Cats are known to be independent creatures who don’t always want to be around humans. They also tend to be very territorial and often get into fights with other animals. Is it possible that they miss their owners?
Cats, however, are still social animals who love to spend time with their families. And according to research, they do seem to crave human interaction.
Some studies suggest that cats show signs of depression when separated from their owners. We look at this in more detail in this article and answer the question of whether cats miss their owners.
Do Cats Miss Their Owners?
This is a question asked by many cat owners all over the world, and a study published in 2015 found that cats who had been kept alone for two weeks showed signs of depression. The researchers believe that this was because the cats missed their owners.
Another study carried out in 2016 by a team of scientists at the University of Lincoln concluded that pet cats can suffer from loneliness. It found that these pets were more likely to display depressive behavior if they lived alone or were left without access to people.
The Lincoln study also suggests that cats may feel lonely even though they have company. This could be because they lack any form of companionship.
A simple sign to judge whether your cat has missed you and if they are starting to suffer from feline separation anxiety is simply if they seem stressed out when you return.
If they seem stressed or agitated on your arrival, or even if you notice a loss of appetite, this could be the reason. Researchers have looked at cats who were left alone and found that while the cats did not seem to miss their partner emotionally, the cats did seem more stressed, irritated, and agitated.
Another simple reason why cats may miss their owners is that they are used to being fed regularly. If you leave your cat home alone without food for long periods of time then he might begin to lose weight, and he might start to eat less and become lethargic.
If your cat does not like to be cuddled or held, then he may try to avoid contact with you. He may hide under furniture or behind doors. However, this does not mean they will not miss you when you leave the house. Affection might just be shown differently by your cat.
If you notice that your cat has started to act differently despite you as their human companion being there with him all the time, and you’re sure it’s not loneliness, then you should talk to your vet about his health. Your vet will be able to help him.
How Can I Help My Cat Feel Loved?
You can make sure that your cat feels loved by spending quality time with him. You can play games together, give him treats and cuddle up next to him.
Make sure that you let your cat out regularly so that they get plenty of exercise. Make sure that you keep your house clean and tidy too, as this will help to reduce stress levels.
Moreover, give your cat lots of attention whenever he wants it. But avoid smothering it. This will only force them away as they might feel overwhelmed.
Try to keep your cat’s routine as normal as possible. This means that you should feed him at the same time each day, they should be let out at the same time each day, and so on.
Along these lines, if you stick to your own routine too and you leave the house and return at the same time each day, this can help with cats and loneliness, and if they are missing you, they will have an idea of when you will return.
A routine can therefore help them feel not only more settled but more loved and cared for.
How Do Cats Behave In Our Absence?
Cats are social animals. They need human interaction to thrive. When we’re around our cats, they get affection and attention. We provide stimulation for them, which makes them happy.
When we’re gone, however, they don’t know what to do. They don’t understand why we aren’t here anymore. They don’t know who else to turn to for comfort. So, when we’re away, they’ll often spend time hiding in dark places where they won’t be seen.
This is called “cat avoidance.” It’s common among cats. The longer a cat spends avoiding humans, the more anxious it becomes. They start to think something bad will happen to them if she comes near us again.
When a cat avoids people, it shows that she doesn’t trust us. It also might mean that she needs reassurance from other animals.
You might also notice that, when you return home, your cat is purring or stretching a lot. One study from PLOS looked at cats’ behavior when their pet owner was not there, but there was a different period of separation. The study looked at two groups.
For one, the owners were gone only for 30 minutes, yet in the other group, owners were gone for around four hours. They found that the behavior of both groups remained similar, and cats behaved in their normal manner when their owners were away.
However, the study also found that the cats were more likely to purr and stretch for the group of owners that had been away longer. This simply means if you return home after a long day at work and your cat is purring and stretching, they just missed you, and they are glad you are back.
How Do Cats Show Love?
Cats are cute pets that love being around people and their familiar person. They rub themselves against their owners, and sometimes they even start to lick them.
They do this because they miss their owners, and it is their way of showing affection and love. They also do this with other cats, and this can be a friendly sign between cats who get along well.
Final Thoughts
We hope after reading this article you have learned a little more about whether cats miss their owners and how signs of stress, depression, and agitation all indicate they do!
Human-cat relationships are very special, and cats love to be loved, so it’s important you stick to a routine, don’t leave them alone for too long, and show them lots of love and affection to help that bond between you grow.
I’m Courtney Trent and I hope that I can answer some burning questions that you have about cats, as well as some questions that you’d never have thought to ask before.
I am aiming to shed new light on these amazing pets and hopefully change some people’s opinions on them. Also, let’s talk about wild cats - they’re just as awesome as domestic cats!
So, stay a while and learn more about domestic and wild cats from Windhaven Ocicats.
