Crying is commonly inferred as an indication of stress or sorrow. For human beings, there are various kinds of crying. Humans can be weeping out of despair, suffering up from the trauma, or sobbing in frustration, but is this also similar for your felines? It is often thought that one can easily decipher a kitty’s behavior using the knowledge of human emotions. However, this isn’t always the case. Because cats cry are unpredictable and they may show their feelings in varied ways.
Can Your Cat Shed Tears?
If you are wondering that cats have tear ducts as humans and the ability to have watery eyes, then you are not wrong – your kitty can shed tears. But, if you are wondering that they will cry tears as a sign of emotional suffering, then you are wrong. Many cat parents will testify that their felines wept when they are unhappy. However, this has generally been verified to be untrue. There are several explanations when a cat may shed tears, but they do not weep when they are unhappy or distressed. If your cat tears up during a tough time, such as grief, it is most probably a mere coincidence.
This, however, does not imply that felines are not emotional animals. Cats understand and know love. Multiple studies have confirmed that cats experience sentiments and emotions, including sorrow and pain, and realize human emotions. They just don’t express those feelings with tears. Common ways of how your cat may exhibit its sentiments include:
- Behavioral upheavals, such as loss of hunger and appetite.
- May suffer withdrawal symptoms and self-imposed isolation.
- Through unusual vocalizations, such as purring, shrieking, or growling.
- Showing an aggressive demeanor.
Why Might Your Cat Cry a Tear?
Your cat may not shed tears when they are unhappy, but that does not imply that they will never have watery eyes. Their eyes may become so wet that tears may pour down their face. You must be wondering If this does not happen because of emotional reasons, then why does it happen at all?
To answer your question, first of all, it is crucial to know what is the function of Tear Ducts and Tears Glands, also known as Lacrimal Glands. Tears are essential for preventing your eyes from drying up and for keeping your eyes clean. The Tear Fluid spreads in every part of your eye each time you blink your eyes, protecting your eyes from dust particles.
This essential physical function should not usually lead to tears pouring down your kitty’s face. If you notice tears, there is always a physical or biological justification. If you are the parent of a flat-faced cat species, also known as Brachycephaly, then the common reason for tears to shed down their face can be if their cheekbones do not protrude sufficiently to allow their Tear Ducts to drain their tears efficiently. This can be completely harmless; however, the fur under their eyes might discolor, so you may have to wipe their face regularly.
Besides, there are other more potentially harmful reasons why your cat happens to be sobbing. Cats’ eyes are prone to be overproducing tears in an attempt to deal with a retinal problem, such as discomfort or something even worse. Common medical issues that may explain the reasons for your cat’s teary eyes include:
- Dust, dirt, or a scratch on their eye.
- Suffering from Upper- Respiratory disorder.
- Dealing with clogged tear ducts.
- Infected by several infections and allergies.
- Suffering from conjunctivitis.
If you notice any of the issues mentioned above or catch sight of your cat crying often and frequently, you must seek immediate medical help. Infections, injuries, and many other problems that cause the eye can result in permanent loss of vision, so it is crucial to detect and treat it as early as possible to save your feline’s eyesight. Please do not assume that tears are an expression of distress that a hug and a kiss can resolve. It can be a critical medical issue.
Do Cats Never Cry?
To sum up, everything we have discussed so far, cats do not cry when they are unhappy or emotional but may cry when there is any medical or biological issue. However, that doesn’t imply that cats do not express their sorrow; they often vocalize their sadness through various sounds such as whimpering and whining, which can be considered forms of crying by many cat owners. These vocalizations can be too heartbreaking and may require many cuddles, affection, and compassion towards your felines.
What Are The Reasons for Your Cats Cry?
This biological and natural response to despair that we know as crying can be quite prevalent among felines suffering from difficult conditions. It likely accompanies other signs of sorrow or distress that you may want to be cautious about. Various Instances of depressing behavior could include:
- Becoming too clingy and craving extra comfort from you.
- Flattering secluded from you, and perhaps hiding more frequently.
- Doing sluggish and unmotivated, maybe to the point where they lose their hunger and appetite.
Sometimes it may be a big significant alteration in their life and the environment, which can be easy to detect; other times, it can also be insignificant and difficult to detect. Some common reasons for your cat to become unhappy and tear up may include:
- Grief, which can happen if there is any loss of family members, including other pets.
- Shifting and moving residence.
- Adjusting to a new family member.
- Hunger and starvation.
- Boredom or loneliness.
Some felines are very calm and quiet, while other cats are often very loud and noisy. Understanding every emotion of your cat takes time and patience. You may seek professional or medical help to ensure their safety if you are too skeptical and worried about your feline’s behavior.
Why Do Kitten’s Sob?
Adult cats are more likely to cry out generally because of some medical issue, whereas kittens may cry out from anxiety, distress, or sorrow. There are many potential reasons for kitten’s sadness, such as:
- Loneliness.
- Hunger and starvation.
- Pain and discomfort.
- Infection or illness.
How To Help Your Crying Cat?
As already recommended, you should call upon the vet for a frequently crying or whining cat. However, there are a few suggestions that you can try to help them feel better:
- Do not punish them for being loud and noisy. At first glance, it can seem like awful behavior, but underneath, your kittens might be going through some severe issue, and your scolding can aggravate their suffering.
- Modify your home as per the comfort and convenience of your little kittens. Build more hiding places and window perches for them, carefully place their litter tray, food and water trays, and bed, keeping in mind their convenient accessibility.
- Spend as much as enough quality time with your cat that you can. Cats require your full attention. Even five minutes of your absence, while watching TV, can make them feel like they don’t have your love and attention.
Conclusion
Cats have their way of expressing emotions and sentiments. Unlike human beings, they don’t always express their feelings by crying out. If your cat is frequently crying then there can be an underlying problem for which you must seek professional and medical help. We have tried our best to provide you with every piece of information that can help you understand the need of your feline.