

If your cat is crying, you should consider whether they need to see a vet. Cats that are crying due to fighting with other cats may also only cry at night, when other cats are more likely to be around. However, cats that are becoming night blind may be fine during the day and only cry at night. In general, a cat crying at night isn’t specific to any one reason and it could be caused by any of the reasons listed above. (Image credit: Getty Images) What does it mean when cats cry at night?Ĭats are more active at dawn and dusk, which means you might be more likely to hear your cat crying at night. Feline cognitive dysfunction (dementia).Some reasons for cats to meow loudly (cry) include: There are also some diseases that cause cats to start meowing more than usual. Your cat might be meowing loudly due to pain, or during a cat fight.įemale cats may also meow loudly while they’re in season – this type of meowing will be accompanied by a strange swaying motion. On the other hand, if your cat is crying verbally with loud meows, there are different possible causes. Some reasons for cats to cry tears include: If your cat is crying tears, that suggests they’re either over-producing tears due to irritation, or the hole that drains the tears is blocked. Tears are continuously produced by the tear gland and are drained away through a hole in the bottom of the eye that leads to the nose (the tear duct). Let’s look at some of the common reasons for cat crying: Why might my cat be crying tears?Īll cats produce tears to lubricate their eyes.

Why might my cat be crying?Ĭat crying can happen for a number of reasons, and these will be different depending whether they’re meowing loudly or producing tears. They’re not ‘crying’ in the human sense of the word, but this is an important symptom that shouldn’t go ignored. Dampness around the eyes, a loss of hair around the eyes, red eyes, and a build-up of tears in the eye are all signs that your cat has been producing tears. When a cat cries tears, you might worry that they’re sad. In fact, I remember as a child waking up to a cat crying at night and thinking next door’s toddler twins had somehow got out of the house and were in the garden!

This yowling/howling sound can easily be mistaken for a baby’s cry. However, you might think your cat is crying if they’re making loud meows at night. While cats show emotion in a number of ways, it’s not known how much they feel sadness, and they don’t show it either by producing tears or by howling like a human might. What does cat crying sound/look like?Ĭats don't cry from sadness like humans do. She really took to the consulting side of things and helping clients with medical problems such as dermatology, behaviour and nutrition - anything that involved helping clients understand their pets better. Check out our guide to cat communication or read on to discover everything you need to know about crying in cats.ĭr Joanna Woodnutt qualified as a veterinarian from the University of Nottingham where she then went on to practice companion animal medicine in the Midlands. Joanna Woodnutt sheds more light on why your cat might be crying tears or vocalizing excessively and shares her tips on what you can do about it.

While cats will meow for attention, continuous loud meowing or howling is usually a sign of pain or discomfort and can be caused by things such as your fur friend having been in a fight or experiencing things like anxiety or feline cognitive dysfunction.īelow, Dr. If you’ve ever found yourself asking the question ‘ can cats get a cold?,’ the answer is yes, although it’s referred to as cat flu, and this is another common reason for crying.Īlongside crying tears, there’s also verbal crying to consider. Environmental allergies, such as dust and pollen, as well as food and chemical allergies are all potential triggers that can cause your kitty to tear up. Well, the most likely answer is that they’re experiencing discomfort from an underlying condition. So, if your kitty isn’t crying because you took away their toys or refused to give them an extra helping of the best dry cat food, why are they suddenly looking all misty eyed? Many pet parents see their cat with tears in their eyes and assume that their little feline friend is upset, but although a cat's tear ducts function in the same ways as humans, they don’t cry emotional tears.
