What Do Cats Think When You Leave The House? Do They Miss You?

Whether you’re out of the house for several days on vacation or simply gone for a few hours to run some errands…what does your cat think when you’re away?

Do they think you have abandoned them? Do they feel confused?

And have you ever wondered what cats think of humans? Do our cats know we’re humans, or do they think we’re just larger cats?

Keep watching for a thorough breakdown of what’s happening inside your cat’s mind and what your cat thinks when you leave the house.

What your cat thinks when you leave the house depends on your cat’s relationship with you. It also depends on if your absence is part of a regular routine.

For some cats, leaving the house, especially for long periods of time, can cause separation anxiety, loneliness, confusion and even destructive behavior. But for some cats, your absence may trigger no negative feeling at all. Your pet may choose to sleep away those hours and patiently wait for your return.

Every cat is different. but let's take a closer look at a few notable possibilities.

Cats learn schedules very quickly and they recognize our time away from home as our regular “hunting” time. Mother cats regularly leave their kittens to go hunting for food. So this leaving periodically is not unusual in the mind of a feline.

If you go to work or school at the same time every day, and come home at about the same time every day, it becomes part of your cat’s routine.

Although cats don't wear watches, they do have their own internal clocks and concept of time. They can tell time by observing and memorizing predictable routines. They observe external cues such as daylight, the smell of the air, your behavior, and internal cues such as their own hunger.

But remember, cats become upset when things change.

It’s only changes to the usual schedule that throw off the cat’s routine and they probably wonder what we are doing and when we are coming back.

Cats are very routine oriented. So if you leave for several days, or their routine changes in some way, that’s when they may feel confused or abandoned.

It can be very stressful for your pet. Your cat will miss you and wonder where will their next meal come from, how will they need to get water, and worry they won't have companionship and the other securities you provide them. When their anxiety is heightened, it can lead to destructive behaviors such as scratching furniture or urinating in random places. A lonely cat may also wander through the house, constantly meowing and yowling, looking for someone to answer them. Some cats will even chew through screens and try to find a way to escape.

This is why leaving your cat alone for extended periods of time can prove a negative experience.

Do cats know that we are not cats?

Now that we know what our cats think when they are left alone, let’s take that one step further.

Do our cats know we’re humans, or do they think we’re just larger cats?

You have probably noticed that when cats socialize with us, they purr, rub against us, knead on us, and even bring us prey. Each of these behaviors are commonly seen in the way that cats interact with other cats. This has led to a longstanding wisdom in the cat-owner community that our felines basically perceive us humans as bigger cats — not as a separate species.

However, experts believe that strong attachment, rather than mistaken identity, drives these behaviors toward humans.

Cats are cognitively capable of distinguishing between a human and a cat — think, for example, of the differences in reactions of cats to an unfamiliar human in their living space versus to an unfamiliar cat.

Cats view us as social companions and as a “valuable resource”. To cats, it's not a matter of what we are, it's about what we do. They appreciate the affection and food we give them, but at the end of the day, we are strange giants to them.

What Do Cats Think About All Day?

Have you ever wondered what cats think about?

Scientist believe the way cats think is probably very different from the way we do.

We humans have many structures that help us interpret the ideas and thoughts we have, but cats don’t.

For example, cats do not have "language" because they don't have the Wernicke-area, a language processing center in their brain, so they cannot learn and comprehend language.

Cats can associate words with memories, but their minds are not wired to use language the same way as people.

Without the ability to understand complex language, it becomes impossible to have complex thought and internal monologue. Think about what you are thinking about when you are not thinking in words.

The small amount of scientific research out there on cats’ brains leads us to believe that cats can only think subconsciously. They can draw upon memories to guide future behavior, however they do not come up with their own thoughts or ideas about a situation.

Therefore, when your cat is chilling out, they are not thinking about anything in particular.