Does your cat cry and it worries you or makes you wonder why it’s happening? In this article you will find out how to find out if the cat is crying, why it does it and what to do in this situation.
When a cat has abnormal behavior, however benign, it is essential to understand it to avoid potential aggravations and so that nothing comes to affect the health of your cat.
A crying cat will no longer have any mystery for you and you can solve the problem to avoid any risk of aggravation.
Crying Cat: Causes
Those who have a cat realize that, unlike dogs, cats rarely complain about their attitude. So, when your cat starts crying it seems abnormal and many causes can explain this behavior.
This may be a warning or a sign of pain, in any case, it is essential to understand the causes in order to be able to act and help him.
Is my cat really crying?
The cat’s crying is not similar to ours because they do not cry like us and the causes may be a little different from ours. But for simplicity, we’ll consider all watery eyes to be crying, because even watery eyes without flowing tears can be caused by deeper issues.
Here are the main reasons why cats cry or may cry.
The tear duct
Cats normally live with a blocked tear duct. So when a cat cries, it does not emit tears but vocalizations. The sound is generally unpleasant and suggests suffering, so it is completely different from the usual meows.
If the tears are yellowish in color, then it may be an infection that requires a checkup at the vet.
Change
Cats, especially young kittens, can tear up when their environment changes because they are very territorial and hate change which stresses them out a lot. They can then cry as long as they are not used to this change.
Time and patience will do their job, it can take up to a month if you move.
You can speed up the adaptation process by using objects familiar to the cat, such as objects with scents familiar to your cat.
Bringing them comfort or playing with them is also essential so that they get used to their new environment quickly.
Their behavior is somewhat similar to children who cry because of insecurities and traumas from the past.
Small changes can affect them, such as unusual noises or visits, and they then seek security.
If your kitten cries often and shows fear, it is important to pay attention to this and make it feel safe when there is change or it will start to develop anti-social behavior.
Hunger
Hunger can cause cats to cry. Be sure to feed him well, because unlike us, he cannot fast for very long and must therefore always eat properly.
If he has trouble with the food you offer him, give him cat food, rich in lipids and proteins, which are more easily assimilated than proteins.
Pain
A cat in pain tends to be tearful and downcast. If he no longer meows or purrs, he may be in pain and you can move his body to see if he is hurting anywhere.
Also notice if he is eating, drinking water, and using his litter box normally.
Obviously the pain must be the subject of a visit to the veterinarian.
Your cat is in heat
Another cause that can cause your cat to cry and which is accompanied by persistent meowing is the phase of puberty if your cat is not neutered which leads to periods of heat.
Care must be taken that he cannot go out during this period because your cat, if it is a female, could come back pregnant. And whether it is a male or a female, it can also bring back diseases.
For this reason, neutering it is the safest decision for your cat and its health.
While waiting for your cat to be neutered, you can calm it down with scents and music. A cat mating simulation can also help you as long as she is not neutered.
You just adopted a kitten
If your kitten was recently adopted, you just need to be patient while he gets used to his new life. He’s probably confused about his new surroundings. The more comfortable you make him feel, the sooner he’ll stop crying.
You can spend time with him, pamper him, play with him, offer him games to make him feel safe faster.
In case of mourning
If there has been a human or feline loss in the cat’s life, he cries to express his grief and the crying will disappear when he has mourned.
If your cat is old
An older cat may experience discomfort due to the deterioration of his condition. This is no reason to leave him in this state because medical treatment may be necessary, but he will be more and more prone to illness.
You can reduce the level of illness by ensuring that he does a minimum of physical activity, especially if he lives in an apartment, and by ensuring that his food is of high quality.
He feels alone
The cat may meow because it feels lonely because cats hate loneliness. If he is alone during the day, offer him games and activities that will occupy him when he is not there.
Also make sure that he is comfortable, with food that likes him, fresh water, and above all a clean litter box.
Ideally, welcome a second cat who will keep him company.
