Do You Attribute Human Emotions To Your Cat?

Mer.kitten

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Like Honeybunny is laying on the bed with her eyes open and she just sighed, and i was like "aww, whats wrong, are u bummed out today?" And i genuinely wondered if she was sad. Which is silly, right? Idk, do cats get ennui? I worry sometimes shes bored here, and have to remind myself that before she met me she was homeless, no where to sleep, no food, ect.

Idk, i just want her to be happy.

Do you worry if your kitty is sad?

Maybe i just need a hobby, lol.
 
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Alice catlady

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Yes, I do. :) I think they can feel emotions, like happiness, sadness, be bored, angry and so on. But unlike us I think they live in there here and now, so no worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. When my hubby was away for a month, our two male cats were sad. He is their primary person, and they were really missing him. When he came home, they were so happy. :)
 

1 bruce 1

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Like Honeybunny is laying on the bed with her eyes open and she just sighed, and i was like "aww, whats wrong, are u bummed out today?" And i genuinely wondered if she was sad. Which is silly, right? Idk, do cats get ennui? I worry sometimes shes bored here, and have to remind myself that before she met me she was homeless, no where to sleep, no food, ect.

Idk, i just want her to be happy.

Do you worry if your kitty is sad?

Maybe i just need a hobby, lol.
Absolutely I do!!!
There IS such a thing as a contented sigh. Think of yourself facing another headache situation when you're already bummed or annoyed, and how you probably sigh.
Then think of yourself happy, where you like to be most. For me, it's collapsing into a chair after a hard days work, a shower and a good meal. I sigh. But it's contented, it's happy, it's like I'm saying "ahhhh" and am letting everyone know this.
My cats will sometimes be asleep, wake up, stretch, then shut their eyes and let out a loud sigh. To me, this is contented, a happy, relaxed cat loving life. When I have them at the vets, sometimes they'll let out a short, brief sigh that seems stressed/annoyed. Look at the context! =)
My dogs do the same thing. They'll circle a few times, plop down on the floor for a nap and let out a loud, contented sigh.
I do worry when I think they're sad, but sometimes I think we over worry!! =)
 

bodester413

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Oh yes, I think they definitely get those feelings. I do the same with my cat. Sometimes when he's trying to get my attention and I'm not responding he'll jump up on the arm of the chair and stare at me and make this uhh sound like humans do when their exasperated. If I still don't respond he'll turn his head sideways like Stewie from Family Guy. Eventually I'll turn and look him straight in the eyes and say are you ok dude and he straightens out his head and gives a short meow and he's back to normal. It's hilarious. I mean this all takes maybe 45 seconds max. I'll be paying attention to something I'm doing online like banking or ordering something and I have to pay attention to that for a bit so I can't immediately turn my attention away from it. It's crazy. lol One of these days I almost expect him to act even more like a person and say "what is wrong with you? You are in your own world. I am bored!"
 

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If I still don't respond he'll turn his head sideways like Stewie from Family Guy. Eventually I'll turn and look him straight in the eyes and say are you ok dude and he straightens out his head and gives a short meow and he's back to normal. It's hilarious. I mean this all takes maybe 45 seconds max.
Hahaha!!!!!!
We had one in here as a foster that would sit in the window with this HUGE human-like smile then turn his head 90 degrees like "U MAD?!?!?" It was SO hilarious...and so weird.
We had a litter go in for spay/neuter and one, upon pick up, was still a little loopy and was doing the 90 degree head turn the entire way home.
I swore off transport after that because I almost crashed my truck multiple times from laughing at this!.
 

bodester413

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Hahaha!!!!!!
We had one in here as a foster that would sit in the window with this HUGE human-like smile then turn his head 90 degrees like "U MAD?!?!?" It was SO hilarious...and so weird.
We had a litter go in for spay/neuter and one, upon pick up, was still a little loopy and was doing the 90 degree head turn the entire way home.
I swore off transport after that because I almost crashed my truck multiple times from laughing at this!.
LOL It's totally weird. I've tried grabbing my phone to take a quick photo a few times but he always stops doing it as soon as he sees me trying to open the camera.
 

1 bruce 1

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LOL It's totally weird. I've tried grabbing my phone to take a quick photo a few times but he always stops doing it as soon as he sees me trying to open the camera.
I've heard it a billion times in dog people...
"How do I get my dog to stop (jumping, biting, barking, etc.)"
Answer: Pick up a camera =D
Same with cats times 10. I tried to get a cute pic of one of my girls sleeping on a dog bed today, her rear end was on the bed but her front end was off it, sound asleep, and reminded me of the old "I'VE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET UP" thing.
Pick up a camera, bam, she's up on her feet.
\
 

aliceneko

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Absolutely! Just last night the neighbour's burglar alarm went off and Fudge immediately jumped to the window and looked out and across to their house, as if he was worried and concerned. He's also quite sensitive as well, and is very caring towards humans (less so towards his brother, lol).
I often wonder what Toffee and Fudge's personalities would be like if they were human. We think Toffee would be the class clown and a bit of a delinquent, whereas Fudge would be the good kid who is easily enticed by the naughty kids and eventually ends up in the wrong crowd!
 

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Yes, but more basic ones, like happy and scared or curious. I don't know if I'd ever say she's world-weary or nostalgic or anything super complex but she definitely has different moods and emotions.
 

Kieka

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I do attribute human emotions, mostly because that is my frame of reference and humans are hardwired that way. It's like finding faces and images in clouds, swirls and random splatters.

Link is probably the most expensive of my group. He has literally sighed at us and is very good at communicating with humans what he wants, likes and dislikes. If this is him understanding how to communicate with us or actual expression of how he feels is the question.

We know cats get stressed and will pee inappropriately. But is it truly stress or just a reactive behavior to solidfy territory? We know cats can get depressed when a fellow cat dies. But is that mourning their absence or that they don't have a co-groomer and someone to help them secure their territory?

Until someone invents a cat to human transltor we won't know. Even then, the basic level of understanding could be so different that things just wouldn't make sense. But I still attribute human emotions and read into what my cats do. I read annoyance on Rockets face when she chases Fury. I read anger in Links tail twitch. I read joy in Fury looking at us kneading. It may not be logical but it works for me.
 
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