Do your cats know when you're sad - and do they respond?

arcadian girl

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I never can talk about this with non-cat people, because they just don't believe it, they think it's wishful thinking..but it's just happened to me too many times to just be coincidence.

My childhood kitty, Susie (we had lots of cats but Susie was mine) wasn't even a lapcat - she would sleep at the foot of my bed, snuggled up to my ankles every night, but she didn't get on my lap. She was sweet, but not a lovebug-that just wasnt her. As my mom used to put it, "Susie is her Own Cat". But, in my childhood, when I was having a hard time, if I'd start crying (and it happened more than it should, because my childhood really wasn't the best), Susie would come into my room and hop up on the bed, and headbutt me, and look at me inquisitively, like "What's wrong, mommy?". She'd purr, and rub against me, and settle down next to me for a while...and it always made me feel so much better. She's at the bridge now, but it's one of the things I'll always remember about her.

Fast forward to present day, and I rescue The Wonton from the streets of San Francisco. A few months later, I'm upset about something, and yeah, crying, sitting on my bed. Wonton comes right up to me, and just like Susie, he just seems so curious. But it's not simple curiosity, because if it were, he'd check it out, and then go off to do something else. But no, he head butts me, keeps trying to reach up and headbutt my face, sniffs at the tears on my cheeks, and then crawls into my lap, purring, and settles down. He will get in my lap if I'm at the puter, sitting in a chair, or sitting on the floor, or sitting indian style on the bed, but if I'm just sitting at the edge, he usually never tries to get in my lap - unless I'm crying. And that wasn't an isolated event. If he sees/hears me crying, he will come see if I'm ok, and comfort me, everytime. And you can't tell me it's something else, I just don't believe it, the behaviour is too specific, and not explainable by anything else.

Just another reason I love Wonton
So my question is - do any of you have cats who do this? Do you believe that they know you're sad, and are trying to comfort you? I do
 

lookingglass

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Not only do they know when I am say, they know when I am in pain. After cracking a rib a few weeks ago I had a little gray heating pad that purred to help me. Both boys have also been known to comfort me after a nighmare as well.

I know for a fact that both boys are a gift.
 

icklemiss21

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Definitely, they are alaways more loving (or cute/dumb to make me laugh) if I am sick or upset.

Magnum (who is usually quite aloof), if you are upset will come over and sit beside you and gently paw and your head like he is trying to stroke your hair to comfort you - it is sooo cute
 

steve'n'tiggy

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100% Without question they know. I never was a "cat person" befor tiggy but he has made me see the wonderful thing that a kitty's love is. tiggy knows every one of my emotions and shares them with me. and sometimes test's them but thats another story. and i have found that when you just need to talk a kitty is always there and hears every word. so yes i think they know what you feel and respond and respect your feelings and i also think that we owe it to them to know and respect what they feel just the same . i am proud to say i now know what the love of a cat is and it is wonderful and unconditional .
 

bella713

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In a state of misery w/o my Bella
Oh yes they know, Bella has licked my tears that I was shedding for her during her final weeks with me. She was with me years ago when I miscarried and laid right across my stomach, and she was only with me for a month and was 4 months old at the time. And then a few years later when my husband died she was glued to me and when I would cry she would get all in my face. Also, she mourned him too.
Recently in May, just when Bella was diagnosed with cancer, I got a kidney stone, she laid across my stomach on my right side where the stone was. Bella never failed me.
 

babyharley

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Definately - this week has been a rough one, and they've both been unusually lovey - they'll come cuddle with me, give me kisses - something Harley never does.
 
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arcadian girl

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awww.. I love all these stories, and I'm really glad to know it's not just me who's experienced this. It's just a special feeling, knowing that this warm purring furball really cares for you and doesn't want you to be sad. A scientist might say I'm anthropomorphizing, but I say - prove to me that they can't sense our emotions, or feel emotions of their own
 

tavia'smom

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Tavia is a indepentant cat but when I am said she comes and loves on me. She likes her petting when she wants it and thats it. Except when I am sad
 
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arcadian girl

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Originally Posted by Tavia'smom

Tavia is a indepentant cat but when I am said she comes and loves on me. She likes her petting when she wants it and thats it. Except when I am sad
See that's how Susie was - very indpendant - except when I was sad, then she'd be very sweet and loving, and want to be near me. I really do think they know, and care.
 

