Have you ever had the most horrible, awful, terrible day of your life and the only thing you can do is sit down on the couch and cry? Yeah, same. We all have them. If you’re fortunate enough to have a kitty cat to cry into, you might be wondering: Do cats know when you are sad? Do they know what it means when you cry? Well, I have the answers. Keep reading to find out if your cat can feel your emotions so you can ensure you don’t pass on any negative emotions to your fur baby.
Note: I am not a medical professional, and this article is not to be taken as medical or veterinary advice. Always contact a veterinarian regarding concerns about your pet’s health or behavior. Additionally, Caitycat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.
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Can Cats Sense Your Emotions?
Now, if you’re a cat owner (which I suspect you are, seeing as though you’re here!), you know cats can be incredibly hard to read. Like, dang near impossible. They could be having the best day of their life, and they will still just stare at you with a blank expression. If you’re really lucky, you’ll get a long squint (or as I like to call them, eye kisses).
So, you’re probably curious if your cat can really sense your emotions if they hardly seem to have any of their own. Well, science says yes!
During a study done in 2015 that was funded by a grant from Milan University, majority of the cats changed their behavior to some extent depending on the emotions of their owner. Another study was done by the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” that showed cats are able to recognize the difference between anger and happiness in their humans, which demonstrates that cats have developed the ability to understand human emotional signals.
Therefore, it’s safe to say that yes, your cat knows when you are sad! What’s more, they will likely change their behavior or emotions based on your sadness. If this makes you feel some type of way…same. Our poor little babies!
How Your Emotions Affect Your Cat
Now that you know cats can sense your emotions and know when you are sad, you might be wondering what the impact of your emotions are on your fur baby. After all, our cats are basically our children, and none of us want to place an emotional burden on them.
While they can comfort you when you’re sad or crying, you may want to keep other emotions to a minimum around your cat. For instance, cats will easily pick up on stress or anger. In turn, they may become stressed as well, and stress is no good for kitties!
Just like stress can cause health issues in humans, the same can happen to cats. A stressed cat will exhibit many signs, including urinating outside of the litter box, excessive grooming, and even inflammation in the gut leading to diarrhea and vomiting.
Do Cats Try to Comfort Their Owners?
You might have noticed that when you’re crying near your cat, they come up to lay next to you. Or maybe they look at you with a concerned expression. Because they can sense your emotions, cats will oftentimes try to comfort you when you’re sad. My cat Luna will snuggle up with me while I’m crying, while Hazel seems more confused than anything (lol).
Some cats will have different reactions to seeing their owners sad or crying. But if you were wondering if your cat purposely cuddled up with you because they knew you were sad, they probably did! You can thank them later. 😉
The Impact of a Cat’s Bond with Their Owner
It’s no question that the bonds we form with our cats is so incredibly strong. Sometimes we bond more with our pets than other humans! And if we’re lucky, we’ll meet our ‘soul cat’ and form the deepest bond we’ll ever have with an animal in our lifetime.
If a cat is bonded more with one human than another, they will be more sensitive to that human’s emotions. It’s no different than when we love someone and are able to feel their happiness, pain, anger, and joy on an even deeper level than anyone else.
So next time you’re feeling sad and your cat seems to want to be near you more than usual, you should feel comforted that it’s because of their deep bond with you.
In Conclusion
Cats are amazing creatures with the ability to sense their owner’s emotions and react accordingly. While we should feel a sense of comfort that our cats know when we are sad and want us to feel better, we should all be careful to control our emotions around our cats. This is especially true if we are stressed or angry, as cats will feel these emotions secondhand and can even develop health issues as a result. We should never underestimate our cat’s emotional connection to us!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make sure I don’t upset my cat with my emotions?
Just like you don’t want to upset others in your life, you don’t want to negatively impact your cat’s well-being with your emotions. While it’s okay to have a cry with your kitty once in a while, try to recognize when you are anxious, stressed, or angry. Take some time to yourself to process your emotions. Try not to scream or raise your voice around your cat, as you can in turn make them very stressed as well.
Does my cat understand what tears are when I’m crying?
Cats may not understand what your tears mean, but they do pick up on your sadness. They may start to associate your tears with sadness over time, however.
How can I tell if my cat is stressed from seeing me stressed?
Your cat will show sure signs that they are stressed, like licking themselves excessively, scratching furniture more than usual, peeing outside their litter box, vocalizing, and having tummy troubles like diarrhea. It’s best to see a veterinarian if you notice any of these signs in your cat.
Did you find this article helpful? Let me know in the comments!
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My cats react more like your Hazel, but I definitely feel like they care or “know” something’s up. Thank you for this article, it gave me great insight 😊
Hi Fieke,
Lol, isn’t it so funny how different every cat is? Their reactions crack me up! But they are always there for us when we need them. 🩷
There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that my cats can tell when I’m sad – just like how they always go easy on me when I’m sick 😅
Hi Thomas,
I totally agree! I feel like a lot of people don’t realize how smart and intuitive cats are. They’re the best 🙂
This was a nice read. My cat is typically on 10. But I find when I’m in a mood she usually chills and comes to make biscuits and cuddle
LOL! I can relate… since I have two cats they hype each other up so much. But they always calm down eventually! 🤣🩷
I find cats harder to read than dogs, that’s for sure. But I’ve never doubted that they can feel our sadness or other emotions. Animals are such intelligent creatures anyway.
Thanks for the interesting read!
Hi Ginger,
Oh for sure! Cats are such enigmas, but they are the most amazing little pets. 🩷
Yes, this article was really helpful! I didn’t realize cats could sense emotions so well, thanks for sharing this information! 🐾
Hi Daniela,
Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the article. Our little furry friends are so special. 🩷
My sister has two cats and always comments how they sense her emotions. So sweet how these furry friends can feel our emotions and feelings!
Hi Debbie,
Thanks for reading! Yes, cats are so intuitive! They are the best little companions. 🙂
I’m allergic to cats, so I don’t have any of my own, but my MIL has had cats and they can 100% sense your emotions. She had one cat that KNEW every time I was feeling lonely, and he would come over and pester me every time. Not in a bad way, but more like a “OK, snap out of it, I’m going to play and mess with you until your energy comes back” LOL. It was his way of showing affection, and when he was satisfied with my mood he went off and did his own thing. 🙂
Hi Kimberly,
Oh my gosh, that is so adorable! Cats are such special little creatures. 🩷
It’s amazing how intuitive cats can be. I’ve noticed my cat, named Snow (yeah pure white), always curls up next to me when I’m having a rough day. I totally agree with this because sometimes the bond we share with our pets feels even stronger than with people.
Awww! I love that 😊 The bonds we form with our kitties are so strong. I love your cat’s name!
This is SO true! They really adapt their behavior to our mood and emotions. Unfortunately sometimes they get the zoomies at bedtime, and its hard to wind them down but they eventually they get there. Great post!
Lol, the zoomies are so funny! My cats always get them right when I’m trying to fall asleep and then WAY too early in the morning 🤣
I don’t have a cat myself, but I have several friends who do—and I’m definitely sharing this with them! I had no idea there were actual studies showing cats can pick up on human emotions like sadness or anger. That’s pretty amazing. And the part about “eye kisses” made me smile—so sweet!
Hi Ann,
It’s amazing, isn’t it?! And yes, the eye kisses are my absolute FAVORITE!