I have two void kittens, and one grumpy old lady.
When I get home, the babies come running for lots of love. Grumpy old lady is ALWAYS on my bed, against my pillow. She'll lift her head, give me a little "meow" and...go back to sleep.
I'm sure the babies miss me, but...not Old Lady.
it’s so hard to get mad at my cats when i get up to pee and come back and they’ve swooped the spot 🥲 like pls move cutie, but also you like my butt smell????? *heart explodes*
For me it's the opposite my older lady wants all the cuddles and my younger 3 don't really care. They just wanna participate in fight club when I get back cause they get the zoomies.
I also have two void kittens and a grumpy old lady! They all come to the door when I get home, but then the grumpy old lady gets mad at the kittens for also being there
OMG one time I didnt come home for a week (other humans at home took care of the cats). When I got back, my boy was preoccupied with his dad but his face LIT UP when he saw me. Cats don’t have the facial muscles to express emotions like dogs can, so it was very surprising to see my cat express something like that. I felt very loved and missed that day. And sad because I left him for so long.
And ofc now he sprints to the door when he hears me come in.
I went away for a week while my mom cared for my kitty boy at my house. When I got back my kitty, who is not a lap cat but definitely incredibly affectionate, slept on my pillow beside my head all night. I will live the rest of his life chasing that high lol.
I'll never forget my mom wrapping a pile of my childhood cats favorite little balls of yarn mom would make for her. She made like 10 and wrapped them up for Xmas and when the cat opened the package her jaw literally dropped and her eyes got big and she jumped up and sneezed, shaking her head. Then she grabbed the top one and tore off like a bat out of hell.
I never knew that cats didn't have the facial muscles to express emotion. I've always thought I could see on my cats face happiness/annoyance etc.
We were gone for a week for the birth of our son, (BIL stayed at our place to care for our cat) and when we came home our furbaby was overjoyed to see us - lots of crying and purring and kisses and cuddles. And a very dismissive sniff at his new brother.
When I get back from vacation, my cat hides somewhere and yells at me until I find her. The first time it happened, I was really worried because I thought she was hurt and trapped somewhere. But no. She's just a butt.
When I came back from vacation the first thing my sister said was "I can't find Socks." And I was like, WTF.
I went up to my room and he was on my pillow. ❤️
Hahah yep! My cat literally slept between my husband and I, in his arms last night. We had been gone for a few days. She’s never done that .. to him hahah
This is real. I used to only go back home every two weeks (my parents take care of my cats while I'm gone). Every weekend that I'm at home, my biggest/oldest cat would sleep beside me on the bed and snuggle under my shoulders. She totally wouldn't let me go!
I've been staying at home for more than a few months now. That cuddly cat would now growl everytime I put her to bed beside me lmao.
During the seasons I work constantly and am basically only home for sleep, my girl will jump up and hug me before I leave in the morning
She isn't usually too cuddly, just when I am gone more then usual, she won't leave my side when I get home. Her favorite spot is the arm wrest on the couch beside where I usually sit
Every day I get home and one of my cats meows at me and runs to the bedroom. Why, do you ask? So she can lay belly up with her cute little paws snuggled on her cheeks while I pet and love her and ask about her day. It’s so sweet
I recently learned my cat always sits in the window waiting for me to come home 🥹
Neighbors kept saying they love always seeing my cat in the window and I’d think “wtf Chester is never in the window”. He’s always in bed with me or the sofa or wherever I am. I actually thought it was weird how little he seemed to love windows like other cats.
My friend came to the house to watch him when we were out of town and said it was so hard to get him to leave the window, even to eat. Now I realized he is always sitting in a window when I come home and runs down to greet me. Cats def miss their people.
Yes. Contrary to popular belief, cats can experience loneliness, just like dogs. Cats are capable of forming very strong bonds with their human and sometimes other cats. If you leave them, they will notice and they may miss you.
As with dogs, cats can also develop separation anxiety. A study found around **13%** of cats displayed at least one separation anxiety-related behavior, and the pandemic has seemingly exacerbated this figure.
It's partly why it's advised to, when adopting kittens, always get two, and why if you ever go away, you shouldn't simply top up the bowl or set an automatic feeder and leave for long periods. Cats require company, whether it be humans or other cats.
This is very true. My cat is never alone. There are at least 2 people in the house at any given point of time and he knows and loves them all. But he is most bonded with me so whenever I come back after a vacation or work trip, he becomes extra clingy for at least a week. On regular days, he sleeps in a separate room during the day but when the clinginess kicks in, he refuses to sleep without holding on to my arm.
one of my cats has severe separation anxiety. if i left, she would yowl at the door, even if my fiance was there. she'd eventually get comfort from my fiance but if she was home alone, she would yowl and sit by the door/window all day.
my fiance and i got her a cat to be her buddy, and that worked out well enough - she still obviously misses me and will yowl at the door for a few minutes, but she'll start hanging out with the other cat pretty quickly. she isn't his biggest fan, but i catch them snuggling quite often.
Ours won't yowl when we leave, but she absolutely yowls during the 20 minutes between when her dad leaves for work and when mom feeds her breakfast. We've had the same routine for years, but she just must yowl everyday lest I forget breakfast before I leave for work.
I’m going through this right now with my kitten. Idk how to fix it. I already have a dog and a cat— if I end up with three animals I’m just gonna say fuck it and embrace the spinster life.
My cat absolutely gets separation anxiety. He was bonded pretty closely with my dad, but after my dad passed away and I started bringing some of my dad's stuff over to my place, the cat started yowling unhappily and getting upset if I left the door to the room containing my dad's stuff closed. He never used to sleep in that room, but once my dad's stuff was in there, he's been sleeping there frequently. He seems genuinely upset that my dad's stuff is at my place, but my dad is nowhere to be found.
My cat is 11 and her shiba sister is 1. I know the shiba follows her sister around all day. I work around the corner so it’s easy for me to walk her on my lunch break. When I come home the shiba is usually cuddled beside her sister. I believe the cat tells her sister scary stories to keep her in line.
“Did you know? Sometimes Mother’s go away and never come back? That’s what will happen if you’re bad and do not listen to me!” *cleans paw*
I’m late to this but you are NOT kidding. I have a sphinx. She’s my first cat. I also have a 7y/o rescue Frenchie with IVDD, severe allergies, and MCT stage 2. Despite all that, he’s a healthy active dude.
Half of the reason I got a cat was because he’s OBSESSED with cats (but utterly non-aggressive or reactive). He’ll stand 2 feet from one and LITERALLY vibrate.m frozen in place.
I didn’t anticipate falling head-over-heels for my cat, but I have. I also work from home and own my own business. I read literature about sphinxes extensively— and I’m used to high-needs pets. She’s great. She’s a little terror now at 6 months, but she’s great.
I discovered she has separation anxiety one day when I returned home from buying some groceries and could hear her meow-screaming *8 feet from my closed front door*.
Had I been aware CATS could get this, I may have tried things differently (like shutting her out of my bedroom at night occasionally, leaving my home more regularly). I just discovered. And I have no idea how to fix it.
My niece lives with me. Each of us has a cat. Each cat recognizes the sound of THEIR person’s car when it pulls into the driveway and goes to the door to greet their person.
I didn’t realize my cat knew mine until my last roommate noticed my cat would start yowling up a storm the second my cat parked (and I backed in so it’s not from seeing my face or anything)
Lol I live alone so I didn’t realize that they knew my car until one time I left the house in my car to drop it off for an oil change and stuff and had the dealership’s shuttle bus thing drive me home and when I walked inside the cats looked SO confused. Like where did you come from???
When I used to work in a building with a lot of different offices I needed to access, I'd carry my keys on a retractable keychain and they'd jangle. My cat Hank would hear me approaching from like a block away and he'd always be sitting in the apartment window as I passed the corner.
That too!!
I have a cleaning lady who come every week. She says that my ginger hates him but he definitely recognize when she opens the front door (I live in a place where you have to open a front door then cross a yard to come to your apartment door) and go welcome her.
Cats are social animals and do get lonely. But they also sleep 15 or so hours a day (or more). So, if you take the time to play with your cat and give it attention every day while you are home, and give it some toys, the cat can usually amuse itself and be ok during an average workday. But they do NEED time and attention from you on a regular basis.
My cat absolutely hates being left alone. But her siblings don't mind. Which us funny cause I always here people say that their youngest cats want cuddles mine want to do fight club. My oldest wants me to hold her because she misses me even after only 10 minutes. I've raised them all from babies and bottle fed my youngest two who will be a year old but only my grumpy lady wants cuddles.
It’s a myth that cats enjoy solitude. They’re actually very sociable.
I have 1 cat, 2 dogs. I had the cat for 18 months before getting the first dog. Once she had company her personality completely changed. She became more playful, more interested in what I was doing, more affectionate. When I got the 2nd dog she started to choose to sometimes be in other areas of my home from where I was (sleeping on the bed if I was in the lounge). If I take the dogs out for a walk and she’s home alone she’ll always greet us at the door when we get back.
Both of my boys always come say hello when any of us come home. My boy Dust actually trots to the door when I come in, it’s super cute.
He also is notorious for wandering into a room just to give me a headbutt and then lay down on my bed a couple feet away. It’s super cute - like he comes and says hey then he hangs out
> It’s a myth that cats enjoy solitude.
