When it comes to cat health, you have to pay extra attention and care. Because, unlike humans, cats cannot speak directly to you and address their issues. One common way a cat can safely communicate with you and your household members is through sounds such as meows, hisses, growls, and sighs.
You might be wondering why my cat sighs? One of the most common reasons a cat sigh is because they want to express their feelings to you. Most of the time, your cat’s sigh is not to be taken seriously.
Cats also have emotions and different personalities that affect their ability to communicate with humans and other cats. When cats feel extremely happy and content, they let out a cat sigh to let their fellow owners know that they appreciate them.
Sign of Contentment
You might have noticed that after a long day of your cat playing around with its favorite toys, it will go to its sleeping bed and let out a relaxing sigh before closing its eyes.
You have absolutely nothing to worry about as we humans also sigh when we are feeling tired or satisfied. Some cats sigh more than others, proving the different types of personality cats possess.
Friendly vs. Non-friendly Cat
A more outward and friendlier cat might sigh more to show it is happy being with you, that it feels safe and satisfied. You should tell yourself that there is nothing to worry about when your cat sighs. It is not bad behavior but simply an indirect gesture from your cat, letting you know how it feels.
As you give your cat the required attention and nurturing that it needs, it will get calmer and quieter since it has no pent-up aggression or the constant urge to release its frustrations.
Do Cats Sigh to Show Boredom?
Another thing to be aware of is that your cat sighs due to extreme boredom as well, like when it is feeling left out. Neglecting your cat for a prolonged period will make your cat end up being depressed.
Your cat sighs to let you know it needs a distraction from its boredom. One other way besides your cat sighing is to let out different kinds of meows. Since it needs love and care, you will hear your cat sighs or meows to communicate with you.
If you pay close attention to your cat, you will notice that it tends to not only sigh but also purr, hiss, or meow in a chattering voice to communicate with humans as well as other cats.
Other than that, a cat also sighs upon reaching maturity age. It is most likely looking to mate with another cat during this phase.
Should I Worry About My Cat’s Long Sigh?
Besides the usual cat meowing and purring, if you notice your cat sighs more than usual and longer than what you would expect from a cat, then you should start paying more attention to it and observe any behavioral changes.
Most of the time, cats are kept in an environment where there are heavy fumes of smoke, causing their lungs to eventually tire out and end up suffering from lung disease.
The same goes for cigarettes humans smoke, which contain carcinogens harmful to cats’ lungs. Even though their lung structure is similar to a human’s, they are still susceptible and fragile against these carcinogens.
If you hear your cat sighs longer than usual, you should take it to the vet for proper examination. If the vet confirms it has lung disease, a chest tube will be put in its lungs for 12-24 hours. Your cat will not be allowed to play until its breathing rate returns to normal.
What to Do if My Cat Has Lung Disease?
As mentioned above, it is possible that your cat sighs out of boredom, or to show signs of comfort and safety. However, if you notice your cat sighs more than usual and is followed by other symptoms such as soaring skin, loss of appetite, anorexia, bleeding when urinating, or frequent vomiting, then you should bring it to a vet at once.
The vet will quickly examine your cat’s heart rate, oxygen rate in inspired and expired air, as well as any sounds that may come from the lungs. After that, your vet might suggest that you or anyone who usually smokes near the cat either quit or find someplace else to smoke.
Other than that, your vet will prescribe medicines for your cat and recommend regular check-ups to ensure the cat’s condition is not worsening.
Conclusion
Raising a pet such as a cat comes with great responsibility where you need to fulfill all its needs. Unlike humans, cats cannot speak directly to you; however, they tend to communicate in various ways.
Hopefully, by now, you have understood that the main reason cats sigh is to let you know that they are content, that they feel safe and happy. But, you need to pay attention to your cat to notice anything unusual, like more frequent and longer cat sighs.
