Animals Have Neurons In Their Tails

In humans our spinal cord goes from the base of the skull down to our tailbones. In the H-shaped area of the spinal vertebra neurons are present. Sensory neurons interact with motor neurons by way of internerurons - we see this in our reflexes. When a Cheetah is able to whip its tail around at super high-speeds for balance it appears to have all that taking place by reflex, which the Cheetah could control by way of purposeful motion just as a horse can swat flies on its rump with its tail.

Let me digress for a moment and explain a reptile species. Even more interesting perhaps is the reality that the Gecko lizard sheds its tail upon being captured by a predator, and the tail keeps wiggling as a decoy keeping the predator busy, thinking it still has its prey and thus the Gecko continues to run away, living to fight another day. Read an article in Discovery News; "Gecko Tail Preprogrammed to Fool Predators," by Jennifer Viegas published on September 9, 2009.