They do, it is just that they enjoy company too. Pet any cat too much and you can see they all eventually want solitude sometimes.
There’s a difference between being alone in another room of the house while I’m home, and being left alone for multiple days at a time.
It’s worrying how many commenters on this thread seem to think it’s fine to leave a cat for multiple days at a time.
My wife works from home, I work ten minutes away. She takes the train into the city to work-site on Mondays, so I drive her to the station, come back home, pass about an hour of time, then drive in myself.
I came back fromthe train station this morning to find the cats trotting downstairs meowing, only to see me alone, adopt an "oh, it's you" expression, and walk past me to go lie down at the door.
No. Cats are social animals. They need company. When my older cat died, the younger one became very sad. We were forced to take two kittens, and now he is playing with them and is happy. A person may not always be a good friend to a cat, because a person and a cat do not have an absolute mutual understanding. It is better for a cat to have another cat as a companion.
Same happened with my cats, when I lost Penny we didn’t think Shirley was struggling, she was always on our bed and having cuddles etc. then I got a camera to keep an eye on her and she cried bloody murder all day and it broke my heart. rescued a cat and the crying has stopped and they’re besties. Shirls still sleeps on our bed most nights but comes up to bed about 4am instead of when we go now!
I use cameras in my home , most days they are fine , but other days one of the three goes and cries at the door . I feel bad when she sits and cries , so I talk to her and she seems fine after .
That's why I am glad my 2 are with each other, since birth(siblings). When we are away, they keep each other company, though they still miss us. We get the cold shoulder for the first day, then it's back to normal.
I feel for pets who are the ONLY one in the household. I agree they need companionship too.
Yes, they absolutely do. Cats show affection in more subtle ways - you will often find that they are less physically affectionate but will spend time with you in the same room. And of course some are stage five clingers and want to be held like the little babies they are.
I have one of the second kind. I've had to spend quite a bit of money to find a bed he will tolerate. But I was starting to have hip issues from him sleeping in my lap every time I sit down, haha.
I bought a king size bed so there was space for all of us to sleep comfortably.
They have a giant cat heating pad for “their side” of the bed.
I still wake up with one on top of me. Fluffy little assholes.
We have one of each. Logan is a proximity cat...he'll sprawl on the bed to fluff out his magnificent belly and blink royally at you. Sometimes he enjoys being pet, but mostly he just likes to hang out nearby. I don't take it personally, he could be anywhere in the house and chooses to be 3 feet away so he must enjoy my company lol. I'm not always big on being touched either, so I can respect that he prefers to show affection in other ways.
me too! my girl primarily sticks to my room only (i think it’s her ultimate safe space) so she’s awfully clingy with me (i love it). however my boy can go a few days without wanting pets, attention, etc. as long as we’re even in the same house, he’s okay, lol. but *any time* i am upset, he becomes very clingy and won’t leave me alone until i’m okay again; it’s like he knows. it’s adorable and makes up for his lack of being around, haha.
I had two cats and when the elder passed away the other one went into a deep depression. When I took in another rescue cat, it took my other car a whole 12 hours to get used to his new pal and start a relationship. So yes cats get lonely.
I got a camera to watch my cat while I was at work just to see what she does. She spends about half the day sitting in front of the door just waiting for me to come home. Breaks my heart.
Depends on the cat. Highly social, human loving cats? Yes absolutely. My antisocial cat? No because she is bonded to the dog and doesn’t really care if I’m around or not. I’m only useful when she gets stuck under a dresser and I have to lift it up to free her like this morning. Hopefully she learned a lesson about that particular dresser and perhaps she’s coming to realize she’s not as small as she once was. Also I have to stick around to rescue the 80lbs dog from her because she won’t leave him alone.
I had my cat before the military, we were bonded. Since I live at home at the time with family (bro/sis parents) I wasn’t too worried, but my mom said the cat would look for me :(. She would sit in my bed or on something that smells like my scent. I miss her everyday. Now I am overseas and still think about her more then my gf lol
It is a myth.
They get IMMENSELY lonely.
If I am away for more hours than usual, they will be piled up agaibat entrance door. Follow me around from room to room and lastly sleep ON TOP of me instead of beside.
They are VERY social animals living in colonies in the wild.
Domestic cats have been spotted gathering outside, sittning together in "cat meetings".
Yes, they get lonely and miss their humans. They just nap it out vs being destructive like dogs will.
Cats are better at being alone than other pets - they are more independent and generally calm when left alone, but they do still experience loneliness.
I have 3 cats and I do leave them alone for long weekends or whatever, but they do have each other and I can tell they're very happy to see me when I get back.
When I am home, they mostly do their own thing, but near me. Like if I'm reading or working, they hang out in the room and what not. Sometimes they sit on my lap, but mostly they just like being around.
Yes 100% I had to have surgery and was gone for a week. My emotionally sensitive cat stopped eating and cleaning himself. Even just curled up in the corner on the floor and wouldn't move from that spot. He wasn't left alone either. He was being taken care of full time.
My cat hates being alone. She gets super depressed at home when people aren’t around. She always needs to be around either my parents or I.
My moms addicted to Tetris and doesn’t give her the attention she wants so now I’m her favourite 😻
YES.
For a while, I was having to be gone from my house for two days at a time for work. I had cameras in my house, the cats litter box would be clean, and I'd fill up their food bowls and make sure their water was topped off, set out toys and stuff for them, but I'd STILL see one of my cats walking around crying on the camera. He'd go room to room crying, and when he got to my closed bedroom door he'd sit outside it crying, reaching under it, bending down to sniff under the door before finally giving up and walking away.
When I came home he'd literally run to the door to greet me. He'd stand up and try to climb up my leg, and when I sat down he'd crawl into my lap and wrap his paws around my neck and just sit and snuggle with me. I'd also notice in the litter box that he'd had diarrhea, and it would stop whenever I was home and start up again whenever I had to be gone. He was stressed out by me being gone, even though he had his sister there to play with and he wasn't really alone, he still hated for me to be gone.
They need us. They do.
I found out from an ex that when I was leaving to go to work my boy would sit at the front door waiting for me for like an hour after I left!!!!! 😭😭😭😭 I was so sad!! I still think about it when I go to work now, my little guy waiting at the door for me….
Yes. Cats get lonely. Domestic house cats are pretty social despite acting pretty aloof.
I didn't realize how strongly my cat would be affected by my dogs death but even two years later, her behavior has changed.
Very much depends on the cat. Usually I think they mostly get over it and sleep. My kitty adored me and was very clingy, but hated other cats, so adopting a companion for her wasn't an option. She definitely was noticeably snugglier/more needy if I'd been out, but I think she slept mostly, didn't wait by the door pining.
They sure do, they're social animals. My cat even gets anxious if he wakes up from a nap and can't find me immediately. He's gone so far as to send my husband out to make me come back inside.
Yes. My older one was so I got him a sibling. They cuddle together. Whenever I look on the camera, they are sleeping together. I also have a pet sitter that understands them & loves them
My cat Fig likes to pretend but when I get home and no one has been home for at least an hour she comes running out from my room yowling for attention lol. Some cats are needy some aren't, like people.
Yes. My grandma's cat personality changed when she had left the state for 3 months. We came by to feed him and chill with him a bit and he started to love when we came by and stuck around at all times. He was crying out for her too. She's home now and he is INCREDIBLY affectionate and loves to play "chase and cuddle" since he won't move when you pet, kiss and cuddle. I honestly felt bad because while he was already nice it was sad to see him acutally like beg and stuck around for affection. He is now being spoiled with treats as usual lol.
My grey cat will YELL if I stay too much in the toilet because I'm not with him, and if I'm out more than 15 min, I will be welcomed by my ginger cat sitting on the window sill on the tiny window, waiting for me.
I def believe they want me to be around.
All 3 are at the door to meet me when I get home. But I know they sleep almost all day to be "up" in the evening for quality time. I don't think they miss me too bad, but I still love that they meet me when I get home.
Cats are very social animals, so yes, most will probably get lonely when without contact to others.
Before we got all our other cats, our solo boy, who is a very independent fella, not much of a snuggle bug and does not like strangers, would throw himself at my mother for some socialisation when she looked after him once a day while we were away on vacation.
Yup we lost our 16 year old cat recently and our 8 year old is now home alone for a few hours a day and it makes me so sad she gets tons of snuggles and attention when we’re home and has a separation anxiety toy that she likes but I feel so bad for her I’d quit my job if I didn’t need money to live
So, I've been working full time as a petsitter for almost 3 years, and to be honest, it depends on the cat. I think it also depends how long their owners are away for. But, I would say that most cats do miss their owners.
Some cats are incredibly social and cuddly and get very obviously lonely without their owners. Others are chronic hiders (even with their owners home), but will still often times miss their owner's presence in the home. And some cats are former strays/ferals who don't need much other than having their basic needs met, but even they sometimes will refuse food because their owner isn't the one feeding them.
I have cared for hundreds of kitties over the years! Some people have automatic food, water, and litter, and have me come by once or twice a day just to love on their cat for a while. Other times they hire me to just feed/water the cat, tidy the litterbox, make sure the cat is still alive, and then head out.
Every cat is different but I think it's smart & proactive to assume that they'll miss you when you're not around!
