Why Does My Cat Cuddle When I Am Sick


You might have noticed that your cats love spending quality time with you when you’re not in the best spirits. Why? Because cats are little animals that can sense all kinds of issues! You might have multiple questions about cats. The main questions are, why does my cat cuddle when sick? Do cats cuddle more when you are sick? Well, we are here to answer these questions for you! 

cad cuddling

When we’re healthy, our cats often sleep with us. However, when we are sick, our cats sleep with us. This is because they never want to leave us alone, which is one of the best things about having a pet. You get a friend for life. Today, we will shed light on this remarkable observation. 

Did You Know: Cats Can Read Your Body Language!

It is interesting to notice that cats can read body language very well! They know how to read into a situation. You might not realize this, but cats are actually super smart. 

Cats love staring and observing. You might have noticed your cat staring at you during different scenarios. For example, the cat is trying to read our behavior. After reading our behavior, the cat decided to act accordingly. 

Or when you go in the direction of the kitchen, your cat starts running to the kitchen even though you do not tell your buddy where you are going. But based on instincts, observations, and excellent body reading skills, your cat figures out your next move. 

If this is not the case, we have one more relatable example for you. You might have trained your cat to do a specific trick or task by performing a particular action or vocalizing. 

It is doubtful that your cat doesn’t react once you train them like this. It is because cats have a great understanding of responding according to the nature of the situation. So even if the cat does not react accordingly, it will at least understand what you are trying to convey.  

Similarly, the cat reads our body language pretty well when we are sick. Our pawed fellow understands that we are not in our 100% percent today. When you constantly sneeze, the cat understands something is wrong with you. Therefore, the pet steps up its role in your life and becomes a caretaker instead. Hence, the cat starts cuddling you to make you feel better about yourself.

Furthermore, if you’re wondering what your cat really thinks about you when sick, let us share it with you in a nutshell:

  1. Cats certainly do like to cuddle more when sick
  2. Cats prefer routine – they thrive on it!
  3. When you’re sick, get ready for extra cuddles because you’re at the perfect temperature for your cat to cuddle.

Do Cats Cuddle More When Sick?

black cuddling cat

Yes, cats cuddle more when we are sick. Cats often try to comfort whoever is suffering from any illness. It is an essential trait of cats. Physical illness leads to increased affection in cats. For example, whenever you have a long day at work, your cat might put in extra effort to make you feel better. 

Cats love to show affection towards you when you are not at your best. Humans do not show us love when we are at our worst. However, cats show us a lot of admiration when we are going through the worst stage. 

Cats Thrive on Routine

Cats have a proper routine in their daily life. For example, they meow when they need food and make a noise when they want to cuddle. Hence, they are always following a routine. You might have noticed that cats wish to do the same activities every day at the same time. Because they are so habitual in following a routine, they instantly realize when anything unfamiliar happens. 

When you get sick, it is obvious that the routine changes. When your routine changes, your cat’s routine will change as well. Therefore, the order of the cat’s activities will also change. Let us explain more with examples.

So, if you are a person who has a full-time job, your cat will know that you are gone away the entire day. Then, when you are sick, your cat will realize something is wrong with you. 

After the realization, the cat might notice that you are unnecessarily resting today. Hence, the cat will try to be there for you. Your cat will try to act out as your nurse for your day. During this process, you will notice your cat cuddling you more than usual. 

The cat gets stressed when it realizes its routine is disrupted. When cats understand that your sickness is why that disruption is taking place, they attempt to heal you. Hence, they start cuddling. 

You are Warm and Comfy When You’re Sick – So Expect More Cuddles From You Cat!

cuddling cat

When we become sick, our body temperature goes high. At high body temperatures, we become warm. Interestingly, cats love warm body temperatures. Cats love sleeping next to our feet at night. Increased body temperature is the main reason for this strange cat fact. 

It does not even matter whether you have a fever or not. The cat is only attracted by the fact that you have a high body temperature. Additionally, you spend much time in bed when you are sick. Thus, you become more eligible for cuddles. 

Some Lesser-known Truths About Cats

You may be a cat person, but did you know these truths that only a few know?

Some Cats Might be Hypersensitive to Illness

Cats are hypersensitive to illness. It is something you do not usually get to hear. There is little scientific evidence to back it up, but cats might be hypersensitive to illness. It is considered that cats are well-aware of each other’s sickness. They try to care for the ones around them who are ill. Cats know when to be protective and when not to be. Therefore, they can prove as good companions to humans.  

Pet cats are knowledgeable in terms of cat illnesses. Since pet cats get a lot of extra attention compared to other cats, therefore, they understand everything. They know when their fellow cats are sick. 

If cats are sharp in understanding the health status of a fellow cat, it is obvious that they are quick in akncplwedging the health of a human too. Therefore, it is common for cats to take care of both humans and fellow cats when they are sick. 

