How to tell if your cat misses you

There’s no doubt that every pet owner has a special bond with their fur baby and although we’d love to spend every waking hour in their company, in reality we have to leave them for periods of time while we work, travel or pop to the supermarket.

When we return home eager for a kitty cuddle it can be hard to know if our felines even noticed we were gone. Cat behaviour is varied, mysterious and fascinating, which is part of what we love about them, so how can we tell if our cat misses us?

There are a few factors that can influence how much your cat relies on your presence and affection:

Genetics – our cats each have their own personality traits, which is what we love about them

How much they were handled by a human in their early years

Studies show that if your cat stretches and purrs on your humble return this indicates that they’re pleased you’re home. Higher levels of purring and desire for affection can occur when a cat has been left alone for a longer period of time.

Despite their independent nature and lack of “neediness” some cats show signs of stress and agitation after time apart from their human. This suggests that, although I’m sure they wouldn’t admit it, we are an important part of our cat’s social environment.

Cats rest for an average of 15 hours per day. If this is part of your cat’s daily routine during the hours you’re out, it’s unlikely they’ll miss you if they’ve been snoozing.

Like us, cats need to be stimulated, so access to the outdoors, or toys to play with indoors can help keep them amused while they are on their own.

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