Do Cats Cry? Everything You Need to Know
Your cat isn’t afraid to express their emotions — especially when their breakfast isn’t served on time — and there may have been times that you’ve witnessed big, fat drops that definitely resemble tears falling from their eyes. But you’re probably still wondering: do cats cry? Keep reading to find out!
Do Cats Cry? We Asked the Experts
Cats are emotional creatures. Studies show that cats have 276 distinct facial expressions and are reported to express six different emotions: anger, happiness, fear, surprise, disgust, and sadness. Cats even respond to human emotions, with research showing higher stress levels when their humans were stressed or sad.[1, 2, 3]
If cats experience sadness and their facial expressions mirror their emotions, do cats cry tears when they are sad? Despite the plethora of internet memes depicting crying kitties, cats don’t shed tears when they are sad, notes Dr. Alex Lynch, associate professor of emergency and critical care and co-director of the Feline Health Center at NC State.
“Cats do produce tears, but we don’t associate that as a sign of pain or distress,” Dr. Lynch says. “Tear production is a normal process to keep the eye healthy.”
What’s Really Going on with Crying Cats
It’s common for cats to make vocalizations that sound like cries. In fact, older research found that domestic cats make a sound that is akin to an infant’s distress cries and use these so-called “isolation cries” to beg for food.[4] Researchers noted, “Humans are highly sensitive to it…[that] could serve as a subtle means of exploitation.”
All cats can make sounds that mimic cries — but some are more vocal than others, according to Dr. Matthew Fife, a veterinary ophthalmologist with Veterinary Eye Institute in Orlando.
“Many cats will vocalize when experiencing stress or pain,” Dr. Fife says. “We have many patients that will vocalize constantly when in an unusual environment, such as in the vet hospital, while others never make a peep.”
Do Cats Cry Tears?
Cats do produce tears — but it’s not from feeling sadness.
Dr. Fife calls cat tears “incredibly important” to eye health. Tears lubricate your cat’s eyes and contain proteins that help to control bacterial levels and fight infections. “Healthy and adequate tear production is essential for maintaining good vision,” he adds.
Why Is My Cat Crying? 6 Possible Reasons
Epiphora is the medical term for an overflow of tears from the eyes. The most common causes are conditions that create an overproduction of tears or prevent tears from draining normally.
Eye infections
Conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines your cat’s eyelids and covers the white part of their eyeballs, causes excessive tearing. In addition to producing excessive tears, cats with conjunctivitis might also squint, or have cloudy yellow or greenish discharge or swelling in one or both eyes.
Bacteria and viruses, including feline viral rhinotracheitis (also known as feline herpesvirus), are common infectious causes of conjunctivitis.
Antibiotic eye drops are the most typical type of medication used to treat eye infections, although there might be some circumstances where oral medications are recommended too, Dr. Lynch says.
Eye disease
Glaucoma is caused when the fluid in the front part of a cat’s eye is unable to drain normally and puts pressure on the optic nerve, causing pain and interfering with vision. The nerve damage can result in partial or total blindness.
Excessive tear production, cloudiness in the eyes, and squinting are some of the early signs of glaucoma. There is no cure for the disease, but there are medications to help ease the symptoms and control the pain.
Eye injuries
Possible eye injuries include scratches, irritation from eyelashes, foreign material being present in the eye, and rubbing the eye against something in their environment — but any damage to the cornea will cause eyes to water, Dr. Fife says.
“Traumatic injuries that occur during play or from other animals are common, viral infections can cause ulceration on the surface of the cornea, and foreign material in the eye can be very irritating.”
Eyelid abnormalities
Entropion (a condition that causes eyelids to turn inward) and ectropion (a condition that causes the tissues lining the inner surface of the eyelids to roll outward) cause irritation that can lead to watery eyes.
Persians, Himalayans, and other flat-faced breeds are at greater risk of eyelid abnormalities because their facial anatomies make it harder for tears to drain properly. Often, their tears roll down their faces instead of draining through the tear ducts.
Blocked tear ducts
“Damage to the tear drainage duct is quite common, especially in stray cats that are more prone to severe respiratory infections,” Dr. Fife says.
Infections can cause scarring in the tear duct that drains tears from the eye into the nose, causing a blockage. When the tears can’t drain, they spill onto the face, making it look like your cat is crying.
Environmental irritants
Environmental allergies are very common in animals, and Dr. Fife notes that mild allergies will cause watery eyes.
“Dirt and pollen in the environment can get into the eyes, especially in animals spending a lot of time outside,” he says. “This can produce some thicker, mucous discharge.”
Additionally, cats that like to dig a lot in the litter box can get clay particles in the eyes, which can cause tearing, he adds.
What Is Your Crying Cat Trying to Tell You?
Cats need to produce tears, so don’t fret if your cat sheds one occasionally. But Dr. Lynch notes that too many tears could be a sign that something is wrong.
“Obvious or apparently excessive tear production…could represent a problem with the eye itself, perhaps an injury to the eye surface like an ulcer or scratch, or other issues like allergies or infections,” he says.
Dr. Lynch suggests watching for additional changes in their health and behavior, like red eyes or holding their eyes closed. Looking at your cat’s tail language could also help you understand how your cat is feeling when they are “crying.”
Make an appointment with your veterinarian if you notice your cat shedding an excessive amount of tears. They can examine the eye and help identify if there is something abnormal going on.
When Cat Crying May Indicate a Problem
While most cat cries are likely nothing to worry about, changes in vocalizations or persistent cries could indicate your cat is feeling pain or discomfort. Excessive tear production, especially if it’s accompanied by mucous or thick, green discharge, could also be a sign of a health issue.
“Since so many things can cause teary eyes, the only real thing to do is have it checked and try to address any underlying problem,” Dr. Fife says.
How to Prevent Crying in Cats
Normal tear production keeps your cat’s eyes healthy, but it’s important to protect them from illnesses and injuries that may cause too many tears. Depending on the cause, Dr. Lynch suggests preventive measures such as avoiding cleaning products or other environmental irritants that could lead to watery eyes, isolating new or sick animals from each other to reduce the risk of spreading infection, and keeping cats indoors to minimize injuries from other animals or vehicles. Keeping your cat up to date on vaccinations can also prevent some infections that contribute to conjunctivitis.
“If you’re worried about your cat having watery eyes, please contact your veterinary team,” Dr. Lynch urges. “They will help advise the best way to get your cat feeling better again.”
References
- Lauren Scott, Brittany N. Florkiewicz, “Feline faces: Unraveling the social function of domestic cat facial signals,” Behavioural Processes, Volume 213, 2023, 104959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104959
- Martens, P., Enders-Slegers, M. J., & Walker, J. K., “The Emotional Lives of Companion Animals: Attachment and Subjective Claims by Owners of Cats and Dogs.” Anthrozoös, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2015.1075299
- Quaranta A, d’Ingeo S, Amoruso R, Siniscalchi M., “Emotion Recognition in Cats.” Animals (Basel), 2020 Jun 28. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7401521/
- McComb, Karen et al. “The cry embedded within the purr.” Current biology : CB vol. 19,13 (2009): R507-8. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2009.05.033
