Can cats experience sadness? Joy?
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
June 18, 2007 9:12pm CST
A couple years back, when we moved, our biggest male cat was lost temporariliy outdoors and our female cat started exhibiting unusual behavior. She would roll on the floor and hide under the bed. And, she didn't want to be petted, either.
Once we found the big cat, she went back to normal.
Do you think that she was sad or grieving? Do you think that cats can experience emotion? And, why don't they express thier sadness the way a human might?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
19 Jun 07
I know they do. When we took Ping & Pong to get fixed, we suggested they put them in the same cage since they had never been seperated. Well, they took them back and put them in seperate cages.
A few minutes later the tech came up all in a panic - "which one has the collar?" she asked.
"That's Ping," I replied.
"I should've listened to you," she said as she bolted out of the room.
She came back a few more minutes later & said that as soon as she got them in seperate cages they just went nutz! Once they were together they settled down.
Then when we took Rygel & Sirus, also brothers, to get fixed we didn't think they'd be such a problem, but when they woke up they were raising such a caterwald that they finally put them together. They settled for a bit then proceeded to tear up their cage!
Finally, The Doctor was a wonderful cat I had. He lost his foster mother, Zu in March. He looked all over for her for several weeks until he settled down. Then he lost is best buddy, Mekon in August. He looked franically for him, tearing at closed doors, wanting in rooms he never wanted in before. Then, at Christmas first my roommate at the time went out of town, then I did. I had to get a catsitter for the time I was gone because I couldn't find anyone to come take care of the cats. She said he was desperately searching the house & trying to get outside. When I came home he was still searching, tho I don't think he knew exactly what he had lost anymore. He was, however, very happy to see me, actually got in my lap & laid down, something he only did about 3 times in his 11 years.
1 person likes this
@lilaclady (28206)
• Australia
19 Jun 07
I believe they do, I know that when I go out my little cat has a funny little way of rolling over when I come home you can see it is because he is happy, I just think they don't show it the way we do, I believe every living thing has feelings and emotions...
1 person likes this
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
19 Jun 07
I think cats definitely experience sadness, and other emotions. Some years ago, my wife and I lost a dog tragically, and buried him in the back yard. Our cat used to mope around, and used to lay by the grave quite often, like he was trying to deal with his grief.
