Do Cats Miss Us When We Leave the House?

Does your cat miss you when you leave the house? Do cats recognize and remember their owners? why do cats ignore us when we call them? And, do our cats understand that we love them?
Stay tuned as we unpack these topics and more in this video.

Do cats recognize us?
Your cat not only knows who you are but they can tell you apart from outsiders and other people within your own home.
Cats even have a favorite person, preferring the company of one individual over others.
Cats naturally feel affection for those who play with them, feed them, or care for them, though they don’t always make it obvious.
But remember, research has shown that cats don’t recognize their owners by sight. Human faces may all look pretty similar to cats because cats are colorblind and nearsighted.
Instead, cats identify humans based on scent and sound.

Do cats learn their own names?
A study published in the journal Scientific Reports showed that cats do know their names—even when it is called by a stranger. In fact, cats may also know the names of the people living in their household.
This study suggests that cats are just as good as dogs at learning. They’re just not as keen to show their owners what they’ve learned.

Why cats don’t respond to us
If your cat recognizes your voice, why do they ignore you when you call their name?
Believe it or not, your cat is responding to you, but you don’t notice because the recognition is very subtle.
A cat won’t necessarily come running into a room like a dog. Instead, they will twitch their ears or tilt their head slightly, which denotes that they have acknowledged your voice and are getting on with their business.
Don’t take this personally as your feline friend is not ignoring you.
The lack of obvious reaction indicates that your feline friend recognizes your voice and feels safe. This should be deemed a compliment as the behavior suggests a secure attachment.

Do cats miss their owners?
Cats miss their owners while they are away.
Research has shown that cats feel safer and more secure when their owners are around, and may even experience stress and separation anxiety when their owners are gone.
It’s important to remember that cats have plenty of different personality types. When left alone at home, some cats sit by the window and wait patiently for you to come back. Other cats may show signs of separation anxiety, such as excessive vocalization, pacing, trying to escape, and eliminating outside the litter box.
And keep in mind that although cats are independent and strong animals, but they can also be delicate and sensitive.

Without the sense of security provided by their guardians, many abandoned felines may not know how to fend for themselves and survive. They may stop drinking and eating, and their problems can be compounded by the psychological effects and stress of abandonment.

Can cats sense our mood?
Cats are not only capable of recognizing and perceiving our moods, but they are affected by them.
Our felines spend large parts of their day analyzing us and reacting against our emotions and changing their behavior according to how we feel in the moment.
For example, a study by Oakland University researchers revealed that cats are more likely to show “positive” behaviors such as purring if they see that their owner is smiling. Frowning on the other hand was met with less enthusiasm.

How long can a cat remember a person?
It’s one thing to recognize you, but you might also be wondering if your feline friend remembers you, especially if you have been separated for any reason.

While it's impossible to put an exact time on how long a cat's memory can go back to, it's believed that a cat's long-term memory is indefinite. There are many stories of cats recognizing their owners many years later.

Do cats understand we love them when we kiss them?
If you kiss a cat, even if she doesn't understand the traditional definition of the action, she will likely appreciate the gesture and feel loved. Human touch goes a long way with cats. Felines often adore attention and interaction.

[colinblaine]

I had a family cat once. I was “his person”. He slept with me every night. He followed me everywhere in the house. Once I moved out of my parents house to a different state, I didn’t see him for over a year. The moment he heard my voice, he came running from a different room, zoomed towards me and jumped in my arms. He let out some loud yowells. He clearly and direly missed me. I even choked up a little and I’m not an emotional man. I was his person and me being away from him clearly upset his entire world.

[badground]

As a dog and cat owner I feel like cats are just as smart and loyal as dogs but have a lot more subtle body language to show it

[norwichnorfolk]

The day after my wife died my cat Sherlock got in the car as he normally do when we arrive home he then gave a very loud howl and curled up on my late wife’s coat..
I picked him up in the coat he then spent the night on it. I’ve now lost him it’s a nice thought to think they are together again

[mikasauchiha]

9 years ago, I had a white half breed cat named Kenji. When I cried, he ran toward me and he cuddled me...I think, he felt the sadness inside me. I missed him.

[DivineFalcon]

The day my Dad died his cat began to wail in a way I have never heard before or since. After he passed, she watched the undertaker take his body away, and sat there just staring out the window for hours, something she had never done before. For the rest of her life she would sit and stare out the window for hours at a time, as if expecting him to return. And it was always the same window, the one where she saw him for the last time.

[galars]

I went on deployment for 9 months leaving my sweet boy with my significant other. When I got back I called his name, he looked at me, walked over, rubbed his head on my leg once and then went back to relaxing on the cat castle. At the time I thought he forgot who I was, but this made me realize he remembered me so well that he still felt safe around me 9 months later.

[ElainCorrine]

I was in the hospital due to cancer related complications and would skype daily to my cat (an arrangement I had with my sister who was caring for her while I was hospitalized), and my cat would ALWAYS rub my amazon fire pad and meow at me as I talked to her, and when I got home, she was beside herself to be near me and was desperate for me to pet and comfort her by pets and ear skritches. She was always waiting for my sister at our "kitty skype time", and would always, and I mean ALWAYS be meowing until skype connected and she heard and saw me. My baby knows my voice for sure, and she def reacts to it. I truly hope I outlive her, because I don't ever want her to miss me if I die.

