Cat owners rely primarily on observations of feline behaviour to determine which emotions a cat may be feeling, but there is also physiological evidence that cats experience many of the same emotions as humans:
- Biochemical changes that occur in the brain with certain emotions such as pleasure or fear in humans also occur in cats, and cats respond to the same mood regulating neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, etc.) as people do.
- Some pharmaceuticals that are designed to address mood disorders in humans such as depression and generalized anxiety are also effective for cats.
- Damage to certain brain structures that regulate fear, rage, and other emotions has similar effects on both people and cats.
- Cats and many other animals can experience depression, which can override their basic survival instincts, such as the urge to eat, if it is severe enough.
Developing a greater understanding of feline emotions has helped animal therapists adopt more effective treatment strategies to address behavioural and mood problems.
The Range of Feline Emotions
Emotions expressed by cats include simple feelings of joy, sadness, anger, fear, anxiety, excitement, affection, frustration, pleasure, and contentment. Many people assert that cats display even more complex social emotions, such as compassion, contempt, embarrassment, jealously, and love.
Notably, Charles Darwin believed that differences between humans and animals are quantitative but not qualitative. In other words, the experiences of humans and animals fall along different points of a continuum of consciousness, but they are on the same continuum.
Claims that Animals are Incapable of Experiencing Emotions
There are those who continue to argue that animals do not experience emotions, despite mounting evidence against this view. Many of these individuals have only observed animals in laboratory settings, where their behaviour is unnatural due to stress, pain, and lack of social interaction.
People may also cling to the view that animals are incapable of experiencing feelings to justify particularly inhumane animal experimentation. In addition, there are those who fear that if people come to believe that animals have emotions, they will no longer find it acceptable to engage in current hunting and farming practices. However, many organic farmers have recognized that well-treated animals in low-stress environments are more productive and healthy.
Differences Between Human and Animal Emotions
A primary difference between the emotions of people and those of animals may be that humans can analyze their emotions, and even have emotional responses to their own emotional responses, whereas animals are unlikely to generate such a feedback loop. Humans can engage in metacognition because they have a level of self-consciousness that cats do not possess, which enables them to think about the meaning of their emotions as well as their current and future implications.
The Risks of Anthropomorphism
There is plenty of evidence that cats do indeed experience emotions, but awareness of this creates a risk that feline behaviours will be misinterpreted due to the tendency to anthropomorphize. Owners may project complex feelings and motivations onto their pets that the animals are not capable of experiencing, or misinterpret an animal’s motivations and feelings because they don’t understand the differences between animal psychology and human psychology. For example, owners often believe that their cats urinate on the floor out of spite or to punish them for something or other, but this behaviour actually results from anxiety, territoriality, illness, or problems with the litter box.
A cat that is angry is more likely to show it impulsively by lashing out, rather than by planning an indirect revenge such as soiling a piece of furniture. But even such aggressive responses usually stem from fear rather than rage. In many cases, the cat is simply launching a preemptive strike against someone she views as a threat.
Overall, evidence indicates that cats can experience many of the same emotions that humans do, including some of the more complex ones such as love. However, it is a mistake to assume that the emotions underlying cat behaviours are always the same as what a person would likely be feeling if he were to behave in a similar manner.
References:
- Bekoff, Mark. (2007). Animals Matter: A Biologist Explains Why We Should Treat Animals with Compassion and Respect. Boston, MA: Shambhala.
- “Can Cats Feel Emotion?” (20 November 2002). CatChannel.com.
- Crowell-Davis, Sharon, DVM, PhD, DACVB. (1 November 2006). “CVC Highlights: Dispelling the Myth of the Asocial Cat.” VeterinaryMedicine.dvm360.com.
- Hartwell, Sarah. (2003). “Do Cats Have Emotions?” MessyBeast.com.
- Horwitz, Debra F., DVM, ACVB. (2001). “The Neurological and Pharmacological Basis for Fears and Anxieties.” Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference 2001. Vin.com.
- Rubinowitz, Susan. (n.d.). “Do Cats Have Feelings?” PetPlace.com.
- Schneck, Marcus, & Caravan, Jill. (1990). Cat Facts. New York: Barnes & Noble Inc.
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