Did you ever experience a bad day when you just felt like sitting at the corner of your bed and to your surprise, your cat snuggled right beside you just several minutes later? There is always this sense of reassurance and comfort when a furry little ball curls up on your lap when you feel like the world has turned its back on you. This leads to a very common question among many cat owners. Do cats know when you are sad?
Do cats understand it if you feel down and blue? Or is it something natural to them? Studies seem to reveal that while your cats may know when you are sad, giving you comfort might not be something deliberate to them.
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Do cats understand when you are sad?
Although your feline friend might lack the emotional intelligence to understand and realize that you can use some comfort every time you feel sad, these animals can actually read your facial expressions. They may also be receptive to that concept of you giving them the attention they seek.
Once your cat associates your sadness to attention and love, you shouldn’t be surprised at all if they snuggle up close to you every time you feel low. This is pretty much a win-win situation. As you give your cat the attention he wants from you, his cuddling also offers you some comfort. A snuggle with your cat can create an exchange that mutually benefits both parties.
How do cats know when you are sad?
Unlike dogs, the response of cats is a little bit more subtle. Felines can be extremely observant and they can pick up on some cues and habits that you might not even realize that you have yourself, especially every time you feel a tad emotional. Cats may even associate things like blowing your nose or crying to something that will benefit them because it is more likely for you to shower them with treats and attention whenever you feel emotional.
Felines also have the ability to sense your emotions through reading the expressions on your face when you frown or smile. Their ability to pick up on your feelings and body language is one thing that cats will start developing over time once they know you better. Cats essentially train themselves to associate happy facial gestures with positive things.
On the other hand, things that are less rewarding are linked with what cats might perceive as somewhat negative signals like crying or frowning.
It was discovered that cats that saw the happiness of their owners wanted to spend more time with them and as a result, these cats exhibited some familiar traits among felines like purring and rubbing on their legs.
Do cats understand human crying?
This particular question is a bit tricky but there is almost a certainty that cats lack the ability to understand human crying by themselves. However, they can pick up your emotions through your general demeanor and body language. Felines feed off the emotions of humans and you display your emotions to your cat in the form of body language. Similarly, cats don’t really cry and this could be the reason why they don’t understand what crying means in the first place.
Can cats sense depression and anxiety?
You probably didn’t notice it but it is very common for cats to behave in a different way when you smile or frown. It is assumed that cats can read the facial expressions of humans that they might have learned over time.
Your voice’s tone and volume will also probably change if you feel sad and your cat can pick it up. Although your cat has a discreet way of checking out your behavior for some cues, they can pick up some situational cues as well when it is most likely for them to receive attention and love. It means that your habits if you are depressed or anxious won’t escape the eyes of your cat.
The time you spend in bed because you feel down is one solid signal that your feline friend might link with the chance for attention and cuddles.
Do cats try to cheer you up?
While cats might not have enough emotional intelligence to realize that you can use some cheering up when you are sad, they can be receptive to that concept that you pay them attention. When your pet associates your sadness with attention and love, he will seek you out during your low points. A mutually beneficial exchange then takes place this way. You get cheered up as you snuggle with your cat while your cat receives the attention he craves from you. While there might be no tender science behind this, you can be sure that those special moments you share with your feline friend are going to be.
Does my cat understand me?
It might feel like a big mystery to live with cats. You had conversations with them but you have no idea what runs through their head. Now, you might be wondering if your cat can actually understand you.
If you call your cat but he doesn’t come, this doesn’t really mean that he is ignoring you. It is possible that your pet has a nonverbal reaction and you just don’t notice it. Felines don’t have the cognitive skills of interpreting human language yet they can recognize it every time you talk to them. it means that cats understand human language similar to how you understand their meows. It is the same with how you interpret the language of your cat by reading the way they sway their tail or bend their back.
While cats cannot process human language similar to how humans do, studies reveal that cats can recognize and sometimes respond to human expressions, gestures, and vocalizations. But of course, it depends on whether or not they feel like it.
Scientists are only at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding the cognitive abilities of cats. But, for the past few years, researchers had some interesting discoveries regarding the feline brain. They noted that cats can respond when their owners say their names. Cats can mostly respond to the voices of their owners through orienting behavior like head movement and ear movement instead of by way of communicative behavior such as tail movement and vocalization.
You can try doing the same study with your cat at home. Observe your pet closely every time you say his name. He might tilt his head to the side while he looks at you or pivots his ears or he can do both. Chatty cats may respond in a vocal way but cats, in general, use nonverbal communication when responding to their owners.
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