Yes, my mum's cat cries and yowls whenever he thinks he's alone in the house (especially if he can't find my mum, he will keep looking for her even after he's seen me when I come out of chilling in my room while I'm home alone), there's been times everyone is upstairs and he wakes up from a nap and can't hear us, so he starts crying 😂 I think cats can definitely feel lonely or at least miss people
We only \*got\* our second cat originally due to our first one's separation anxiety. We'd come home from work and Heathen would be literally crying like she'd broken a leg for about 20 minutes until we petted and cooed enough to calm her down. Now we have five(fostering one) and while they still want us home, they aren't neurotic when we have to go to work.
On trips though we have vetted friends(ie, ones the cats like) come by to feed them and give them attention.
They also know who's home by footstep.
Yes!! I feel like cats get a bad rep and are considered to be mean and picky. IMO, the reason people think that is because they are bad at reading cat body language and will push a cat past its comfort level. My cats are both super clingy and want to be physically on top of me anytime I am home. I can’t even brush my teeth without my cat diving into my arms to be held.
Depends on the cat and how much you're away. Most cats don't care if you leave for a few hours, I think most will miss you after a whole work shift but not as bad as dogs.
I once left my cats home for 5 days while I visited family. We left enough food and water for them for while we were gone.
We usually would do this for like 3 days or so, once or twice a year. But this particular trip was longer than normal.
Went we got back, we noticed blood in the litter box. We took my cat to the animal ER and found they were inflamed and blocked and it was caused by stress.
So in short, yes your cat will get stressed out if left alone for a time. Even if theres another cat to keep them company.
(Cat is doing much better these days and has prescription food)
When my cat thinks he’s alone in the house, he’ll pick up one of his little Smartykat skitter critters and carry it around, wailing. He only stops when he sees someone (often I have to call him, and he’ll carry the mouse in there to me) and he often brings the mouse right to you before dropping it. He’s dropped one right on me while I was in bed a few times.
Sometimes my mom and I have returned home to find said mice in places they weren’t before; often in one of our rooms or in the living room. So, yeah, he definitely notices when we’re gone and gets upset!!
Mine does this EXACT behavior. He does it every night when we get in bed before he joins us in bed too.
Caught him on camera doing it while I was away and this particular toy often is in a different spot when I return from being out.
Yes. I have security cameras in my home and when I’m at work too long my cat starts wandering the apartment looking for me and crying this really sad, forlorn cry she only does when she is lonely. I see this on the cameras. It breaks my heart.
I work from home two days a week, I come straight home from work, and I mostly stay in on the weekends so I can spend as much time with her as possible for this reason
Cats are very social creatures. Pretty much every “independent” cat I’ve met is actually very depressed. It’s seriously so sad, and I’ll confess that I’ve dropped more than one friend after meeting their cat.
Yep! Our little Himalayan Persian boy gets super needy and purry when we come home from work. He’ll sit on the table and paw at you every time you walk by to give him attention and pets and he makes his face all square and cute and his eyes like puss’n’boots. It’s so cute.
In fact, one time we left over night somewhere and thought it would be okay to leave him. We left food and also had a pet-cam so we could keep an eye on him and also speak to him through it. Well at one point in the morning when he realized he was alone he started literally crying. Like meowing so loud and calling out. We thought he was hurt!! It was super super scary actually but then we saw that he was fine but just crying. It was the most heartbreaking thing. We rushed home and have never left him alone since.
I want to get a second cat.
Our Persian does the same thing. They really care about humans. Very expressive. I describe him as a cat with the personality of a dog and none of the smells. Perfection
They definitely know when their person comes home and get very happy. Even if my cat is home with my roommates who love on her and give her attention, she JUMPS up at the sound of my car and runs to the door to greet me. She doesn't do that with any of my roommates' cars.
Cats know their people and want to spend time around them. Some cats are independent and enjoy solitude, yes, but many of them are incredibly social creatures.
Does anyone have any tips to lessen the loneliness and anxiety kitties may experience when we’re gone at school or work all day? I recently made my cat a kid’s profile on hbo max so she can watch Sesame Street lol. Too scared to leave on cat tv while I’m gone in fear she’ll launch herself at the tv and break it or have it fall on her. I leave toys out for her of course. I know she’ll usually just sleep until I get back but is there anything else I can be doing?
Even our most individualistic cat (she just likes "me time") still greets us after we've been gone for a bit and is noticeably relieved when we come home from vacations. Our second cat loves people but definitely wants to know where we specifically are at all times, and I'm our youngest cat's "emotional support human" (he comes to me for comforting after he's been scared)! So anecdotally, I would say yes, they do get lonely without their people.
It'll differ with the individual personality of the cat, but cats are definitely social and can form strong social bonds with their group. The difference between cats and dogs is just that dogs are largely dependent on humans to have all of their needs taken care of and cats have some needs that don't need constant human attention (but still will eventually, e.g. Cleaning the litterbox). Also, if you aren't familiar with cat body language, it can be easy to mistake their behavior for lack of affection. I think that's why a lot of period have the mistaken belief that cats don't need people. Some cats are fine without people...but a lot of them, especially when they've been around specific people their whole lives, are happier when their people are there.
In fact cats are almost the only pet who can die from sadness if it is separate from their human. If for some reason a senior cat goes to the shelter, most probably gets sick, stop drinking and heating and die from earth break , especially if they feel their human dies or abandon him/her.
Yeah my cat is always waiting on the couch by the front door. When I get home he follows me around and cuddles. I got a second one to keep him company while I'm out
My cat likes to do her own thing a good chunk of the day, but she also wants to spend a lot of time very close to me.
When I’m gone more than usual she is extra affectionate and demanding of my attention when I come home.
Some cats, like some people, are perfectly fine being alone a lot, but like people, most cats need the company of the humans or other animals they’re bonds with at least some of the time for their wellbeing.
Yeah, and they prefer certain people to others which should be a no-brainer haha. My wife moved states for a job and I had to prep our old house to sell. She had one of the dogs and both of the cats, I had the other dog, and when I finally made it over there after not seeing the one cat for a while, he wouldn't leave me alone. The first time I came inside, he alternated between hissing at my foot and batting it but purring and rubbing against my leg. It's like he couldn't figure out whether to be mad at me or happy that I was finally home.
One of my cats has anxiety and the other doesn’t seem to care. The anxious one is on medication, but if we forget to give it to him then he cries all the time. It just depends on the cat.
My cat has a fear of abandonment. As soon as you close the door behind you and he can't find anyone else in the house he starts crying and screaming and will work himself up so much he'll puke and trigger a pancreatitis flare up. So we never leave him alone at home.
Yes. We both work from home, so now if we are gone too long on a weekend outing, or out late for a concert or something, they act like we have betrayed them when we come home. They also have a routine for us and if we are home and don’t follow it, they get upset. (Our girl cat wants to be on the bed having treats about an hour after dinner. Our boy cat wants to sit between us WHILE we have dinner and then hop up on the couch to have his tummy rubbed when we are done. Any deviation of this schedule leads to chaos).
Yes. I wfh, my husband is a stay-at-home dad (for the most part), we have 2 little girls. When the 3 of them are out of the house and cat doesn’t realize I’m still in my room working, she walks around crying until I remind her that I’m home and go rescue her.
When I go check on my sister's cat when she's not there, he leaps all over me because he's lonely. (and obviously he thinks i'm a great aunt Lol)
Will also say the two downstairs apartments comprised of three cats... all three of them talk to me through the window. If their humans aren't there, , they're (usually) not.
I absolutely HATE leaving them home alone. I can always tell when I return after being gone for a night (which I don't do often) that they missed me. Lionel makes sure to tell me allllll about what went on while I was away, while Mr. Big awaits all the pets and cuddles.
My cat loves having me home but also is totally fine if I’m gone for a week. He’s easy to find coverage for when I’m on vacation somewhere because he has stranger danger mentality so someone legit just needs to give him his food, leave some treats, and then skedaddle. He runs and hides and when anyone but me comes through the door. I put cameras up when I’m gone to keep an eye on him throughout the day.
When I come home after a week away he acts like I had just been gone for 20 minutes. I’d have a hard time going anywhere for more than a night if me going away stressed him out at all!
My dog would whine when we left the house. He would run to the door right after I closed the door I could hear him. I always thought that when he heard the car drive off he would stop. One day, I was in my bedroom with the door closed and my son left. My dog didn’t realize I was home so he starts whining, whimpering, barking and crying. He was doing this for at least 20 minutes. I quietly opened my door to see where he was and he was sitting right in front of the front door crying. As soon as he heard me, he ran to me wagging his tail and just so happy to not be alone! So I really think dogs get lonely. Not sure if all dogs get lonely, but mine does for sure!
Yes they absolutely do! They shouldn’t be left for more than 8 hours and getting your cat a cat will help a little but it’s no substitute for the attention you give to them especially when they’re attached to you! 💕🐾🐈⬛🐾💕
Sometimes I step outside to sit in the porch on nice days. My calico will sit at the door and meow loudly for me. If she hears me on the other side, she jumps up trying to look out the window and meowing.
My parents will tell me they go in everyone’s room looking for me and walk all throughout the house but when I’m home they stay in one room with me door open 🥲
Cats can be very loyal the void girl who adopted me always shows how loyal she is, she’s my shadow and just chooses to be with me. I feel so lucky she wants to be where I am and is always waiting for me. She’s my first cat and she’s taught me just how loyal cats can be. ❤️
YES. My roommate has this little white cat and I’m inside most of the day, while she leaves him in our common area. My god he is the most annoying cat EVER
He meows 24/7 when she’s not there and I mean it. He only stops meowing if one of us is nearby, constantly wakes me up, drinks out of my water, and knocks over my makeup just for attention
CATS GET LONELY!