starryeyedtiger

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All of my furry animals (4 cats, 2 dogs -one at my house, one at Colin's, and 1 bunny) can sense when something is wrong. Whether I'm sad, or sick...they're always there- I love them soo much! I'm soo blessed to have such great furbabies!!
 

valkerie

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I have trouble sleeping and my eldest cat prince who is 17yrs helps me of to sleep every night with his purring it its better then a sleeping pill but all in all cats are tuned to the human body and they know when a cuddle is in order
 

gailc

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When I had to make decisions about Tommie and when I lost Sheba-Ox who never sleeps on the bed slept by my side.
 

lokismum

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Both of my kitties are very sensitive that way, and like to cuddle if I'm upset (and cuddle if they're upset too, or frightened by a thunderstorm). Jacob gets very upset if I'm hurt - I remember I cut myself quite badly once and Jacob just about had a fit, running back and forth to the top of the stairs to look out to see if he could find help and racing back to me again, over and over and talking to me the whole time.
 

pippy-pops

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Pippin isn't the most loving cats at the best of times but since he's been indoors, he's been exposed to alot more emotions, especially from me... which he tries to "help" mommy with as apposed to when he was independant and would skulk out of the room at the first sign of any crying!

When my partner moved out of my home we were sharing with my mother while we were waiting for our own flat to be ready, I cried for days because I didn't know what to do without him and Pippin was always there licking the drops of tears away!

When we recently moved, I went through "cutting the apron strings" emotions and cried whenever I said goodbye when my mother rang to speak to me and there was Pippin, always by my side with one paw on mommy's leg/arm/shoulder giving me moral support.

Bless him, he's my angel!
 

ugaimes

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Originally Posted by Bella713

Oh yes they know, Bella has licked my tears that I was shedding for her during her final weeks with me. She was with me years ago when I miscarried and laid right across my stomach, and she was only with me for a month and was 4 months old at the time. And then a few years later when my husband died she was glued to me and when I would cry she would get all in my face. Also, she mourned him too.
Recently in May, just when Bella was diagnosed with cancer, I got a kidney stone, she laid across my stomach on my right side where the stone was. Bella never failed me.
Bella....
Definitely and angel in life and now your angel waiting at the RB.
 

rosiemac

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Originally Posted by Bella713

Oh yes they know, Bella has licked my tears that I was shedding for her during her final weeks with me. She was with me years ago when I miscarried and laid right across my stomach, and she was only with me for a month and was 4 months old at the time. And then a few years later when my husband died she was glued to me and when I would cry she would get all in my face. Also, she mourned him too.
Recently in May, just when Bella was diagnosed with cancer, I got a kidney stone, she laid across my stomach on my right side where the stone was. Bella never failed me.
Bless her little heart


When my ex bf and i split i was obviously upset. I just had Rosie at the time and brought her into the bedroom when i went to bed to cry myself to sleep
Rosie lay on my ex's pillow beside me but even before my alarm went off the following morning she would wake me up by gently tapping on my cheek as if to say " It's ok mum "
 

mirinae

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Oz is more attentive to my moods; Spike is more attentive to my health. If I'm upset about something, Ozzie will come and snuggle with me, and he's the best hugging cat ever -- there's something about his shape that makes him like a warm, purring teddy bear.
And he likes being hugged, actually leans into you, so it makes it that much better. Spike, meanwhile, always comes and snuggles with me when I have a migraine. Oz will eventually join me in bed, but with him it's more like he's thinking "Oh, she's finally figured it out -- we're supposed to sleep all day!" whereas Spike is there because of me. He curls up with me, and follows me to the bathroom when I'm going to be sick, waits anxiously while I'm hugging the toilet, then follows me back to bed. He'll do this the whole day and night, when normally he's an extremely active kitty. I wish I had taken the time to properly crate-train him and get him accustomed to travelling and meeting new people: Spike would have made an excellent therapy cat.
 

bella713

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In a state of misery w/o my Bella
Originally Posted by rosiemac

Bless her little heart


When my ex bf and i split i was obviously upset. I just had Rosie at the time and brought her into the bedroom when i went to bed to cry myself to sleep
Rosie lay on my ex's pillow beside me but even before my alarm went off the following morning she would wake me up by gently tapping on my cheek as if to say " It's ok mum "
Oh Bless Rosie's sweet little heart
 
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