Why Did My Cat Come To Me When I Was Crying?
Many cat owners report that their cats have tried to comfort them when they were upset. But what do cats think when they see their owners upset and how exactly do cats view their owners’ emotions? More specifically, can cats tell when you’re sad?
Although when it comes to comforting humans, dogs gave always been known as the species that are more commonly known to be a shoulder to cry on, with their reputation of being very social and loyal companions along with their constant desire to please their owners.
Meanwhile, cats have been unfairly characterized as being oblivious to human emotions. This can be seen in countless memes across the internet.
However, there are studies that have shown that cats can also recognize human emotions, and they’re able to alter their behavior depending on the emotions that they perceive from their owner.
Although the emotional perception that cats have may not be as commonly regarded as that of dogs, existing research has shown that cats do have a general sense of emotions and will respond in their own way, while benefiting their human companions.
Ways Cats Try To Comfort Us When We’re Sad
There are some ways cats try to comfort us when we’re sad. Cats often try to comfort their owners in other ways than sitting next to us, such as physical contact or touching, trying to distract by drawing your attention to something or maybe giving you a nudge to play, or perhaps even giving you the space you need.
Many owners have noticed that after their cat has heard them crying, leaving whatever they’re distracted by and come sit next to the owner. However, cats also have other ways in which they can show empathy and try to make you feel better, such as”:
Distraction
A cat may try to distract you to get you to stop crying and do something fun instead. If you found your cat starting to play in front of you to draw your attention to them, know that’s their way to help you get distracted.
Physical Contact
Whether it’s simply a touch, a nudge, or a lick to show affection, these are so of the ways a cat will use to cheer you up and say “hey! I’m here”.
Silence And Giving Space
Some cats may prefer a different tactic. They’ll silently sit next to you or may even give you the space you need till you feel better. While it doesn’t mean they don’t feel what you feel, they chose to let you take your time while knowing that you’re not alone.
Every cat is different, and some of them are more comforting and reassuring, while others have different languages to translate their affection.
If your cat doesn’t do anything from what’s listed above to comfort you, don’t assume that your cat doesn’t care for you. Your cat may simply have its own unique way to show empathy and you just need to pay closer attention to your relationship to figure it out.
Why Do Cats Try To Cheer Their Owner Up?
Yes, findings have found that cats do engage in social behavior and form an enduring bond with their owners, which is partly dependent on their owners’ emotions.
Findings have found that as cats became domesticated, they developed cognitive and social skills in understanding their owners’ emotions to be able to behave accordingly in response to their owners’ cues in communication and expressing emotions.
In addition to this, cats are intuitive and can understand the emotions of their owners. More specifically, findings have found that cats engage with their owners more often when they are sad or depressed, and they approach them more frequently when their owners are anxious or agitated.
As previously mentioned, they may do so in various ways, including staring at you, sitting near you, rubbing themselves against you, and purring (which can actually calm you down and help lower your blood pressure). In fact, for cats that have really bonded with their owners are great therapy animals because of their ability to calm their owners’ companions.
How Cats Can Interpret Human Emotions
Many owners have noticed their cat flat-out stared at them they’ve cried. But what does it mean? Experts believe that a cat is most likely staring at their owner while crying because they’re trying to make sense of what they’re seeing and hearing. While a cat may not understand human crying, it’ll still try to gather as many clues as it can and use them to adjust its behavior.
Researchers know that reinforcement plays a big role in how a cat decides to react. So, if your go-to method of cheering up is swooning over your cat, a cat may be associating your sad body language with getting attention.
Do Human Emotions Affect Cats?
Cats actually have a big impact on how their owners feel. Even when petting a cat, “happy chemicals” are released in our brains. But how does their owner’s mood affect cats? Researchers have found that humans and their cats mirror each other’s well-being and behavior.
Conclusion
When you make a crying sound, you’re communicating in cat language and when you cry your cat may recognize this as their owner is in distress and therefore try to soothe/comfort you. It’s normal for some cats to stop and pull away if they think they’ve hurt you, while others will approach their owners to see what’s wrong. This all depends on your relationship with your cat.
This goes back to when your cat was a kitten playing rough with their littermates. Once one gets hurt, it’ll let out a cry and the other usually ceases biting. Kittens also cry at their mother for food. So, when they hear their owners cry, it sounds similar. Your cat will recognize that.