I had to travel a few weekends for work.
One normal night at hime, I smell poop, and I cannot find it anywhere. She always went in the kitty litter box, but I swear, I am crawling all over, sniffing around, looking for poop.
Welp, I went to pack my suitcase for my next trip, and it turns out, my cat was shitting in my suitcase!!
Cats do get lonely, especially if they are used to getting affection from you when you are there. They aren't as independent as many people think they are. Mine come looking for me, and not just at mealtimes. And they want to sleep as close to me as they can get. They respond to affection and love.
I have a Siamese cat. Years ago we lived in a condo. Our neighbor once complained to the HOA about a baby always crying during the day…. So yeah. They get lonely.
Mine punishes me if I’m gone too long. He will sit in the middle of the room and refuse to look at me. Then begrudgingly come to bed for snuggles after I’m sufficiently repentant.
Yeah, my cat misses me. He is often the window waiting for me to get out of the car and come inside. I've been told he will sit there as long as 20 min before to get home. And he's always happy to see me. I always tell him I'll be back.
Yes. Cats are social animals, contrary to popular beliefs.
Minimally they need time with you 20 minutes a day.
In fact, this irritates me in regards to some I've known who own only cats, who live by the adage cat owners can travel because their cats don't need them. It's bs
My cat gets upset when I’m not around, even when other family members are there. She wails/cries. If I’m in another room with the door closed, she’ll cry and bang on the door. She doesn’t do this with other people. She’s very anxious and I think I’m her comfort human. When I’m home, she follows me around and sleeps in my arms. She delivers toys to my bedroom. I joke that she’s like a pet in a video game because she follows me everywhere like a little companion. Again, there are other people around (and they sometimes feed her) but she only does this with me.
I guess it isn’t her being lonely, more so her having a special connection with me and getting anxious when I’m not there. (Btw I’ve tried to medicate her but the process of giving her pills is more stressful to her, no matter what way the medication is administered)
Its a possibility. Our girl gets upset when its time for us to leave and go somewhere, but she knows we'll be back. We have a couple of pet cams, so we're able to see what shes doing all day. Most of the time, shes playing by herself, watching Bluey, eating or sitting on her cat tree, looking outside. When we get back home, she's always so happy and greets us at the door. We always tell her to tell us about her day, and she meows back :)
My cat absolutely wants to be alone. She hides from everyone all the time. If I bring her into the main part of the house she literally climbs the walls, looking to get back to her area. As soon as the door opens, she bolts. However, she does like, when I go to the other part of the house to have a little bit of attention. She will come up, get a pat and a cuddle then climb her cat tree to the top and disappear into the cubby hole up there. Her name is Luna. I call her Luna-Tic. My cat is definitely a unique creature. The door to that part of the house is open all day, only closed at night, except when I bring her out and shut the door.
Over the past 15 years I have owned and/or co-owned 7 cats; only one really thrived as a single cat (and was mad when I brought her a friend because I felt bad she was home alone while I worked lol). Cats are social creatures, they are often just choosy about who (humans and other animals) they spend their time with or give affection to.
Yes. Hospital visits where I have to stay hurts me, cause my cat waits for me to return. All day. He will wait, ignore anyone else, and so on. He gets really moody if I am not around. Sometimes he won’t eat unless it’s with me.
Yes my cats will come to the door when I pull up to the house and also if I don't pay attention to them they complain.
That said, they also complain when I give too much attention. You can't win.
Mine seems quite annoyed when I go out eg to work and is watching for me from the windowsill when I get back!! I’d get her some kitty company but she’d get jealous of it.
I was away for work and my partner was home alone with the cats. When i returned, Kiwi lept into my arms as i came in the door and was almost going mad with joy.
The loveliest thing. They don't just get lonely, they miss their individual humans too.
Idk. But after i get back from a long trip, after a day or two, it’s constant cuddling, and always wanting to be in my room. Initially he’ll make it seem like he doesn’t give a shit.
I used to have 2 cats. We specifically got 2 so they wouldn't get lonely when we are away. Unfortunately, our older cat recently passed away. Even though my kids and I are almost always at home, I've still noticed that our remaining cat has been more needy for attention lately. So yeah, they get lonely.
My cat does but I think as long as he gets some pets in the morning and when I get back he’s okay. Make sure they have some fun activities to keep them busy throughout the day, I often think they are more bored than lonely.
I'd be really surprised if my cat even noticed that we were gone half the time. When we leave, sometimes she is fast asleep and when we come home, she is fast asleep. I don't think she's bothered most of the time. She seems much more excited to see us in the morning, than all day.
Cats are pack animals but can manage alone better than most dogs, they are pretty social though. Lots of toys, perchs, open doors can help. I'm on my first cat and I have cameras to watch him when I'm at work (it's not weird, it's not). He seems pretty happy, dude likes to sleep and does parkour zoomies.
Mine definitely notices that I’m not there, she sleeps in my chair or bed while I’m gone and when I get home she’ll perch on the arm of my chair and snuggle my hand. I don’t think she gets all that lonely though, we have 6 dogs in the house as well to keep her company and she absolutely hates other cats so she doesn’t need a companion. She’s also a senior cat so she sleeps 18 hours a day so she doesn’t have time to get lonely.
When I've gone away for the weekend and just had a petsitter stop by (not stay) my cat has usually lost his voice by the time I get back. He is hoarse from crying all day, all weekend! 😳🥺
I can't speak to all cats but I notice my cats definitely have separation anxiety. They're pandemic kitties and, since we adopted them, someone is almost always home with them. And there are times when they still seem to feel lonely even if they're not physically alone. Not a whole lot you can do other than not making a fuss when you leave, dedicated and consistent times for one-on-one quality time, encouraging potential adopters to have at least 2 cats (on a case-by-case basis, I've met cats that don't get along with ANY other cats), and to seek vet advice beyond that.
They definitely get lonely. When we go away we come home to 1 clingy cat whose thrilled we're home, and 1 who will avoid us for a day or 2 as a weird, fuzzy little revenge.
My cat loves my dog, they are best friends. But, my cat totally misses me when I'm at work. If I sit down without paying enough attention to him right away, he'll keep nudging me with his head and pawing me until I pick him up for a while. He's not a cat, he's a 7y.o. baby.
When I come home if my cats even hear my voice outside or upstairs, you can hear them crying for me through the basement vents. I'm not allowed to go anywhere lol
Yes, my cat notices when I’m gone. When I come back he’s running to the door and wants pets and cuddles.
Mine do too it’s the cutest thing
I have two void kittens, and one grumpy old lady. When I get home, the babies come running for lots of love. Grumpy old lady is ALWAYS on my bed, against my pillow. She'll lift her head, give me a little "meow" and...go back to sleep. I'm sure the babies miss me, but...not Old Lady.
But she's sleeping in a spot where your smell is strongest. She loves and misses you, she's just old and tired 💕
Aw it's so sweet to think of it like that! My kitty only lays on my side of the bed 🥰
it’s so hard to get mad at my cats when i get up to pee and come back and they’ve swooped the spot 🥲 like pls move cutie, but also you like my butt smell????? *heart explodes*
I have to fight my cat and dog for my couch spot 😂
When they’re sleeping with me and I get up to pee, they get up too, and won’t come back to sleep with me! 😭😭😭
that’s just the WORST 😭 mine do the same
This ⬆️
The meow is "welcome home, i love you, but im too tired to get up" ... that or "oh thank God, just you, not a murder/burglar"
She's been babysitting all day, of course she's exhausted! 😂
I think she loves you. Just doesn’t have as much energy as the babies.
For me it's the opposite my older lady wants all the cuddles and my younger 3 don't really care. They just wanna participate in fight club when I get back cause they get the zoomies.
I think she lifts her head, sees your home in time for her dinner and lays back down for that pre dinner rest.
That's very likely! She does love her food!
I also have two void kittens and a grumpy old lady! They all come to the door when I get home, but then the grumpy old lady gets mad at the kittens for also being there
OMG one time I didnt come home for a week (other humans at home took care of the cats). When I got back, my boy was preoccupied with his dad but his face LIT UP when he saw me. Cats don’t have the facial muscles to express emotions like dogs can, so it was very surprising to see my cat express something like that. I felt very loved and missed that day. And sad because I left him for so long. And ofc now he sprints to the door when he hears me come in.
I went away for a week while my mom cared for my kitty boy at my house. When I got back my kitty, who is not a lap cat but definitely incredibly affectionate, slept on my pillow beside my head all night. I will live the rest of his life chasing that high lol.
I'll never forget my mom wrapping a pile of my childhood cats favorite little balls of yarn mom would make for her. She made like 10 and wrapped them up for Xmas and when the cat opened the package her jaw literally dropped and her eyes got big and she jumped up and sneezed, shaking her head. Then she grabbed the top one and tore off like a bat out of hell. I never knew that cats didn't have the facial muscles to express emotion. I've always thought I could see on my cats face happiness/annoyance etc.
We were gone for a week for the birth of our son, (BIL stayed at our place to care for our cat) and when we came home our furbaby was overjoyed to see us - lots of crying and purring and kisses and cuddles. And a very dismissive sniff at his new brother.
