Prehensile Love

One of Elroy's more amusing and endearing qualities is his tendency to use his tail like a monkey might use it--with prehensile qualities that make it more useful than the typical swish-and-shake that most cats have.  Sometimes Elroy uses his tail like an arm, and sometimes it's almost like an elephant's trunk, without, of course, the ability to blow things out of it.  

For example, when Otto wakes up from a nap, and Elroy feels the need to go give him a cuddle of some sort, and head-bunting and running him into the wall with his shoulder just isn't enough, Elroy will take his tail and wrap it around Otto's shoulders, like a little kid would, putting his arm around his best buddy.  Or, when you're sleeping, Elroy will take his tail and wrap it around your head, sometimes creating interesting-looking "facial hair" that really isn't.  

We've never had another cat who could use his tail as precisely and emotionally as Elroy does, though Wanda can make question-marks with hers and Mister alerts us with his whenever he's getting really to spray something by shaking his tail vigorously first.  We much prefer Elroy's use of his tail to Mister's, but I have a feeling Otto would disagree with us on that one.