My friend Ellen assures me that pets feel the emotion of their owners and react.
Okay, I accept that about dogs. Our Pepper would run whenever she thought George and I were about to argue because she could feel the tension between us. Many a fight ended before it started because we laughed when she took off down the hall. Our Dreamer would get on my lap and quiver when I cried. She never did any other time.
But cats? Ellen assures me they do and I might believe her now.
We have two incredibly spoiled tuxedo cats (I may have mentioned them before). Maggie hasn’t slept with us for years and Scooter only bothered George at night. But during the last weeks of George’s latest and last illness, both cats slept with me. It wasn’t a matter of there being more space on the bed. They cuddled with me. Scooter used my legs as a pillow and Maggie slept against my side. This lasted for two weeks after George died when they quit. 
So what do you think? Did the cats pick up on my sadness and worry? Were they comforting me? I think so. I believe they were using their warm little bodies to keep me warm, to keep me company. It helped.
And here’s a picture of Kansas State’s Rodney McGrudder
I know my kitties can tell when I don’t feel well, whether it’s a physical ailment or mental anguish after a really bad day. They all come and sleep right beside me; one on my head, one on my right side and the other on my left side. They will occasionally leave for potty breaks or water breaks or to munch more kitty kibble but then come right back to be with and comfort their mom. I call them my “hospital cats”.
This is from my cat-expert friend who knows this stuff. Thank you, Ellen!
I am a Cat Person (AKA Crazy Cat Lady) and absolutely they do. I had a new kitten on 9-11. I’d rescued him from school the week before–he was just wandering around the halls, lol. He was playful and spastic, like kittens are. But on that terrible day when I couldn’t stop crying, he stayed right with me and let me hug him and pet him and take comfort from him.
What a wonderful story, dear crazy cat lady. How lovely he was there.
Jane, I honestly don’t know about cats, but I’ll give you another dog example. After I read this post, I was reading your previous post about what to say or not to say to someone who is grieving. I was crying silently as I read it. Suddenly I felt a nudge and looked down. There was my dog, sticking his head onto my lap.
Mary–when we decided to retire to an apartment, we allowed our dogs to die off–3 geriatric and much loved cockers–and replaced them with much loved cats. But I miss our dogs so much. Isn’t your dog sweet. And many hugs for whatever made you cry.
Dear Janey, I am checking a backlog of creative blogs to see how you are doing. Now I know you have comfort from cuddly cats as well as compassionate friends. “Win one for George” was our battle cry during the Final Four. Your writing still inspires and charms. You are a treasure and we need what you have to say, whether in novels, testimony or…this enjoyable blog site!
How very lovely of you! Of course, I know that you are always lovely. Thank you. I do have wonderful friends who have been to supportive. Thanks also for cheering for our Cards! They were great, weren’t they?