He is irritated
He may have dust in his eyes or the air may be too dry for him, causing him to cry to better moisten the eye and keep it in a healthy environment.
If he regularly rubs his eyes, there must be something bothering him, maybe he even has something stuck.
He has an infection
Some cat infections, such as Coryza , can lead to conjunctivitis that can become purulent.
Veterinary intervention will be essential to prevent the infection from harming your cat and allowing him to recover quickly.
An anatomical abnormality
A problem with the tear ducts can lead to tearing and can sometimes make surgery necessary.
A palpebral malformation
Some cats have eyelid abnormalities causing them to cry. Again, surgery may be the only solution to this problem.
Special cases
There are many special cases of cat crying. Your cat may experience one or more of these cases. We have collected the most common cases of a crying cat.
Cat crying at night
One reason your cat cries at night is to seek your attention. Check that he has good access to his food and that he has something to take care of when you sleep. If you don’t mind, you can also sleep with him.
Cat crying all the time
As a precaution, take him to the vet as continuous feline crying may be a sign of an underlying disease or pain.
Cat crying with one eye
Your cat probably has excessive tear production or difficulty evacuating them to the nasal cavity and mouth which leads your cat to cry.
He may also have inflammation of the eye such as conjunctivitis.
If the situation lasts, take him to the vet.
Cat crying like a baby
Such crying is a cat’s way of letting you know that it needs something, whether it’s water or food or sometimes attention. Many cats manage to modify their voice so that it sounds like the cries of a baby (and yes they are clever…).
Make sure he has everything he needs while you sleep and if you want you can sleep with him, otherwise he will get used to you not sleeping with him.
Cat crying and sneezing
Your cat is clearly ill and should be taken to the vet who will determine the source of the problem and provide you with appropriate treatment.
Crying cat with a swollen eye
There’s an eye problem, possibly conjunctivitis. Your veterinarian will also provide you with medication for this problem.
Cat crying and meowing
It’s a way for your cat to communicate that he needs attention. Like a child, he cries and meows to make you understand that he is bored. Keep him busy or take time for him, especially if he’s a young kitten.
Brown crying cat
The brown is due to a deposit of dirt. Clean it well with saline for cats to avoid potential infection.
Red crying cat
It may be a deposit of dirt or blood, which justifies a quick appointment with the veterinarian.
Cat crying and vomiting
It’s probably an inflammation. Your cat may also be sick, as a feline illness can cause her to vomit .
If the vomiting is frequent or long-lasting and there are no hairballs, then you will also have to take him to the veterinarian because cat vomiting is often linked to illnesses.
How to calm a crying cat?
If your cat is agitated with cries and meows that accompany the crying is to check if everything is in order at the level of water or food. Is the litter box clean? Make sure he has everything he needs to release his stress.
The first thing is to always understand the cause by asking yourself as many questions as possible which will be useful anyway if you have to go to the vet to help him find out the context in which this crying appears.
Sometimes these kinds of questions can help you fix the problem for good as it could be something very simple, like a heater that’s too dry or something stuck in your eye (only to be removed if it is easily removable, otherwise it will be up to the veterinarian to do it).
If the crying is insistent, then a visit to the veterinarian is essential to get the cat’s crying through.
How to treat a crying cat?
You can already use physiological compresses or physiological serum to treat it before the visit to the veterinarian. Start by positioning it on your lap and then go slowly or it will go away.
Then, check that all his environment is good, from food to water to air and management of changes that may have occurred to the cat.
But do not forget that if the crying does not pass, a visit to the veterinarian is essential to avoid aggravation of the symptoms.
What will the vet do?
He will start by asking you about your cat’s watery eyes:
· When does crying occur?
· What are the other symptoms?
· Since when is this the case?
· What is his diet?
· Does he go outside?
· …
Then he will examine your cat to find the cause that is making your cat cry. Then he will provide you with a suitable treatment, or in the worst case, will recommend surgery for your cat.
The final word
A crying cat doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem, but if you can’t find the cause and the tearing continues, go to the vet to avoid any risk of worsening symptoms.