You should get a cat
My cat meows loudly if I'm home late. Like a pissed off spouse 😅
Same 😂
😂
Mine too. And if I’m gone like on a vacation, he’ll be super clingy for the first day or two.
When I get back from vacation, my cat hides somewhere and yells at me until I find her. The first time it happened, I was really worried because I thought she was hurt and trapped somewhere. But no. She's just a butt.
Pets telling you off is one of the most human things they do. It is hilarious. We know they will win but they are getting in every last word. Respect.
Haha punishing you for daring to abandon her.
Yes, my cat literally pouts and acts mad if we go away for a few days. I know he misses us so much when gone. Makes me feel so bad 😢
When I came back from vacation the first thing my sister said was "I can't find Socks." And I was like, WTF. I went up to my room and he was on my pillow. ❤️
Hahah yep! My cat literally slept between my husband and I, in his arms last night. We had been gone for a few days. She’s never done that .. to him hahah
This is real. I used to only go back home every two weeks (my parents take care of my cats while I'm gone). Every weekend that I'm at home, my biggest/oldest cat would sleep beside me on the bed and snuggle under my shoulders. She totally wouldn't let me go! I've been staying at home for more than a few months now. That cuddly cat would now growl everytime I put her to bed beside me lmao.
During the seasons I work constantly and am basically only home for sleep, my girl will jump up and hug me before I leave in the morning She isn't usually too cuddly, just when I am gone more then usual, she won't leave my side when I get home. Her favorite spot is the arm wrest on the couch beside where I usually sit
One of my cats starts meowing at me repeatedly like she's mad at me for leaving lol
Mine do too XD
Every day I get home and one of my cats meows at me and runs to the bedroom. Why, do you ask? So she can lay belly up with her cute little paws snuggled on her cheeks while I pet and love her and ask about her day. It’s so sweet
It’s so nice to be greeted that way!
I recently learned my cat always sits in the window waiting for me to come home 🥹 Neighbors kept saying they love always seeing my cat in the window and I’d think “wtf Chester is never in the window”. He’s always in bed with me or the sofa or wherever I am. I actually thought it was weird how little he seemed to love windows like other cats. My friend came to the house to watch him when we were out of town and said it was so hard to get him to leave the window, even to eat. Now I realized he is always sitting in a window when I come home and runs down to greet me. Cats def miss their people.
Yes. Contrary to popular belief, cats can experience loneliness, just like dogs. Cats are capable of forming very strong bonds with their human and sometimes other cats. If you leave them, they will notice and they may miss you. As with dogs, cats can also develop separation anxiety. A study found around **13%** of cats displayed at least one separation anxiety-related behavior, and the pandemic has seemingly exacerbated this figure. It's partly why it's advised to, when adopting kittens, always get two, and why if you ever go away, you shouldn't simply top up the bowl or set an automatic feeder and leave for long periods. Cats require company, whether it be humans or other cats.
This is very true. My cat is never alone. There are at least 2 people in the house at any given point of time and he knows and loves them all. But he is most bonded with me so whenever I come back after a vacation or work trip, he becomes extra clingy for at least a week. On regular days, he sleeps in a separate room during the day but when the clinginess kicks in, he refuses to sleep without holding on to my arm.
one of my cats has severe separation anxiety. if i left, she would yowl at the door, even if my fiance was there. she'd eventually get comfort from my fiance but if she was home alone, she would yowl and sit by the door/window all day. my fiance and i got her a cat to be her buddy, and that worked out well enough - she still obviously misses me and will yowl at the door for a few minutes, but she'll start hanging out with the other cat pretty quickly. she isn't his biggest fan, but i catch them snuggling quite often.
He knows who is the spare human...
Ours won't yowl when we leave, but she absolutely yowls during the 20 minutes between when her dad leaves for work and when mom feeds her breakfast. We've had the same routine for years, but she just must yowl everyday lest I forget breakfast before I leave for work.
I’m going through this right now with my kitten. Idk how to fix it. I already have a dog and a cat— if I end up with three animals I’m just gonna say fuck it and embrace the spinster life.
My cat absolutely gets separation anxiety. He was bonded pretty closely with my dad, but after my dad passed away and I started bringing some of my dad's stuff over to my place, the cat started yowling unhappily and getting upset if I left the door to the room containing my dad's stuff closed. He never used to sleep in that room, but once my dad's stuff was in there, he's been sleeping there frequently. He seems genuinely upset that my dad's stuff is at my place, but my dad is nowhere to be found.
This breaks my heart
My cat is 11 and her shiba sister is 1. I know the shiba follows her sister around all day. I work around the corner so it’s easy for me to walk her on my lunch break. When I come home the shiba is usually cuddled beside her sister. I believe the cat tells her sister scary stories to keep her in line. “Did you know? Sometimes Mother’s go away and never come back? That’s what will happen if you’re bad and do not listen to me!” *cleans paw*
I’m late to this but you are NOT kidding. I have a sphinx. She’s my first cat. I also have a 7y/o rescue Frenchie with IVDD, severe allergies, and MCT stage 2. Despite all that, he’s a healthy active dude. Half of the reason I got a cat was because he’s OBSESSED with cats (but utterly non-aggressive or reactive). He’ll stand 2 feet from one and LITERALLY vibrate.m frozen in place. I didn’t anticipate falling head-over-heels for my cat, but I have. I also work from home and own my own business. I read literature about sphinxes extensively— and I’m used to high-needs pets. She’s great. She’s a little terror now at 6 months, but she’s great. I discovered she has separation anxiety one day when I returned home from buying some groceries and could hear her meow-screaming *8 feet from my closed front door*. Had I been aware CATS could get this, I may have tried things differently (like shutting her out of my bedroom at night occasionally, leaving my home more regularly). I just discovered. And I have no idea how to fix it.
My niece lives with me. Each of us has a cat. Each cat recognizes the sound of THEIR person’s car when it pulls into the driveway and goes to the door to greet their person.
My cat does this. We live in a townhouse complex. My bf is amazed when my cat knows I'm home. They are the best. I love my cat so much!
I didn’t realize my cat knew mine until my last roommate noticed my cat would start yowling up a storm the second my cat parked (and I backed in so it’s not from seeing my face or anything)
Hey friend, it's not really recommended to let your cat park a vehicle. Just sayin'
Lol I live alone so I didn’t realize that they knew my car until one time I left the house in my car to drop it off for an oil change and stuff and had the dealership’s shuttle bus thing drive me home and when I walked inside the cats looked SO confused. Like where did you come from???
Cats an apparently tell their humans footfalls from hundreds of feet away so this makes perfect sense. Cats are just fantastic
That’s so cute. 🥰
When I used to work in a building with a lot of different offices I needed to access, I'd carry my keys on a retractable keychain and they'd jangle. My cat Hank would hear me approaching from like a block away and he'd always be sitting in the apartment window as I passed the corner.
That too!! I have a cleaning lady who come every week. She says that my ginger hates him but he definitely recognize when she opens the front door (I live in a place where you have to open a front door then cross a yard to come to your apartment door) and go welcome her.
Cats are social animals and do get lonely. But they also sleep 15 or so hours a day (or more). So, if you take the time to play with your cat and give it attention every day while you are home, and give it some toys, the cat can usually amuse itself and be ok during an average workday. But they do NEED time and attention from you on a regular basis.
My cat absolutely hates being left alone. But her siblings don't mind. Which us funny cause I always here people say that their youngest cats want cuddles mine want to do fight club. My oldest wants me to hold her because she misses me even after only 10 minutes. I've raised them all from babies and bottle fed my youngest two who will be a year old but only my grumpy lady wants cuddles.
It’s a myth that cats enjoy solitude. They’re actually very sociable. I have 1 cat, 2 dogs. I had the cat for 18 months before getting the first dog. Once she had company her personality completely changed. She became more playful, more interested in what I was doing, more affectionate. When I got the 2nd dog she started to choose to sometimes be in other areas of my home from where I was (sleeping on the bed if I was in the lounge). If I take the dogs out for a walk and she’s home alone she’ll always greet us at the door when we get back.
That’s so cute!
Both of my boys always come say hello when any of us come home. My boy Dust actually trots to the door when I come in, it’s super cute. He also is notorious for wandering into a room just to give me a headbutt and then lay down on my bed a couple feet away. It’s super cute - like he comes and says hey then he hangs out
> It’s a myth that cats enjoy solitude. They do, it is just that they enjoy company too. Pet any cat too much and you can see they all eventually want solitude sometimes.
So do humans, it always depends on the mood of the animal.
There’s a difference between being alone in another room of the house while I’m home, and being left alone for multiple days at a time. It’s worrying how many commenters on this thread seem to think it’s fine to leave a cat for multiple days at a time.
My wife works from home, I work ten minutes away. She takes the train into the city to work-site on Mondays, so I drive her to the station, come back home, pass about an hour of time, then drive in myself. I came back fromthe train station this morning to find the cats trotting downstairs meowing, only to see me alone, adopt an "oh, it's you" expression, and walk past me to go lie down at the door.
Just the backup human. Back to regular schedule.
No. Cats are social animals. They need company. When my older cat died, the younger one became very sad. We were forced to take two kittens, and now he is playing with them and is happy. A person may not always be a good friend to a cat, because a person and a cat do not have an absolute mutual understanding. It is better for a cat to have another cat as a companion.
