Your cat can pick up on how you are feeling

[Little Tich]

Source: BBC Earth

Our feline friends aren't quite as emotionally distant as we might think. They seem to be able to sense our moods

If you have spent much time on the internet, you'll know at least one thing: our species loves cats.

How they feel about us is much less clear. Compared to our devoted dogs, cats seem pretty unconcerned with human affairs.

But it looks like our feline companions pay more attention than we give them credit for. They seem to be able to tell when we are happy.

New research has found the first strong evidence that cats are sensitive to human emotional gestures.

Moriah Galvan and Jennifer Vonk of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, US studied 12 cats and their owners. They found that the animals behaved differently when their owner was smiling compared to when they were frowning.



Read more: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20151015-your-cat-can-pick-up-on-how-you-are-feeling

[niyad]

1. in other news, water is wet.

I don't know about the rest of the cat world, but mine had always known my moods, and the same holds true for all my friends who are owned by felids.

[roguevalley]

16. yeah. both my girls are as loving and sweet, attentive and

perceptive as my two doggies. I love cats.

[Aerows]

18. Mine does, too

She ranges from biting my toe to demonstrate that her person should offer breakfast, to being a sweetheart and purring in my lap if I've had a bad day.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. My furry overlords know exactly what I'm thinking at all times.

They can hear me thinking about getting a slice of ham out of the refrigerator, for example.

[SheilaT]

3. Anyone who has ever believed otherwise just

never spent much time around cats.

I'm reminded of the research back in the 1970's that affirmed what mothers have been saying about babies all along: that they are sentient little creatures who express themselves quite competently. All the while male doctors who spent no time at all with babies kept saying they couldn't really see anything or make any sense of the world around them.

In the Middle Ages learned men argued about the number of teeth horses had, but when it was suggested to them that they actually open a horse's mouth and count, they wouldn't even consider the possibility.

[NV Whino]

4. Someone actually did a study on this?

All they had to do was call me.

[JonathanRackham]

5. Yup

They know exactly what time to wake me up every morning.

[ReallyIAmAnOptimist]

6. I've had two female cats who outright try to comfort me...

or my husband, if one of us is upset or if a voice is raised.

Anyway, I'm glad information is coming out (to prove the obvious) about all kinds of animals and their sentience and yes affection for humans, each other, and inter-species friends too.

[Mariana]

21. I once had two (neutered) boys who would do the same thing.

Whenever I was upset or disturbed about anything, there they were, the pair of them, climbing up on me, cuddling and purring.

The one cat I have now is very affectionate in general, but he tends more to distance himself a little at such times. He is diabetic, and when there is stress in the house, this cat's blood sugar level rises. His diet usually controls his diabetes very well, but when stress or sorrow goes on for too long a period of time, I have to give him insulin until things have settled down.

[Codeine]

7. My cat is a dick who gives not one single fuck.

That's why I love him!

[WillowTree]

9. Note that the article doesn't say.......

........that they care how you're feeling.......just that they know.

[niyad]

22. there is actually a card I have seen that says that very thing!

[CountAllVotes]

8. My pack o'cats are doing quite well

and they keep a very close eye on everything, everybody and each other.

When someone is expected to come over, they start looking out the window a few minutes before said person(s) may arrive. Psychic animals is what they are.

Takes a cold day in hell to put one past any which one of them!

**********(((((Cats)))))**********

As a good friend of mine says, "Cats are good company". Yes indeed!



SANDERS 2016!!

[Hissyspit]

10. Duh.

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. I have a nurse in cat form.

Bella is very, very good at "taking care of you when you are ill."

[Arugula Latte]

15. Precious girl!

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. Beauty

[niyad]

23. beautiful bella!!

[oldandhappy]

12. durn tootin

My cat knows everything! She hates saying good-bye so if she sees me getting ready to go out to do errands, she disappears. I try to say good-bye to her and usually just announce my farewells to empty rooms, smile.

[Major Nikon]

13. They can tell, but they just don't care

[Arugula Latte]

14. Over the years I've lived with many, many kitties (all strays/rescues)

and this is true beyond a shadow of a doubt. I will say that the females are particularly adept at picking up on emotional cues and then reacting (big surprise ... hah!). I particularly remember a few instances of being agitated and shouting out something, and my little precious girl rushing over, putting her paw on my shoulder, and looking searchingly into my face.

[shenmue]

17. When I volunteered at a shelter,

many of the cats stared at me and then gave up. One cat came up behind me and beat me on the back of the leg, with his paws. Fella didn't want me cleaning his room. I did, though.

[niyad]

24. mine, on the other hand, would do that if I DID NOT clean their rooms quickly enough.

[silvershadow]

19. Kitteh! nt

[Rex]

25. And sometimes they just hang around you to catch your buzz.

They pick up on a lot more than people realize.

[REP]

26. My cats know when I'm sick - before I do

If one cat in particular is at my side at all times - not just near me, but right up on me - I know it's time to check to see if I have a kidney infection. The Fannie Indicator is as reliable as a dipstick test.

As for cats being "emotionally aloof" ... have any of these people ever been around a cat? That's rather the opposite of how cats actually are.