Do cats pick up on human emotions? Yes, certainly if it is the cat’s guardian (owner) who is interacting with the cat. This is because domestic cats learn, in their interactions with their owners, their body language including specifically their facial expressions. Of course human facial expressions and general body language are an outward sign of human emotion.
Cats respond to human emotion which is displayed through body language. Jackson Galaxy says that cats mirror their human companion’s energy.
For example, if you are fearful and tentative hovering over a cat, he/she will sense that you don’t trust them. If you are nervous and trying to pet a cat in a tentative manner he might respond ‘inappropriately’ by seeing a hand as prey and swat it.
It is best to approach a cat confidently (without being overly confident and intimidating) if you don’t know a cat well. Domestic cats feed off the positive energy. Jackson calls it ‘energetics’. If you approach with ‘stillness and calm’ a cat’s behaviour mirrors this attitude.
I would endorse this advice. A close female friend of mind is nervous of my cat, Gabriel, and she risks getting scratched by her apprehensive approach and tentative hand movements.
Moriah Galvan and Jennifer Vonk of Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan carried out a study of 12 cats and their owners.
The found that cats respond to frowns and smiles differently. When their owners smiled, their cat responded more positively by purring, rubbing or sitting on their lap. They were also keener to spend more time with their owner compared to when they frowned.
They also found that cats did not respond in the same way when strangers smiled or frowned. Smiling or frowning made no difference to their behavior. This suggests that cats learn to read their owner’s facial expressions and therefore indirectly their emotions. In conclusion their research indicates that cats pick up on human emotions.
This morning I have a medical test that scares me. After they eat (early) I close the door to the bedroom because I lay my clothes out and they shouldn’t be walking in them. I go back to sleep for another two hours. It’s not as bad as it sounds because my husband is up to play with them and give them treats.
This morning I thought…I should let them be with me because I can’t sleep anyway and they will perhaps relax me and I’ve selected my clothes so I will get out on time. I opened the door and slowly they came in. Each of them took the positions that make me most secure, their bodies tucked beside me.
Amazingly we all fell back to sleep. They knew I was upset just as they know when I have pains in my stomach.
My first cat would lie on my stomach to make it feel better. I thought that was so amazing. Now my girls do the same. They definitely pick up on my emotions.
They also know my husband doesn’t like them to sleep on him or lie against him and they stay beside me.
Thank you for the sentiments. 💜💜🐾
Thankye Frances and my condolences to ye for the loss of ye beloved ‘Nikki Hana’.