Paws For Thought: Can Cats Tell When You’re Sad?
Do you ever feel like your cat understands you on a deeper level?
Maybe you’ve been feeling sad, and your furry friend curls up beside you, purring softly, offering comfort and solace.
It’s a common experience among cat owners, and it raises an intriguing question: can cats actually tell when you’re sad?
For years, experts have been divided on whether cats are capable of understanding human emotions.
But recent studies have shed new light on feline behavior, and we’re starting to get a clearer picture of just how emotionally perceptive our feline friends can be.
How Cats Read Human Emotions
To start with, research shows that cats can associate a visual cue (like pacing up and down) or an auditory signal (like shouting) with specific human emotions, such as fear or happiness.
This means your cat can read your facial expressions and pick up on your tone of voice to assess how you’re feeling. She can then use this information to decide how she should react, based on whatever emotion she perceives (Quaranta et al., 2020).
Additionally, research shows that cats are sensitive to human moods.
For example, our feline friends engage more frequently in social interactions when their owners are depressed, and approach them more frequently when they (the owners) feel agitated or are in a bad mood.
What does this tell us? That cats have a degree of emotional intelligence and – to some extent at least – the capacity to comprehend the feelings of those around them (Quaranta et al., 2020).
Understanding How Cats Use Emotional Cues
Cats are also capable of responding to their owner’s emotional expressions in specific situations.
For example, in one study, cats were observed as they watched their owners react to an unfamiliar object.
The cats were divided into two groups – one group watched as their owners displayed a positive emotional signal towards the object, while the other group saw a negative reaction.
A hefty 79% of the cats looked towards their owners for guidance and changed their behavior based on the emotional cues they received (Merola et al., 2015).
Social Referencing
This process is known as social referencing. It occurs when an infant (or pet) looks to someone else, usually a caregiver or trusted individual, for information about how to respond to a particular situation or object.
In this context, social referencing involves cats observing human facial expressions (specifically, those of their owner) when presented with a strange object, then using that information to guide their own behavior toward the object.
Pretty fascinating, right? Our furry friends may actually be more tuned into us than we first imagined.
How Cats Interpret Human Body Language
When we humans are in a bit of a sad state, feeling down after a bad day, or experiencing some form of emotional distress, we often exhibit physical changes and signs of sadness like crying, appearing withdrawn, a general loss of interest, or just mooching around with no real purpose.
There may also be a complete change in our daily routine and a departure from our normal behaviors.
If this happens, your kitty is sure to notice the signs of depression and changes in your emotional state, so you may see her adjust accordingly.
For instance, she may come and sit with you or just follow you around.
The question is, does your cat’s behavior change because she sees an opportunity for a cozy nap in a warm place or because she genuinely knows- and cares – that you are sad?
The jury is still out on this one. But one thing is for sure: cats often offer us comfort and support when we are at our low points.
After all, who better to turn to in times of sorrow than your trusted furry friend?
Can Cats Detect Scent Changes?
New research has revealed that dogs are capable of sensing their owner’s stress levels, not only from their body language or vocal cues but also through their sense of smell (Wilson et al., 2022).
Cats have an acute sense of smell too and can distinguish among thousands of different smells, according to cat behavior expert John Bradshaw.
While we don’t yet have much research showing definitively that cats can detect the subtle chemical changes in scent that accompany stress, it’s certainly possible.
How Human Behavior Impacts Cats’ Behavior
But the bond between cat and owner is a two-way street.
Research has shown that pet parents’ personalities can have a significant impact on their cats’ physical and mental health, happiness, behavior, and the strength of their bond.
Owners who are anxious or overprotective may restrict their cat’s outdoor access, leading to negative emotions and behaviors in their cats, such as avoidance or aggression.
In contrast, owners who are more relaxed and open, and who provide structured care while also allowing autonomy, tend to have healthier cats, with their more relaxed behavior being reflected in the cat’s personality (Finka et al., 2019).
