. He chased them both back into their apt and under a bed. The neighbor was screaming for my friend to come rescue everyone because he was afraid he'd have his hand torn off trying to separate them. He was probably right!

He quit letting his two cats out after that.

I love Siamese cats!

I just got a female tabby yesterday and she has a kink in her tail its so bad that when its relaxed its folded in half. but when she try to straighten it its a z. It doesn't seem to affect her she is doing summer saults and playing and running around like a normal kitten. I have had some people tell me it could be these. Dislocated tail, (but it isn't harming her) spinal issues (like I said she is fine) or her mother had a large litter and she didn't have enough room to grow in the womb and she was just born like that. The people who gave her to me did not have the decency to tell me it was there which isn't a problem we still love her or tell us if she was born with it or not. So I am guessing your kitty was just the little guy who didn't have enough room to grow if he looks like his tail isn't hurting him at all I think he should be fine:)

When i was a child, I had a Siamese cat with a crooked tail.

Hi my name is alyssia my sweet baby girl lulu bellerina she has a kink at the end of her tail she's 16 & 6 months old she's special just like me she's got a disiblity and I'll send you a pic of her right now

every orange striped cat i've ever had had a crimp at the end of its tail.

Does it affect its balance especially when jumping & landing