Have you seen your cat cry or get all teary eyed? Do you think cats cry because they have feelings?

Though there is no hard evidence to verify that cats crying is linked to emotions, there is enough poignant anecdotal evidence to show that the possibility of cats crying real tears cannot be disregarded.

Cats usually cry for medical reasons such as irritation (dust, dirt, etc), allergies, infections (upper respiratory infections or other tear duct related infections), or simply a scratch in the eye. Tearing is a natural reflex to help protect the eyes by flushing out the irritant and cleansing the surface of the eyes.

There is no scientific explanation on whether some of cats tears are caused by sadness, fear, depression or grievance, but cats do express their feelings in various other ways. When a cat is separated from its long time companion,  it often shows many signs that indicate depression such as loss of appetite, lethargy, loss of interest in toys or normal activities, decrease in grooming, withdrawal from people, decline in using the litter box and vocalizing more aggressively.

Not too long ago I received a letter from a child who said that whenever she cried, her cat Muffy would cry with her. The little girl's parents ignored the story until one day after she had been punished the parents walked into her room and found two wet pillows and two wet faces. - Warren Eckstein

Do you believe that cats cry emotional tears?

For more stories of people who have experienced their cats shedding emotional tears, click here.

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