Does your cat seem to be crying? In reality, two phenomena must be distinguished: the more or less sad meows of your pet, and the discharge from the eyes. In the first case, it is a normal behavior, in the second, it will probably be necessary to seek advice from a veterinarian. Explanations.
My cat seems to be crying, is this possible?
Contrary to what you might think, tears and meows are not the expression of a crying cat . Meows are mainly used to interact with humans, and tears are rather the sign of more or less benign pathologies.
Why does a cat meow?
Cats rarely use meowing to communicate with each other. On the other hand, they understood perfectly that their vocalizations did not leave us indifferent. Whether it arouses in us admiration or annoyance, this language is a good way to attract our attention. Let’s see together the circumstances in which a cat can ” cry ” or rather vocalize:
To claim something
When your cat wants something, it meows to let you know what it wants. His requests can be varied: food, going out , opening a door, playing , etc. His desires are orders!
To welcome you
Meowing to greet its owner is a behavior adopted by many cats. A way to get in touch with you and to express his joy.
In case of stress
In stressful or anxious situations (arrival of a stranger, for example), a cat can begin to vocalize. Through this means of communication , he expresses his discomfort.
During the heat
When in heat, females meow to call for a male. It is then a hoarse meow, close to moaning , and very difficult for owners to live with.
To express pain
A cat may “cry” when it feels pain. For example, in case of urinary tract infection, a cat may meow because urinating is painful, due to inflammation of the bladder.
To call his mother
Although cats rarely use meowing among themselves, they use it when they are kittens in order to call their mother.
Due to illness
Meowing during the day, at night, and for no apparent reason can be a sign of illness. Older cats in particular may meow due to age -related brain degeneration.
What are cat tears?
Far from being a sign of crying, the Cats Tears of the cat correspond rather to ocular discharges (at the level of the eyes) whose causes can be varied:
Coryza is an infectious disease linked, in most cases , to a herpes virus. In addition to eye discharge, other symptoms may occur such as: profuse runny nose, sneezing , loss of appetite and depression. You will then have to consult your veterinarian quickly.
A shock, a scratch or a foreign body such as simple dust or impurity can cause eye discharge.
A narrow or even blocked tear duct can prevent tears from flowing to the nasal cavities. In this case, the cat “cries” all its life, unless the veterinarian can operate on it.
An entropion corresponds to an inward rolling of the eyelid, leading to inflammation or even an ulcer in the cornea. This problem during the development of the cat appears between the age of 2 and 6 weeks. The only solution then is to perform surgery.
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the eye due to an allergy, virus, bacteria, or exposure to toxic irritants (white spirit, acetone, solvent, etc.). In this case, it is better to have cat health insurance so that you can provide your pet with all the necessary veterinary care.
Good to know
Depending on the cat breeds , there may be predispositions to vocalizations as well as eye discharge. For example, Oriental cats, such as Siamese, have a reputation for being particularly talkative felines . As for the Persians, their crushed face makes the flow of tears to the nasal cavities very complicated. It is for this reason that many of them have permanent eye discharge.
How to take care of your cat’s eyes?
To take good care of your cat’s eyes, it is not necessary to clean them daily. Cats groom themselves several times a day, so there is no need to use a product on their eyes which could prove to be unsuitable, even dangerous. Only an unusual discharge from the eye should alert you, as it may be a sign of a pathology. Rather than self-medication, consult your veterinarian so that he can advise you on the procedure to follow: it must be adapted to each animal.