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Not just humans, but also your cat can get sad or even depressed due to many reasons. They might miss their the favourite human they’ve bonded with, they could have an injury, illness or more. Humans however don’t always recognise that there is something wrong, what are the common signs that might indicate that your cat is sad?
Vocal signals
If you hear rapid changes in meowing, for example louder or more often, you should pay attention to it. If you hear low-pitch mournful „yowls“, your cat is definitely depressed. Surprisingly purring does not always mean happiness – it can also mean nervousness or be an attempt to make itself more comfortable.
Body language
It’s very easy to read a cat’s tail, but we will dedicate a separate article to it. When a cat has its ears held back, their tail is tucked or even it’s hair is standing on end, it is a sign something is very wrong. Cat sadness could also be lead to aggressiveness. If you feel that you have a predator rather than a cuddly pet at home, something is missing.
Losing interest and behaviour changes
A change in behaviour could also be a sign of sadness. I remember when I got back from a one-week holiday and my cat didn’t even say a common quick „maa“ as „hi“, but instead without saying a word, he walked away and hid himself for the rest of the day. Sometimes as he would jump from our sofa, he would even make that „yowl“ described above. He was apparently not happy that I left him at home. Besides hiding, they could become clingy or demanding (sometimes aggressively). One of the most alarming signals is that your cat no longer accepts food or starts changing bathroom habits. Has your cat ever urinated in an inappropriate place? Outside the litter box? There could be more issues than just sadness.
Cat behaviour and psychology is a big chapter so we will write more about it later on. But for now, let’s summarise the most common reasons for being unhappy:
- Illness
- Injury
- Loss of a loved one