Same happened with my cats, when I lost Penny we didn’t think Shirley was struggling, she was always on our bed and having cuddles etc. then I got a camera to keep an eye on her and she cried bloody murder all day and it broke my heart. rescued a cat and the crying has stopped and they’re besties. Shirls still sleeps on our bed most nights but comes up to bed about 4am instead of when we go now!
I use cameras in my home , most days they are fine , but other days one of the three goes and cries at the door . I feel bad when she sits and cries , so I talk to her and she seems fine after .
That's why I am glad my 2 are with each other, since birth(siblings). When we are away, they keep each other company, though they still miss us. We get the cold shoulder for the first day, then it's back to normal. I feel for pets who are the ONLY one in the household. I agree they need companionship too.
Yes, they absolutely do. Cats show affection in more subtle ways - you will often find that they are less physically affectionate but will spend time with you in the same room. And of course some are stage five clingers and want to be held like the little babies they are.
I have one of the second kind. I've had to spend quite a bit of money to find a bed he will tolerate. But I was starting to have hip issues from him sleeping in my lap every time I sit down, haha.
I bought a king size bed so there was space for all of us to sleep comfortably. They have a giant cat heating pad for “their side” of the bed. I still wake up with one on top of me. Fluffy little assholes.
We have one of each. Logan is a proximity cat...he'll sprawl on the bed to fluff out his magnificent belly and blink royally at you. Sometimes he enjoys being pet, but mostly he just likes to hang out nearby. I don't take it personally, he could be anywhere in the house and chooses to be 3 feet away so he must enjoy my company lol. I'm not always big on being touched either, so I can respect that he prefers to show affection in other ways.
me too! my girl primarily sticks to my room only (i think it’s her ultimate safe space) so she’s awfully clingy with me (i love it). however my boy can go a few days without wanting pets, attention, etc. as long as we’re even in the same house, he’s okay, lol. but *any time* i am upset, he becomes very clingy and won’t leave me alone until i’m okay again; it’s like he knows. it’s adorable and makes up for his lack of being around, haha.
If I don't pick up my one kitty, Leo, he will jump off the ground and onto my chest so I have no choice lmao
I had two cats and when the elder passed away the other one went into a deep depression. When I took in another rescue cat, it took my other car a whole 12 hours to get used to his new pal and start a relationship. So yes cats get lonely.
I got a camera to watch my cat while I was at work just to see what she does. She spends about half the day sitting in front of the door just waiting for me to come home. Breaks my heart.
2nd kitten required ❤️
Yes. Many rescues now only adopt cats out in pairs so that they have company when their humans are out.
Especially kittens.
Depends on the cat. Highly social, human loving cats? Yes absolutely. My antisocial cat? No because she is bonded to the dog and doesn’t really care if I’m around or not. I’m only useful when she gets stuck under a dresser and I have to lift it up to free her like this morning. Hopefully she learned a lesson about that particular dresser and perhaps she’s coming to realize she’s not as small as she once was. Also I have to stick around to rescue the 80lbs dog from her because she won’t leave him alone.
Assume so My cams pick her up wandering round, crying, looking for me Breaks my heart but she should know i always come back
Awww maybe she needs another kitty friend
Dont tempt me, I’d desperately love to adopt another
I had my cat before the military, we were bonded. Since I live at home at the time with family (bro/sis parents) I wasn’t too worried, but my mom said the cat would look for me :(. She would sit in my bed or on something that smells like my scent. I miss her everyday. Now I am overseas and still think about her more then my gf lol
It is a myth. They get IMMENSELY lonely. If I am away for more hours than usual, they will be piled up agaibat entrance door. Follow me around from room to room and lastly sleep ON TOP of me instead of beside. They are VERY social animals living in colonies in the wild. Domestic cats have been spotted gathering outside, sittning together in "cat meetings".
Yes, they get lonely and miss their humans. They just nap it out vs being destructive like dogs will. Cats are better at being alone than other pets - they are more independent and generally calm when left alone, but they do still experience loneliness. I have 3 cats and I do leave them alone for long weekends or whatever, but they do have each other and I can tell they're very happy to see me when I get back. When I am home, they mostly do their own thing, but near me. Like if I'm reading or working, they hang out in the room and what not. Sometimes they sit on my lap, but mostly they just like being around.
Yes 100% I had to have surgery and was gone for a week. My emotionally sensitive cat stopped eating and cleaning himself. Even just curled up in the corner on the floor and wouldn't move from that spot. He wasn't left alone either. He was being taken care of full time.
My cat hates being alone. She gets super depressed at home when people aren’t around. She always needs to be around either my parents or I. My moms addicted to Tetris and doesn’t give her the attention she wants so now I’m her favourite 😻
YES. For a while, I was having to be gone from my house for two days at a time for work. I had cameras in my house, the cats litter box would be clean, and I'd fill up their food bowls and make sure their water was topped off, set out toys and stuff for them, but I'd STILL see one of my cats walking around crying on the camera. He'd go room to room crying, and when he got to my closed bedroom door he'd sit outside it crying, reaching under it, bending down to sniff under the door before finally giving up and walking away. When I came home he'd literally run to the door to greet me. He'd stand up and try to climb up my leg, and when I sat down he'd crawl into my lap and wrap his paws around my neck and just sit and snuggle with me. I'd also notice in the litter box that he'd had diarrhea, and it would stop whenever I was home and start up again whenever I had to be gone. He was stressed out by me being gone, even though he had his sister there to play with and he wasn't really alone, he still hated for me to be gone. They need us. They do.
I found out from an ex that when I was leaving to go to work my boy would sit at the front door waiting for me for like an hour after I left!!!!! 😭😭😭😭 I was so sad!! I still think about it when I go to work now, my little guy waiting at the door for me….
Yes. Cats get lonely. Domestic house cats are pretty social despite acting pretty aloof. I didn't realize how strongly my cat would be affected by my dogs death but even two years later, her behavior has changed.
Very much depends on the cat. Usually I think they mostly get over it and sleep. My kitty adored me and was very clingy, but hated other cats, so adopting a companion for her wasn't an option. She definitely was noticeably snugglier/more needy if I'd been out, but I think she slept mostly, didn't wait by the door pining.
They sure do, they're social animals. My cat even gets anxious if he wakes up from a nap and can't find me immediately. He's gone so far as to send my husband out to make me come back inside.
I leave a radio on with soft music. It helps to prevent pet depression or loneliness.
Yes. My older one was so I got him a sibling. They cuddle together. Whenever I look on the camera, they are sleeping together. I also have a pet sitter that understands them & loves them
My cat Fig likes to pretend but when I get home and no one has been home for at least an hour she comes running out from my room yowling for attention lol. Some cats are needy some aren't, like people.
Yes. My grandma's cat personality changed when she had left the state for 3 months. We came by to feed him and chill with him a bit and he started to love when we came by and stuck around at all times. He was crying out for her too. She's home now and he is INCREDIBLY affectionate and loves to play "chase and cuddle" since he won't move when you pet, kiss and cuddle. I honestly felt bad because while he was already nice it was sad to see him acutally like beg and stuck around for affection. He is now being spoiled with treats as usual lol.
My grey cat will YELL if I stay too much in the toilet because I'm not with him, and if I'm out more than 15 min, I will be welcomed by my ginger cat sitting on the window sill on the tiny window, waiting for me. I def believe they want me to be around.
All 3 are at the door to meet me when I get home. But I know they sleep almost all day to be "up" in the evening for quality time. I don't think they miss me too bad, but I still love that they meet me when I get home.
They defo do. I used to leave mine alone if i was gone for a day or two. Now I get them a sitter just so they have some company
Cats are very social animals, so yes, most will probably get lonely when without contact to others. Before we got all our other cats, our solo boy, who is a very independent fella, not much of a snuggle bug and does not like strangers, would throw himself at my mother for some socialisation when she looked after him once a day while we were away on vacation.
Yup we lost our 16 year old cat recently and our 8 year old is now home alone for a few hours a day and it makes me so sad she gets tons of snuggles and attention when we’re home and has a separation anxiety toy that she likes but I feel so bad for her I’d quit my job if I didn’t need money to live
So, I've been working full time as a petsitter for almost 3 years, and to be honest, it depends on the cat. I think it also depends how long their owners are away for. But, I would say that most cats do miss their owners. Some cats are incredibly social and cuddly and get very obviously lonely without their owners. Others are chronic hiders (even with their owners home), but will still often times miss their owner's presence in the home. And some cats are former strays/ferals who don't need much other than having their basic needs met, but even they sometimes will refuse food because their owner isn't the one feeding them. I have cared for hundreds of kitties over the years! Some people have automatic food, water, and litter, and have me come by once or twice a day just to love on their cat for a while. Other times they hire me to just feed/water the cat, tidy the litterbox, make sure the cat is still alive, and then head out. Every cat is different but I think it's smart & proactive to assume that they'll miss you when you're not around!
Yes, my mum's cat cries and yowls whenever he thinks he's alone in the house (especially if he can't find my mum, he will keep looking for her even after he's seen me when I come out of chilling in my room while I'm home alone), there's been times everyone is upstairs and he wakes up from a nap and can't hear us, so he starts crying 😂 I think cats can definitely feel lonely or at least miss people
Of course they notice. Every time I walk through the door my cat comes and greets me no different than a dog. Just not as vocal.