The Emotional Life Of Cats
Many cats are highly social and enjoy human interaction, despite the common misconception that they are solitary animals.
Like dogs, they can form a strong attachment with their human family members and other pets.
They also experience a wide range of emotions, including joy, sadness, anxiety, and fear.
Separation Anxiety
In another commonality with dogs, some cats exhibit signs of separation anxiety when separated from their owners or preferred companions (Vitale et al., 2019).
“Separation anxiety is an emotional response triggered by separation from the person or companion pet with whom a cat has a strong bond,” says Ramona Marek of Fear Free Happy Homes.
“The degree of distress ranges from mild to severe, and early cues are subtle and often missed or misinterpreted.”
Separation anxiety can affect any cat and its root cause is still uncertain, though it may be related to genetics and environmental factors.
“We may unknowingly contribute to the cause of our cat’s separation anxiety when we are our cat’s sole source of social engagement,” says Marek.
“We might reinforce it when we reward needy behavior. Cats sense our emotions and if we’re anxious about leaving, our cat senses it, gets anxious, and associates it with our departure.”
While such behavior again demonstrates a cat’s ability to pick up on our emotions and show signs of their own in response, it remains unclear whether this is a learned behavior – or if kitty really does feel empathy for our human emotions.
Cats And Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person or living being is experiencing from their own perspective.
It involves being able to emotionally resonate with others, share their feelings, and comprehend their state of mind.
Empathy is often considered a key component of emotional intelligence and is essential for building strong interpersonal relationships and fostering a sense of understanding and connection with others.
Attitudes Towards Empathy In Cats
A study found that women tend to rate cats’ and dogs’ ability to sense their owner’s emotions higher than men.
Women also rated cats’ and dogs’ capacity to feel love and compassion for their owners higher than men did (Vitulli, 2006).
This suggests that people’s attitudes towards cats and their ability to empathize may vary based on gender.
Empathy In Action: Can Your Cat Sense When You’re Feeling Down?
Although it’s still an early field of research and there’s no short answer to this, anecdotally, some cats do seem to have a unique way of understanding their owners’ emotions – a sixth sense if you like.
Here are some of the different ways cats can show this:
Seeking Physical Contact
If your cat comes to sit on your lap, curl up next to you, or rub against you more than usual, it could be a sign that she wants to be close and offer comfort.
Creating a physical connection can literally make you feel good because it increases oxytocin levels
Oxytocin is a hormone sometimes known as the “cuddle hormone” or “love hormone” because it promotes feelings of happiness, love, and connectedness (Nagasawa et al., 2015).
So when your cat cuddles up with you, you may both experience a boost in feel-good hormones.
Affectionate Gestures
Cats often show their love and affection by following us around, sitting on our laps, sleeping curled up next to us, or even grooming us.
So if you find your kitty licking your hands or face, take it as a gesture of affection that can also be quite soothing.
Slow Blinking
When your cat feels relaxed and content, she may “slow blink” as a sign that she trusts you and feels comfortable in your presence.
Cats often do this when they feel calm and relaxed and are in the presence of someone they trust.
Vocalizations
Cats are known for their vocalizations, and they may make certain sounds when their owners are feeling down.
For example, some cats may meow softly or purr more than usual, which can be a sign that they’re relaxed and trying to comfort you.
Changes In Behavior
We’ve already seen it in the research: when a cat senses that her owner is sad, she may change her behavior.
She may become more attentive, trail around after you, or spend more time hanging out with you.
Even if your cat doesn’t fully understand what’s going on, she can sense that something is not quite right and will react accordingly.
Note, however, that not all cats will display these behaviors, and some may not show any signs at all.
Case Study: George – A Compelling Example Of Feline Empathy
George was our big old tabby cat with a heart of gold. He had a sweet and gentle nature that endeared him to everyone who met him.