[jg]

The fact that cats recognise their name but decide to ignore you anyway is the most cat thing ever.😂😂😂😂😼

[shindomare]

They do remember. When I was growing up, we had a cat who went missing for almost 2 months, we looked for her and luckily found her outside of an abandoned house, far from ours. When she saw us, she meowed loudly and runs to me and my mom. She passed away 5years ago. I miss her to this day. She’s the sweetest.

[Nancys_on_fire]

I rescued a deaf kitten I found on the sidewalk 13 years ago. I moved across the country several months later, but I had to leave him behind because he had bonded with my landlord’s cat. Her cat had lost his companion a couple weeks before I moved in and that little kitten gave him the will to live again, so it was hard but I left him behind. He’s all grown up now, and I got to see him last week. I was afraid he wouldn’t recognize me, but my landlord said he perked up as soon as I pulled up to park. He was immediately all over me and purred so loud. I’m happy he got to have such a wonderful life ❤

[molasorrosalom]

Little bit of advice, adopt siblings. That way, they're not really alone when you leave.

[seppeisenmann]

Not only dogs go to heaven, cats go there too. When my Mama, who loves all pets, passed away, I dreamt of her surrounded by puppies # kittens. That's how I knew she's in the right place.

[VicksWuys]

We used to have a cat when I grew up. He was always outside (sometimes for days on end) and never really liked being cuddled. He did bring us lots of prey. He went missing one day, we looked everywhere for weeks but never found him. After about 9 weeks he suddenly showed up in the middle of the night, scratching at our neighbours door. He was emaciated, looked absolutely awefull and was kind of disorientated (hence the showing up at the neighbours). The neighbours recognized him and woke us up. We took him to the vet right away. We never found out what had happened to him but we think he got locked in somewhere cause he was always a great hunter. Long story short, after he found his way home he was such a loving cat, still out exploring during the day but he came in for dinner and started cuddling all the time. He was so glad to be home and I think he really missed us (and we him of course)

[pattikazmer]

I had to be away from my 13 year old cat for 3 months. When we finally reconnected, he would not leave me alone and was constantly on my lap. He never slept with me before we were separated but now he is on the bed all the time. We truly missed each other.

[JONFATSARNOTT]

I lost my cat and moved. 4 yrs later I seen her and called her. She ran back and grabbed my leg and wouldn't let go!

[TheNodyme]

had to bring one of our cats to the clinic after an accident a few years back. needed surgery and had to stay for a couple of days before we could take him back home. they brought a frightened little pile of fur into the room we were waiting at... and then the sight of pure relief in his little eyes as he recognized us there. wow, words can't describe this. still brings tears to my eyes.

[c.augustin]

I lived with a cat that actually always came when called by name. Even if only mentioned in a conversation, he might've come to see what's going on. He greeted us loudly and affectionately when we came home, no matter how long the absence. And he had a very fine sense of who would be nice to him, and who wouldn't. And he liked crowds of people, even kids at a birthday party (well, at some point he would leave the party as too noisy, but he always wanted to know who's there).

[themajesticspaceduck]

When I was a kid I had a cat named Tigger, I had a really strong bond with him as I grew up with him. (He was a year older than me.) Whenever I was sick I’d go and sleep in my Mom and Dad’s room, and when I would wake up from sleeping, Tigger would always be there sleeping on top of me. Sadly he passed away when I was 13.

[rxc]

I had a Maine Coon that was very aclimated to both myself and my boyfriend. He LOVED us both, but was skittish around other people. One day my sister came over and sat in my chair in the kitchen. My boyfriend had been talking to my sister when I came downstairs, 5 minutes later. My sister heard me and raised her voice, calling to me that Biscuit was letting her pet him. I came into the kitchen and I looked over. Biscuit saw me, and looked up at my sister. His eyes got huge and he took off in the other direction. It was hilarious! He obviously thought I was petting him when it was my sister!

I know cats use the noses all the time, but there must be times when they let their guard down.

I miss my little Biscuit terribly. He was my first indoor cat. I had several cats that were indoor-outdoor, including a mixed breed that lived for 20 years. Keeping a cat changes their behavior. It eliminates their independence. So, if you keep a cat indoors, you are its world and you have to be prepared to give it some attention daily. To do otherwise, would make for a sad and lonely existence for a litty.

[stevesimbaj]

When I rescued/adopted my cat from a breeder who at one year old a person returned him saying he wasnt using the litter box properly.The breeder told me she didnt know his name and I could name him whatever I wanted but I couldnt think of a name right off hand and was simply calling him Baby Boy.Two months later I got his vetting papers with his vet history and his name was on it.So when I asked him if it was his name his eyes lit up in a way Ill never forget and he and I bonded that day and Ill never abandon him.Hes my cat and Im his person.His name is Simba and no I have never seen the movie