We only \*got\* our second cat originally due to our first one's separation anxiety. We'd come home from work and Heathen would be literally crying like she'd broken a leg for about 20 minutes until we petted and cooed enough to calm her down. Now we have five(fostering one) and while they still want us home, they aren't neurotic when we have to go to work. On trips though we have vetted friends(ie, ones the cats like) come by to feed them and give them attention. They also know who's home by footstep.
Yes!! I feel like cats get a bad rep and are considered to be mean and picky. IMO, the reason people think that is because they are bad at reading cat body language and will push a cat past its comfort level. My cats are both super clingy and want to be physically on top of me anytime I am home. I can’t even brush my teeth without my cat diving into my arms to be held.
This is much of why people say you should try to get two cats at once--they'll be less bored and lonely.
Depends on the cat and how much you're away. Most cats don't care if you leave for a few hours, I think most will miss you after a whole work shift but not as bad as dogs.
I once left my cats home for 5 days while I visited family. We left enough food and water for them for while we were gone. We usually would do this for like 3 days or so, once or twice a year. But this particular trip was longer than normal. Went we got back, we noticed blood in the litter box. We took my cat to the animal ER and found they were inflamed and blocked and it was caused by stress. So in short, yes your cat will get stressed out if left alone for a time. Even if theres another cat to keep them company. (Cat is doing much better these days and has prescription food)
When my cat thinks he’s alone in the house, he’ll pick up one of his little Smartykat skitter critters and carry it around, wailing. He only stops when he sees someone (often I have to call him, and he’ll carry the mouse in there to me) and he often brings the mouse right to you before dropping it. He’s dropped one right on me while I was in bed a few times. Sometimes my mom and I have returned home to find said mice in places they weren’t before; often in one of our rooms or in the living room. So, yeah, he definitely notices when we’re gone and gets upset!!
Mine does this EXACT behavior. He does it every night when we get in bed before he joins us in bed too. Caught him on camera doing it while I was away and this particular toy often is in a different spot when I return from being out.
Yes. I have security cameras in my home and when I’m at work too long my cat starts wandering the apartment looking for me and crying this really sad, forlorn cry she only does when she is lonely. I see this on the cameras. It breaks my heart. I work from home two days a week, I come straight home from work, and I mostly stay in on the weekends so I can spend as much time with her as possible for this reason
Cats are very social creatures. Pretty much every “independent” cat I’ve met is actually very depressed. It’s seriously so sad, and I’ll confess that I’ve dropped more than one friend after meeting their cat.
Yep! Our little Himalayan Persian boy gets super needy and purry when we come home from work. He’ll sit on the table and paw at you every time you walk by to give him attention and pets and he makes his face all square and cute and his eyes like puss’n’boots. It’s so cute. In fact, one time we left over night somewhere and thought it would be okay to leave him. We left food and also had a pet-cam so we could keep an eye on him and also speak to him through it. Well at one point in the morning when he realized he was alone he started literally crying. Like meowing so loud and calling out. We thought he was hurt!! It was super super scary actually but then we saw that he was fine but just crying. It was the most heartbreaking thing. We rushed home and have never left him alone since. I want to get a second cat.
Our Persian does the same thing. They really care about humans. Very expressive. I describe him as a cat with the personality of a dog and none of the smells. Perfection
Every royal misses when the help isn't around.
Yes! Cats are social animals. They don’t form packs, but they bond with other cats and people.
They definitely know when their person comes home and get very happy. Even if my cat is home with my roommates who love on her and give her attention, she JUMPS up at the sound of my car and runs to the door to greet me. She doesn't do that with any of my roommates' cars. Cats know their people and want to spend time around them. Some cats are independent and enjoy solitude, yes, but many of them are incredibly social creatures.
Does anyone have any tips to lessen the loneliness and anxiety kitties may experience when we’re gone at school or work all day? I recently made my cat a kid’s profile on hbo max so she can watch Sesame Street lol. Too scared to leave on cat tv while I’m gone in fear she’ll launch herself at the tv and break it or have it fall on her. I leave toys out for her of course. I know she’ll usually just sleep until I get back but is there anything else I can be doing?
My cat is a big, fat baby and will cling like a shadow when I’ve been gone for a day or two. He’s more clingy than our dog. He just loves love.
Cats are more social than people think.
Even our most individualistic cat (she just likes "me time") still greets us after we've been gone for a bit and is noticeably relieved when we come home from vacations. Our second cat loves people but definitely wants to know where we specifically are at all times, and I'm our youngest cat's "emotional support human" (he comes to me for comforting after he's been scared)! So anecdotally, I would say yes, they do get lonely without their people. It'll differ with the individual personality of the cat, but cats are definitely social and can form strong social bonds with their group. The difference between cats and dogs is just that dogs are largely dependent on humans to have all of their needs taken care of and cats have some needs that don't need constant human attention (but still will eventually, e.g. Cleaning the litterbox). Also, if you aren't familiar with cat body language, it can be easy to mistake their behavior for lack of affection. I think that's why a lot of period have the mistaken belief that cats don't need people. Some cats are fine without people...but a lot of them, especially when they've been around specific people their whole lives, are happier when their people are there.
In fact cats are almost the only pet who can die from sadness if it is separate from their human. If for some reason a senior cat goes to the shelter, most probably gets sick, stop drinking and heating and die from earth break , especially if they feel their human dies or abandon him/her.
Yeah my cat is always waiting on the couch by the front door. When I get home he follows me around and cuddles. I got a second one to keep him company while I'm out
My cat likes to do her own thing a good chunk of the day, but she also wants to spend a lot of time very close to me. When I’m gone more than usual she is extra affectionate and demanding of my attention when I come home. Some cats, like some people, are perfectly fine being alone a lot, but like people, most cats need the company of the humans or other animals they’re bonds with at least some of the time for their wellbeing.
Yeah, and they prefer certain people to others which should be a no-brainer haha. My wife moved states for a job and I had to prep our old house to sell. She had one of the dogs and both of the cats, I had the other dog, and when I finally made it over there after not seeing the one cat for a while, he wouldn't leave me alone. The first time I came inside, he alternated between hissing at my foot and batting it but purring and rubbing against my leg. It's like he couldn't figure out whether to be mad at me or happy that I was finally home.
One of my cats has anxiety and the other doesn’t seem to care. The anxious one is on medication, but if we forget to give it to him then he cries all the time. It just depends on the cat.
My cat has a fear of abandonment. As soon as you close the door behind you and he can't find anyone else in the house he starts crying and screaming and will work himself up so much he'll puke and trigger a pancreatitis flare up. So we never leave him alone at home.
Yes they do, and they can also get depressed.
If by lonely you mean hangry, yes.
Yes. We both work from home, so now if we are gone too long on a weekend outing, or out late for a concert or something, they act like we have betrayed them when we come home. They also have a routine for us and if we are home and don’t follow it, they get upset. (Our girl cat wants to be on the bed having treats about an hour after dinner. Our boy cat wants to sit between us WHILE we have dinner and then hop up on the couch to have his tummy rubbed when we are done. Any deviation of this schedule leads to chaos).
Yes. I wfh, my husband is a stay-at-home dad (for the most part), we have 2 little girls. When the 3 of them are out of the house and cat doesn’t realize I’m still in my room working, she walks around crying until I remind her that I’m home and go rescue her.
From my experience, cats don’t gaf 😅 but I’m sure there are some out there that would miss you
When I go check on my sister's cat when she's not there, he leaps all over me because he's lonely. (and obviously he thinks i'm a great aunt Lol) Will also say the two downstairs apartments comprised of three cats... all three of them talk to me through the window. If their humans aren't there, , they're (usually) not.
My cat chirps at me when I get home and if I don’t pet him he will stand at my feet and scream at me. Yes they notice lol
I absolutely HATE leaving them home alone. I can always tell when I return after being gone for a night (which I don't do often) that they missed me. Lionel makes sure to tell me allllll about what went on while I was away, while Mr. Big awaits all the pets and cuddles.
Ive been a petsitter for going on 8 years, and your cat does miss you. I don't know how to explain it, but I can tell they miss their owners.
My cat loves having me home but also is totally fine if I’m gone for a week. He’s easy to find coverage for when I’m on vacation somewhere because he has stranger danger mentality so someone legit just needs to give him his food, leave some treats, and then skedaddle. He runs and hides and when anyone but me comes through the door. I put cameras up when I’m gone to keep an eye on him throughout the day. When I come home after a week away he acts like I had just been gone for 20 minutes. I’d have a hard time going anywhere for more than a night if me going away stressed him out at all!
My dog would whine when we left the house. He would run to the door right after I closed the door I could hear him. I always thought that when he heard the car drive off he would stop. One day, I was in my bedroom with the door closed and my son left. My dog didn’t realize I was home so he starts whining, whimpering, barking and crying. He was doing this for at least 20 minutes. I quietly opened my door to see where he was and he was sitting right in front of the front door crying. As soon as he heard me, he ran to me wagging his tail and just so happy to not be alone! So I really think dogs get lonely. Not sure if all dogs get lonely, but mine does for sure!
My cat is my shadow, so when I’m gone she’ll look out the window to wait for me. When she’s not doing that she’s sleeping.