Since cats are hypersensitive about such issues, they try to put in a lot of effort. The cats ensure that their human counterpart feels better than ever. Upon realizing about illness, the cat keeps licking its owner. When licking does not work, the cat starts massaging or cuddling the human. 

Although no scientific studies can back this up, observations are also a great source of knowledge. For example, we have observed the behavior of cats through centuries, and after all that observation, we know cats take care of humans when they get sick. 

The human should not worry about anything as long as the cat is around. Considering how compassionate cats are, if they could choose a profession, many cats would become doctors. 

Cats are Sweet in Nature

cay showing affection

Yes, you heard that right. So naturally, cats are sweet creatures. They are not judgemental, rude, or any other toxic human trait. Instead, cats are pure creatures that know their owners deserve the best care possible. They acknowledge that their owners give them a lot of love and support. Hence, the cats put in efforts to equalize those efforts in return. 

You might never encounter a cat who abandons the owner when he is in trouble. Cats show more love than usual when the owner goes through something problematic. Only a handful of animals can offer this unconditional love, like cats. 

Cats are unconditional lovers. They show love to humans without having the expectations of getting that love back. Interestingly, most of the time, cats receive love from humans. The cats constantly hug and cuddle to express what their human counterpart means to them. 

Cats are Lifesavers

We have heard remarkable stories about dogs and their rescues. People consider dogs saviors, but we rarely hear the same about cats. However, cats are also lifesavers. 

According to many reports, many cats have waked up their family members during emergencies. The cats had also done this heroic act when another family member had a heart attack, a seizure, etc. 

These reports suggest that cats have the capability of being a hero. Some reports even say that the cats understood the symptoms before anything happened. Due to these reasons, we can understand your felines’ level of heroism and intelligence.

Cats made noises in uncertain situations. Those noises weren’t just random. They were an indication of an emergency. 

In some situations, cats woke up humans during fire emergencies. Surprisingly, the number of these stories is high. In addition, there are numerous stories on social media about the heroic acts of cats. Stories where the bravery and courage of cats resulted in saving the lives of innocent humans and pets.   

All of these reports and news contribute to the amazingness of cats. Considering all these factors, cats cuddle you when you are sick to save you. They understand that you could pass away if your temperature rises too much. Therefore, the cats try to look out for you while resting in bed. The cat is just ensuring that you stay fit and active. 

Cats Love Being Clingy and Possessive 

cat showing love

Cats love being clingy around the people they love the most! They want to be around you all the time. In addition, cats wish you to give them attention all the time. Hence, to get more of your attention, the cats become touchy when you are knocked down on your bed!

Most of the reasons mentioned above express the loving nature of cats. However, this reason is a little different. You see, cats do not like it when you do not spend much time with them. So, although they do not get angry, they might get clingy. So, they will start cuddling you while you are lying down. You might also notice that your cats do not want you to leave the bed when you are ill. 

How Is All This Possible?

Well, most of the time, your cat quickly tells you if you are sick. How? Because your cat has perfect eyesight and can spot when you are sick. Also, medical ailments, such as dizziness and fatigue, are easy to spot for the cat!

Additionally, cats have a stronger sense of smell than humans. Therefore, they possess a better ability to judge the nature of a situation based on its smelling function. 

If your cat catches winds of chemical changes in you or the room, they can try to decipher the situation. Cats are quick to read smells. They know the meaning behind these sudden chemical changes. 

Even when you are sleeping, your cat can detect your health status. Your feline can easily predict if you are not doing well enough. The cat knows it becomes an emergency when your blood pressure is high. So it wakes you up even before that situation turns up. Hence, the feline knows you are sick. Thus it keeps cuddling you constantly. When it acknowledges your sickness, the cat is bound to take good care of you. 

Conclusion

There are countless pieces of evidence and reasons to back up our statements. We have all noticed and experienced personally that cats cuddle more when we are sick. It is not a lie that cats can detect when we are sick. It is more than an observation, almost a fact. That is why we need to accept that our cats are more affectionate toward us when we are not at our best. 

Furthermore, we have mentioned multiple reasons for our cat’s behavior. First, the cats understand the gravity of different situations. Hence, they know what’s the best possible option to make it a better situation. Cats love their owners. They treat them like their parents. Thus, they do not want to take advantage of the opportunity of being there for humans when they need it the most. 

We can’t invalidate the feelings of our cats. But, just like we need to keep our emotions intact, we need to respect the feelings of our cats too. Therefore, if your feline keeps cuddling you when you’re sick, you should hug it back. But, instead of pushing your cat back, you should appreciate the efforts made by your buddy. You should always remember that no one else can love you unconditionally, like your pawed buddy. 

Ahmad Zia

Ahmad is a Media graduate who defines himself as a cinephile. He is a passionate content writer for many top-notch firms, including this one. His immense love for animals stems from a touching movie he watched as a child. Today, Ahmad uses his voice to raise awareness by curating educational blogs about animals - pets and wild alike. You can contact him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-zia-6160b2201.

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