Cats Ain't Just Kitty Cats: They Can Get the Blues Too
- by Franziska Türk
- Approx. Reading Time: 7 Mins
Felines often find themselves in a socially marginalized position. - "Societal disadvantage faced by felines"
Wild Elephants and the Mystery of MourningIn the vast Kenyan savannah, biologists observed an intriguing scene: an elephant cow lost to a snake bite, with the remaining herd repeatedly returning to the carcass after foraging, seeming to hold a vigil. But can animals truly mourn?
Prof. Kurt Kotrschal: The animals might not have been mourning, but something certainly affected them.
Sympathy for the Devils (Cats)Even if we can't confirm that the elephants were mourning, their behavior suggests the dead individual mattered to them. Similarly, cats, those solitary, independent creatures, might also feel the sting of loss. Yes, cats can exhibit signs of emotional distress, akin to social depression, when a bonding partner disappears.
- Felines and Feelings
- Loss and Depression
- Comparing Our Normies (Cats with Elephants and Dogs)
Grief's Many Guises in CatsWhen Fluffy loses Mittens, her favorite ball of fur, what might she do? Maybe curl up in a corner, avoiding her favorite laser pointer game, or sleep more than usual? Cats may not cry tears like humans, but they can show signs of emotional distress, similar to what we call depression or grief.
- Strange Bedfellows: When Whiskers loses Garfield, she may withdraw from family and friends, exhibiting changes in appetite, social interactions, and overall energy levels.
- What's Gone Wrong: Fluffy's withdrawal could result from environmental changes, like the loss of a loved one, pain, boredom, or separation anxiety.
- A Peek into Misery: While Luna may not wail in mourning like a human, she might show signs of distress when someone dear departs, such as changes in appetite and sleeping habits.
- One Giant Leap… or TwoElephants and dogs have been observed displaying clear signs of grief when they lose a companion, showing empathy and mourning family members. Cats, though less obvious, can also show signs of emotional distress when they experience a loss, even if they don't fully understand what has happened.
Overall, while felines might not understand the complexities of human grief, they can certainly feel the weight of loss, showing signs of emotional distress when they lose a bonding partner.
- Cats, often seen as solitary and independent, can also experience signs of emotional distress, similar to what humans call depression or grief, after losing a bonding partner, much like wild elephants or dogs when they lose a companion.
- Understanding the emotional well-being of cats is important for their overall health and personal growth as pets, as they might exhibit changes in appetite, social interactions, and energy levels when experiencing loss, just like humans sometimes do.