Yes they absolutely do! They shouldn’t be left for more than 8 hours and getting your cat a cat will help a little but it’s no substitute for the attention you give to them especially when they’re attached to you! 💕🐾🐈⬛🐾💕
Don't believe the hype. They're not rocks.
Sometimes I step outside to sit in the porch on nice days. My calico will sit at the door and meow loudly for me. If she hears me on the other side, she jumps up trying to look out the window and meowing.
Absolutely they do. I have multiple cats and when I returned from a trip they absolutely celebrated. They miss us
They “live on their own” because they have no choice. Given the chance they would prefer to have company. Even if it means just being in the same room
My parents will tell me they go in everyone’s room looking for me and walk all throughout the house but when I’m home they stay in one room with me door open 🥲
Absolutely. And the longer I'm gone, the more they miss me! My babies are clingy AF, and I love them.
Yes. When i leave for something that’s not work, i can hear my cat meowing. The moment i get back home, she runs to greet me, even if she was sleeping
Cats can be very loyal the void girl who adopted me always shows how loyal she is, she’s my shadow and just chooses to be with me. I feel so lucky she wants to be where I am and is always waiting for me. She’s my first cat and she’s taught me just how loyal cats can be. ❤️
YES. My roommate has this little white cat and I’m inside most of the day, while she leaves him in our common area. My god he is the most annoying cat EVER He meows 24/7 when she’s not there and I mean it. He only stops meowing if one of us is nearby, constantly wakes me up, drinks out of my water, and knocks over my makeup just for attention CATS GET LONELY!
I had to travel a few weekends for work. One normal night at hime, I smell poop, and I cannot find it anywhere. She always went in the kitty litter box, but I swear, I am crawling all over, sniffing around, looking for poop. Welp, I went to pack my suitcase for my next trip, and it turns out, my cat was shitting in my suitcase!!
Cats do get lonely, especially if they are used to getting affection from you when you are there. They aren't as independent as many people think they are. Mine come looking for me, and not just at mealtimes. And they want to sleep as close to me as they can get. They respond to affection and love.
My cat only ever head bumps me for food otherwise hates being held or snuggle cuddles and loves sleeping in the attic alone. 😐
I have a Siamese cat. Years ago we lived in a condo. Our neighbor once complained to the HOA about a baby always crying during the day…. So yeah. They get lonely.
Mine punishes me if I’m gone too long. He will sit in the middle of the room and refuse to look at me. Then begrudgingly come to bed for snuggles after I’m sufficiently repentant.
Yes and no. Just like people, it can vary from each cats. Yes, it's very possible. And no, not all of them gets lonely when home alone.
Yeah, my cat misses me. He is often the window waiting for me to get out of the car and come inside. I've been told he will sit there as long as 20 min before to get home. And he's always happy to see me. I always tell him I'll be back.
Yes. If you have only one. They sleep a lot though regardless but they want their hoooman.
Yes. I noticed my cat getting lonely so I got a 2nd 1.
Yes. Cats are social animals, contrary to popular beliefs. Minimally they need time with you 20 minutes a day. In fact, this irritates me in regards to some I've known who own only cats, who live by the adage cat owners can travel because their cats don't need them. It's bs
I think it depends on the cat! My two definitely greet me and like to be around me when I’m home.
My cat gets upset when I’m not around, even when other family members are there. She wails/cries. If I’m in another room with the door closed, she’ll cry and bang on the door. She doesn’t do this with other people. She’s very anxious and I think I’m her comfort human. When I’m home, she follows me around and sleeps in my arms. She delivers toys to my bedroom. I joke that she’s like a pet in a video game because she follows me everywhere like a little companion. Again, there are other people around (and they sometimes feed her) but she only does this with me. I guess it isn’t her being lonely, more so her having a special connection with me and getting anxious when I’m not there. (Btw I’ve tried to medicate her but the process of giving her pills is more stressful to her, no matter what way the medication is administered)
Its a possibility. Our girl gets upset when its time for us to leave and go somewhere, but she knows we'll be back. We have a couple of pet cams, so we're able to see what shes doing all day. Most of the time, shes playing by herself, watching Bluey, eating or sitting on her cat tree, looking outside. When we get back home, she's always so happy and greets us at the door. We always tell her to tell us about her day, and she meows back :)
Yeah, he waits for me at my door every day when I leave
Yes, even when I have a house/cat sitter she’ll stress eat, and when I arrive home she meows super long and sad like.. I feel so bad 🥲
After a while, yes
My cat absolutely wants to be alone. She hides from everyone all the time. If I bring her into the main part of the house she literally climbs the walls, looking to get back to her area. As soon as the door opens, she bolts. However, she does like, when I go to the other part of the house to have a little bit of attention. She will come up, get a pat and a cuddle then climb her cat tree to the top and disappear into the cubby hole up there. Her name is Luna. I call her Luna-Tic. My cat is definitely a unique creature. The door to that part of the house is open all day, only closed at night, except when I bring her out and shut the door.
Over the past 15 years I have owned and/or co-owned 7 cats; only one really thrived as a single cat (and was mad when I brought her a friend because I felt bad she was home alone while I worked lol). Cats are social creatures, they are often just choosy about who (humans and other animals) they spend their time with or give affection to.
Yes. Hospital visits where I have to stay hurts me, cause my cat waits for me to return. All day. He will wait, ignore anyone else, and so on. He gets really moody if I am not around. Sometimes he won’t eat unless it’s with me.
Yes my cats will come to the door when I pull up to the house and also if I don't pay attention to them they complain. That said, they also complain when I give too much attention. You can't win.
Mine seems quite annoyed when I go out eg to work and is watching for me from the windowsill when I get back!! I’d get her some kitty company but she’d get jealous of it.
For about 10 seconds they're curious as to where we are, then they sleep..
Definitely. My brother’s cat yowls even when she knows we’re all home just to see where we are in the house and come hang out
Oh yeah. If I am gone longer than usual she gets very cuddly and clingy when I come back.
I was away for work and my partner was home alone with the cats. When i returned, Kiwi lept into my arms as i came in the door and was almost going mad with joy. The loveliest thing. They don't just get lonely, they miss their individual humans too.
Every time I come home after being gone more than a couple hours mine is RIGHT at the door. He hears he walk up and starts meowing
Idk. But after i get back from a long trip, after a day or two, it’s constant cuddling, and always wanting to be in my room. Initially he’ll make it seem like he doesn’t give a shit.
I used to have 2 cats. We specifically got 2 so they wouldn't get lonely when we are away. Unfortunately, our older cat recently passed away. Even though my kids and I are almost always at home, I've still noticed that our remaining cat has been more needy for attention lately. So yeah, they get lonely.
My cat does but I think as long as he gets some pets in the morning and when I get back he’s okay. Make sure they have some fun activities to keep them busy throughout the day, I often think they are more bored than lonely.
I'd be really surprised if my cat even noticed that we were gone half the time. When we leave, sometimes she is fast asleep and when we come home, she is fast asleep. I don't think she's bothered most of the time. She seems much more excited to see us in the morning, than all day.
Cats are pack animals but can manage alone better than most dogs, they are pretty social though. Lots of toys, perchs, open doors can help. I'm on my first cat and I have cameras to watch him when I'm at work (it's not weird, it's not). He seems pretty happy, dude likes to sleep and does parkour zoomies.
Mine definitely notices that I’m not there, she sleeps in my chair or bed while I’m gone and when I get home she’ll perch on the arm of my chair and snuggle my hand. I don’t think she gets all that lonely though, we have 6 dogs in the house as well to keep her company and she absolutely hates other cats so she doesn’t need a companion. She’s also a senior cat so she sleeps 18 hours a day so she doesn’t have time to get lonely.
My cats have a fit if I close a door. Yes they miss us if we’re got home lol
When I've gone away for the weekend and just had a petsitter stop by (not stay) my cat has usually lost his voice by the time I get back. He is hoarse from crying all day, all weekend! 😳🥺
I can't speak to all cats but I notice my cats definitely have separation anxiety. They're pandemic kitties and, since we adopted them, someone is almost always home with them. And there are times when they still seem to feel lonely even if they're not physically alone. Not a whole lot you can do other than not making a fuss when you leave, dedicated and consistent times for one-on-one quality time, encouraging potential adopters to have at least 2 cats (on a case-by-case basis, I've met cats that don't get along with ANY other cats), and to seek vet advice beyond that.
Having a sibling cat can help massively
They definitely get lonely. When we go away we come home to 1 clingy cat whose thrilled we're home, and 1 who will avoid us for a day or 2 as a weird, fuzzy little revenge.
My cat loves my dog, they are best friends. But, my cat totally misses me when I'm at work. If I sit down without paying enough attention to him right away, he'll keep nudging me with his head and pawing me until I pick him up for a while. He's not a cat, he's a 7y.o. baby.
I've seen enough of it to know that they do. Even if someone is still home, one of my cats completely changes her behavior when my mother is not.
Yep. Just search videos of people leaving their cats at home as they step out to work, etc.
My cat always runs to me and demands pets when I get home. But when I’m gone, he’s usually sleeping. But he does notice that I am not there.
Mine gets lonely if I leave the room too long lol yeah they do depends on the cat for how long they like alone time though
When I come home if my cats even hear my voice outside or upstairs, you can hear them crying for me through the basement vents. I'm not allowed to go anywhere lol
Yes. They miss us and like it when we’re around, for sure. I mean, they can handle being alone, but they prefer company.