When my mother-in-law was visiting one time and suffered an unfortunate fall that resulted in her breaking her ankle, George would sit with her for hours, always stepping very carefully over her leg.
He seemed to understand that her spirits were low and she was in pain. His presence provided her with enormous comfort and companionship during her recovery.
Another time, when I was grieving after a personal tragedy, George would come and sit with me for hours, wedged up against my leg, never asking for attention or making any demands, but just “being there.”
He rarely moved away, but when he did, his sister Loulou would come and take his place till he came back – almost as if they had some kind of rota worked out between them to make sure one of them was spending time with me around the clock.
George was a true testament to the special bond between pets and their owners and one of those cats who seemed to be especially in tune with the emotions of his human companions.
The Verdict: Can Cats Tell When We’re Sad?
“Whenever you jump into the subject of cats feeling true empathy, or their responding to our states of mind with solace, we fear ‘unprofessional’ anthropomorphism—and coming up with the ‘wrong’ conclusions,” says feline behavior expert Jane Ehrlich of Cattitude Feline Behavior Counseling in Phoenix, Arizona.
“So the pros and cons of the ’empathy’ argument continue, with the occasional scientific study softening any edges.
“Part of this ‘Do they or don’t they?’ problem is mucked up because much depends, I believe, on the specific cat, her relationship with us, what we want out of her, what we see, what we think we see…
“It’s still difficult to know what they feel, and how and if they act on those feelings.
“Since it’s nature’s way, and not ours, since it’s Noodles’ job to survive, I always wonder how empathy as a quality kicks in. As she is so expert reading a potential enemy’s body language, how much is a matter, too, of scanning that enemy’s feelings?”
Some Cats Seem To Care – Others Not So Much
“I’ve known cats who seem to span the whole spectrum,” continues Ehrlich.
“One cat, Savoy, who I honestly felt had a soul, who was indeed my ‘familiar’, reacted to my mastectomy, years ago, not by added nestling and cuddling, but by avoiding that side of my chest from then on, even after an implant was inserted.
“Izzy has become much more affectionate with me since the cat ‘ahead’ of her passed away, but she reacts no differently to my state of mind, whether I’m ill, feeling depressed or overjoyed.
“When I’ve questioned clients on the concept of empathy from their furrs, I get mixed reviews.
“And the controversy continues. It’s so frustrating to deal with the chaos of not knowing. I can’t wait until the next crumb of knowledge from those scientific sources – and more anecdotes, which might be just as valid.
“Me? I wish…but I honestly don’t know, yet. I’d like to think so, because to think otherwise is also saying ‘A cat is too undeveloped to feel what we feel.’ How arrogant!”
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Resources
- Attachment bonds between domestic cats and humans – Kristyn R. Vitale, Alexandra C. Behnke, and Monique A.R. Udell
- Attitudes toward Empathy in Domestic Dogs and Cats – William F. Vitulli
- Cat Sense – John Bradshaw
- Dogs can discriminate between human baseline and psychological stress condition odours – Clara Wilson, Kerry Campbell, Zachary Petzel, and Catherine Reeve
- Emotion Recognition in Cats – Angelo Quaranta, Serenella d’Ingeo, Rosaria Amoruso, and Marcello Siniscalchi
- Owner personality and the well-being of their cats share parallels with the parent-child relationship – Lauren R. Finka, Joanna Ward, Mark J. Farnworth, & Daniel S. Mills
- Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds – Miho Nagasawa, Shouhei Mitsui, Shiori En, Nobuyo Ohtani, Mitsuaki Ohta, Yasuo Sakuma, Tatatsushi Onaka, Kazutaka Mogi, & Takefumi Kikusui
- Social referencing and cat–human communication – I. Merola, M. Lazzaroni, S. Marshall-Pescini, and E. Prato-Previde
- They’re Not Loners: Cats Can Have Separation Anxiety, Too – Ramona D. Marek
