Cats can indeed tell when a person is sad. They may not understand sadness in the way humans do, but they are able to detect changes in behavior, facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language that accompany sadness. Studies have shown that cats can distinguish their owner's emotional cues, such as different facial expressions and auditory signals like crying or a gentle tone. When sensing sadness, some cats may respond by curling up beside their owner, purring, rubbing against them, or otherwise showing comforting behaviors, while others might become more cautious or keep a distance depending on their personality. The closer the bond with their human, the better cats appear to be at sensing these emotional shifts. Overall, cats are observant and intuitive animals that can pick up on and respond to human emotional states like sadness, depression, or anxiety.
