As you say your final goodbyes, it is time to consider how your feline friend intends to take leave: How do cats say “Good Bye”? This can be puzzling as, unlike humans, cats lack vocal cords and do not express sentiments with words or gestures. However, you can get an idea of how your cat says bye by paying attention to its body language and other subtle signs. Honestly, you can understand your cat’s signals better with the help of a cat translator (whether real or imaginary).
In this article, we will discuss a few ways in which your furry friend might express ‘goodbye’, as well as what those signals might stand for.
Understanding Cat Goodbyes By Body Language
Cat goodbyes can be confusing, but thanks to non-verbal cues, we can understand them. Fortunately, cats are known to communicate using body language, and this is one of the most important things you need to consider when trying to figure out how do cats say “Good Bye”?. All cat goodbyes will use some form of physical expression, whether it’s tail twirling or staring. Every action means something.
Common Body Language Signals
- Tail Flicking: Tail flicking can denote two opposite feelings in cats: irritation or excitement. If the tail is flicking very fast, the cat might be annoyed. However, fast tail flicking may also mean the cat is excited because you are leaving.
- Disengaging: As you leave, cats may simply walk out or turn their backs towards you, which denotes their ability to be self-sufficient. In addition, turning one’s back can communicate one’s level of comfort and trust in the relationship, representing a willingness to say, “I’m not concerned about your absence.”
- Purring: While cats have various reasons to purr, a cat may let out a purr while you are preparing to walk out and this can be a signal that they are glad to witness this separation and want you to know it’s okay for you to go. In this case, the cat is indicating their relaxed state while bidding a “goodbye”.
- Ear Position: Flattened ears on a cat can mean the cat is slightly uncomfortable and uninterested in something. If the ears are in a raised position, they imply that the cat is in a relaxed state and is not displaying aggression, which often signifies a low-key wave of “hello” or “goodbye” devoid of any distress.
Animals tend to convey their thoughts and feelings differently when it comes to humans. These physical movements reveal what your furry feline is going through while you are leaving. Although cats do not have a definite signal as humans do for “Goodbye,” they are capable of showing love and indifference with their actions.
Vocalizations: How Cats Say Goodbye?
It is interesting to take into consideration “how do cats say “Good Bye”?” and what role vocalizations play in answering that question. While you may have cats that do not vocalize at all, there are those that make sounds when you are walking out.
Different Types of Vocalization
- Meowing: As you part, a cat may issue a meow. A meow can denote multiple things. A shorter one may just be a form of saying “goodbye.” It may also mean that the cat is generally curious. An extended meow can suggest some measure of attention-seeking. In this case, it means something along the lines of “please do not go.”
- Chirping or Trilling: Cats usually have this cute vocalization that they use to say hi or show affection towards someone. If your cat chirps or freely trills at you before you leave, it might simply be their way of saying “goodbye.”
- Hissing or Growling: In instances where a cat growls or hisses when you are about to step out, chances are that that was never meant to be an instructional goodbye. It often indicates that one is not happy, is restless or irritated, or even wishes to give a warning. This is an occasion you will need to be aware of their emotional state.
Knowing what your cat sounds like when you leave can inform how you interpret their holistic feeling state. The sound could vary from a low purring to a more abrupt, desperate meow in which their feelings’ intent is equally important.
Behavioral Shifts
Once you leave, there are observable and subtle changes in your cat’s actions that could fill in more details to the question, how do cats say “Good Bye”?
Post-Departure Behavior to Watch
- Sleeping: The cat could settle down for a nap straight away indicating comfort and lack of anxiety towards leaving while also maintaining restraint. This might be their way of saying goodbye, resting within their habitat previously inaccessible to them.
- Following You to the Door: A number of cats would walk alongside their owner to the door as means of saying goodbye, indicating an urge of attachment. So, if the cats do not follow the owner, it may just indicate their self-sufficient nature and lack of concern toward their owner’s absence.
- Expressing Emotion After Leaving: If a cat continues to vocalize even after you’re out of sight, it could mean that either they feel disheartened and wish for your return or they want your attention. It’s apparent they miss you but might not be certain on how to express it.
A cat’s actions after you leave can speak volumes. These changes show their attachment, as well as their coping mechanism around your absence, and try to answer the question: How do cats say “Good Bye”?
Conclusion
So, how do cats say “Good Bye”? While no answer is perfect, it is clear that everyone, cats included, has their own way of bidding farewell. From gestures, hand movements, and glares to changes in behavior, a cat demonstrates its feelings around your departure head in a profoundly intangible manner.
Without a doubt, these signs indicate the kind of emotion that exists between you two and the kind of bond you share. Be it a meek flicking of the tail, or a loud and husky meow, every movement a cat makes is its own peculiar form of saying “Good Bye.”
