June 6, 2025, 3:17 pm | Read time: 7 minutes

A cat with watery eyes might quickly make us think of sadness—but are those tears truly a sign of sorrow? What appears to be quiet melancholy often has entirely different causes. If you look closely, you’ll discover how cats really handle emotions. Pet expert Louisa Stoeffler shares what to watch for.

Tears in Cats–Not a Sign of Sadness

Although a damp cat tear in the corner of the eye may seem like a sign of pain, cats do not express their feelings by crying. In the picture above this article, you see my cat Remo, with a silent tear running from the corner of his eye. And I can tell you exactly why his eye was watering. The photo was taken two days after his dental surgery. My pet has FORL, one of the most common dental diseases in cats.

During his surgery, Remo had 10 teeth removed at once, especially on the right side of the upper jaw, where the poor guy now has no teeth, and his eye watered for a few more days. Normally, after such surgery, follow-up care in the clinic or at the vet’s office is necessary, but Remo is a terrible patient and only allows treatment when I hold him in my arms. Accordingly, our follow-up care was done over the phone. The veterinarian told me she wasn’t surprised that Remo’s eye was watering. She said she had to “dig quite deep” to remove the painful lesions and teeth, so it was understandable that his tear ducts were irritated.

She advised me to keep an eye on the symptom and to bring my “grumpy ball”–as he becomes on the examination table–back after the weekend if the watering didn’t improve. However, that wasn’t necessary, as the irritation in the tear duct had subsided by then. That was the only time in 20 years of private and professional experience that I saw a cat “cry.”

When Cats’ Eyes Water–Causes and Meaning

According to current research, crying is not part of a cat’s behavioral repertoire when it comes to grief or pain. There are no sobbing cats–even quiet, tearful crying for emotional reasons does not occur. However, cats can feel emotional losses and visibly suffer from them, but more on that later.

Tears in cats usually have a purely physical cause. Similar to humans, a brief flow of tears can be triggered by small irritants–such as a plant particle or a cat hair in the eye. Such reactions are generally harmless and do not require treatment.

However, in certain cat breeds, due to their head shape, there can be permanent problems with the tear duct, such as in Persians or British Shorthairs. In such cases, supportive care is often necessary.

Owners should be particularly attentive if

• the tear fluid is not clear but yellowish,
• the cat keeps one eye tightly shut for a long time,
• it frequently scratches or cleans its eyes,
• swelling occurs on the eyelids or conjunctiva,
• changes or cloudiness in the eye are visible,
• or if injuries to the eye are noticeable.

In these cases, a veterinary examination is necessary–ideally with a specialized animal ophthalmologist. Inflammations or injuries to the eye are not only potentially dangerous but also very painful.

Can Cats Be Sad?

Although they don’t “cry” in the human sense, cats do feel sadness. Their human companions have long known from experience that cats can have different moods: joy at a reunion, displeasure with a rival, or discomfort from changes–cats show these emotions subtly but clearly. Cats also know separation anxiety and the fear of being abandoned, as I report in this article: Do Cats Miss Their Owners? Studies Say.

Modern science doesn’t know much about the exact nature of animal emotions, but it is considered certain that cats, as mammals, have brain areas where basic emotions arise–including sadness.

Signs of a Sad Cat

In my work as a cat sitter, I have often encountered cats that were sad. This is the case, for example, when their social partner has just died, or the longer the owners are absent. The animals don’t openly show that they are not feeling well, but you can still read it from their behavior. Many withdraw, appear quiet, stay in one place for hours, and stare into space.

They also sleep less and show through their tense bodies that they are internally agitated. Sad cats show less interest in their usual activities, avoid play and observation, and may even withdraw from their caregivers–or seek their closeness more. Their body posture also changes: They move more slowly, and their tail often hangs down.

Especially after the loss of a beloved fellow animal or human, a cat’s grief can manifest intensely–with depressive behavior, refusal to eat, or persistent apathy. A cat I cared for didn’t want to play at all after his “buddy” died of cancer; he just sat next to me and looked at a filled puzzle board with a blank stare.

What to Do for a Sad Cat?

Some cats also wander through the apartment, visit familiar places, and meow plaintively. This behavior is particularly pronounced if there was no opportunity to say goodbye to the deceased companion cat. What measures are appropriate in this situation depends on the cause of the grief. When a familiar animal dies, it often helps the cat to say goodbye–this makes it easier for them to understand the loss.

During the mourning phase, cats need time, attention, and patience. Introducing a new cat as a quick “replacement” is rarely a good solution–the social bonds cats form are too individual. In some cases, however, new feline companionship is necessary. Professional behavioral counseling can help make the right decision.

If a person is moving out, the family can consider in advance how to strengthen the remaining relationships and whether regular visits from adult children or the separated partner can ease the animal’s daily life.

More on the topic

Elephants, orcas and others Animals also mourn the loss of their own kind

Behavior explained Why does my cat meow while I’m talking?

Frequently Asked Questions Why Do Dogs from the Same Household Often Die in Quick Succession?

What if There Is No Obvious Cause for a Cat’s Grief?

The symptoms of grief often resemble physical discomfort–so it’s important to conduct a veterinary examination when behavioral patterns change. A sudden withdrawal, loss of appetite, or lack of movement can also have other causes. Conversely, prolonged sadness can become a health risk if, for example, eating stops. Veterinary advice on possible appetite stimulants is advisable in such cases.

If no acute cause is apparent, it’s worth taking a critical look at the cat’s daily life: Have routines changed? Is there enough attention or too much stress? Is it perhaps being harassed by other cats?

Small adjustments–consistently tried over two weeks–can help restore the cat’s emotional balance. If success is lacking, exchanging ideas with other experienced cat owners or professionals can provide new insights. When joy and activity are visible again, the path back to contentment has been found.