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can cats see ghosts?

thanks to their super-sensitive ears and detail-rich eyesight, cats are able to see and hear things humans can't.

by robin roberts

oct 26 2022

5 minute read

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many studies have shown cats can tell when we are sad or angry. getty

if you have ever noticed a cat fixate on the wall above your head, or suddenly whirl around to stare intently down a hallway, you would be forgiven for getting the heebie-jeebies. is fluffy seeing something you’re not? like a ghost, perhaps?

you wouldn’t be alone in suspecting your four-legged friend just might be imbued with mystical powers. a certain sect of buddhism believed that after you die, if you are holy enough, your soul will slip into a cat where it will nestle until the cat dies, at which point your spirit will drift up to paradise. ancient egyptians, believing felines were magical and connected to various deities , saw the animal as sacred.

but how much of this is true, and how much is pure superstition? while no one can be certain, since cats steadfastly refuse to talk to us, experts maintain this kind of behaviour is more grounded in the natural than the supernatural.

super senses keep cats on high alert

“compared to humans, many of cats’ sensory abilities are super heightened,” says dr. jacklyn ellis, phd, director of behaviour at the toronto humane society , and author of two chapters in the book animal behavior for shelter veterinarians and staff . because they have special layers in their eyes that reflect light, cats see six times better in low light than humans, which helps them detect prey. “they’re also better at detecting changes in light and movement, and they can see ultraviolet light spectrum, which can reveal things we simply can’t see.”

they also have better depth perception and can focus on movement for long stretches because they don’t need to blink to lubricate their peepers (they have a third eyelid, the nictitating membrane, which maintains eye film).

cats can also hear one-and-a-half to three times more frequencies than we can, including high pitches that even a dog can’t hear, and they can swivel their ears independently like satellite dishes to pinpoint where those sounds are coming from.

they can even hear sounds emitting from household appliances and electronic devices that we can’t, which is why some vets recommend turning off any devices you are not using, or keep a device-free room for your cat to escape to.

so rather than ogling a phantom floating above your head, your perceptive puss may in fact be hearing water moving through pipes or, worse, bugs or rodents in the wall. “my cats started really paying attention to the walls in one specific spot in my house,” says ellis. “it turned out i had squirrels in my walls, and i was able to get the problem dealt with before it got too expensive. so sometimes those fixated stares can be really helpful.”

ellis says if your cat is on high alert constantly, however, it could be a sign of stress. she suggests increasing the enrichment in your home and your interaction with your family feline, as well as keeping routines as regulated and stable as possible. a continuous high alert state may also signal a medical issue, so it is a good idea to have your kitty assessed by a vet.

good vibrations

little cat feet are super-sensitive and can detect vibrations in the ground. “there’s lots of evidence to show cats can detect geologic vibrations and barometric pressure changes that are imperceptible to humans, at least without complicated and sensitive technology,” says ellis. “so they could, theoretically, predict earthquakes or weather changes.”

their whiskers and fur can also detect changes in air currents, determine the width of an enclosed space, and sense the location of prey. “they have fewer distractions than us, so they just may be paying more attention to their surroundings and are more likely to notice subtle changes and instinctively react accordingly.”

that apparition drifting down the hall? likely dust motes or changes in light patterns.

mood blues

many studies have shown cats can tell when we are sad or angry.

“i think it makes sense,” says ellis. “if a person is really excitable and frantic, a cat might be less likely to engage with them, unless it’s a really playful cat. if a person is sad and maudlin, that person might be more calm and stay in one spot, and cats may be more likely to approach and cuddle. it’s likely our bodies exude different pheromones in those states, and cats can certainly pick up on that.”

other experts point to evidence that cats will often react to the tone of our voice, and will comfort us when we are sad or crying.

can cats predict when you are going to die?

several years ago, oscar the hospice cat snagged worldwide attention when he was seemingly able to predict the demise of patients at the steere house nursing and rehabilitation center in providence , rhode island. as the house therapy cat, oscar was charged with comforting the residents, many of whom had dementia. when he started spending extra time with those whose passing was imminent, staff suspected he had prophetic powers.

“one death occurred, then two deaths, and ultimately he hit about 20 or 30 deaths in a row,” said dr. david dosa, a geriatrician at the centre. some people started calling oscar the angel of death, or simply angel, for his eerie link to the hereafter. dosa was so amazed he authored a book about the spooky cat called making rounds with oscar .

ellis’ theory is more pragmatic. “my guess is that the human’s body was exuding signs that something was changing,” she says of oscar. “it’s very likely that he was simply sensing chemicals that the human body releases when it’s dying. to me, the real question isn’t can he sense or predict when people are about to die, but why would he choose to stay with these patients? is it because there’s something in the smells themselves that are by their nature appealing? or is it just due to their novelty — ‘it’s a new smell, so i’ll go smell that.’

“it doesn’t seem to be a widespread phenomenon among all hospice cats, so i would ask, what’s happening to oscar when he does spend time on these beds? is he being positively reinforced, as in ‘i sit on this bed and then i get a treat, or extra snuggles’? or is it a sign [he’s a] compassionate animal?”

oscar himself died earlier this year at the age of 17, and it’s worth wondering if he himself had a heads-up.

the haunting question remains

maybe we’ll never know the answer to whether cats have a connection to the afterlife, but the question remains — thanks to earthly beings with an active imagination.

“i think what really helps to keep the theories of cats being linked to the supernatural is this feedback loop that’s [reinforced] in popular culture,” says ellis. “there’s the cat familiar in sabrina the teenage witch, cbc’s cat and ghost game, the black cat in hocus pocus , and many more examples. the idea perpetuates.”

so if you see a black cat cross your path this halloween, or if one jumps up on your bed when you’re sick, or stares inexplicitly at the wall, what should you do?

“pet it,” says ellis.

or call pest control.

robin roberts is a vancouver-based writer.

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robin roberts

can cats see ghosts?