With humans going to work or school every day, spending time with friends, and doing activities outside the home, our cats can get lonely — even if they are known for being solitary creatures.
随着人类每天上班或上学，与朋友共度时光，以及在户外进行活动，我们独自在家的猫可能会变得孤独——虽然它们也以孤傲而闻名。

What are the tell-tale signs of a lonely cat?
一只孤独的猫会有什么迹象？

Specific changes in behavior, such as irregular sleeping, grooming, or eating habits might indicate that your cat is lonely. However, these changes in behavior can also be associated with other problems your cat might have – so don’t automatically assume and always consult with your vet about sudden changes in behavior or habits.
行为变化，如睡眠、梳毛或饮食等不规律，表明您的猫可能很孤独。但是，这些行为变化也可能是猫遇到了其他问题——所以，如果猫咪的行为或习惯突然发生变化，不要想当然，要经常咨询兽医。

Veterinaries and experts like Samantha Bell: Cat Expert for Best Friends Animal Society agree there are specific signs that can indicate a lonely cat. Here are some indicators your cat may be lonely.
兽医和专家一致认为，某些特定的迹象可以表明一只猫孤独。以下是猫咪感到孤独的一些表现。

• Decrease in Energy 缺乏活力
  • A large indicator that your cat is lonely would be a decreased shift in their energy, meaning they have a lack of interest in playing, don’t want to move, and sleep more than usual.
    猫孤独的一个重要迹象是精力减退，它们不再喜欢玩耍，不想动弹，而且睡得比平时更多。
• Destructive Behavior & Litter Box Issues 破坏性行为和猫砂盒问题
  • A classic sign of distress among cats includes destructive behaviors such as clawing up furniture, knocking objects over, or peeing/pooping outside the litter box.
    猫咪痛苦的典型表现包括破坏性行为，如抓家具、撞倒物体或在猫砂盒外撒尿/大便。
• Clingy or Needy Behavior 非常粘人
  • If your cat generally won’t leave you alone when you get home from work or school, it could mean that you are not giving your pet enough social interaction.
    当您下班或放学回家后，猫一直粘着你，这可能意味着您没有给它足够的社交互动。
• Change in Grooming Habits (or lack thereof) 梳毛习惯改变
  • If you notice your cat looks messy, like they haven’t been cleaning themselves thoroughly enough (matts in the fur, cling-ons, etc.), this could be a sign that they are distressed.
    如果您发现猫咪看起来很脏，好像没有彻底清洁自己（毛皮上有粘着物等），这说明它们现在很苦恼。
• Excessive Weight Gain or Loss 体重过度增加或减少
  • If you notice your cat does not eat as much as they usually do or that they’re always asking for more food, this might be a sign that your cat is trying to tell you it is feeling sad.
    如果您注意到猫不像平时那样吃得多，或者他们总是要求更多的食物，这可能表明猫咪试图告诉您它感到很难过。
• Changes in Sleeping Habits 睡眠习惯改变
  If you notice that your cat sleeps longer than what is considered normal, they might be feeling depressed.
  如果您注意到猫咪睡眠时间比正常时间长，它们可能正感到沮丧。

What can you do to help your cat?
你能为猫咪做些什么？

The first thing you can do to help your cat is to make sure there are no environmental stressors in your house. These might include unexpected people, new smells, a dirty litter box, mirrors, a non-safe sleeping space, and outdoor distractions.
您可以做的第一件事，确保猫咪在家中没有受到环境压力的困扰，包括意想不到的人、新气味、脏猫砂盒、镜子、危险的睡眠空间和户外干扰。

Secondly, a great way to make your cat feel like it is not alone – especially when you are away from your home – is to drown out any loud noises, like cars honking or trucks driving by, by playing some soothing music or nature program on TV. These sounds can help relax your cat and give it some entertainment while you are not there.
其次，让你的猫感觉它并不孤单的好方法，尤其是当你不在家的时候，是通过播放一些舒缓的音乐或自然类节目来淹没任何吵闹的噪音，如汽车鸣笛或卡车驶过。这些声音可以帮助猫咪放松，给它一些娱乐。

Another way to make your cat feel less lonely is to increase their cognitive function throughout the day. This can be done with interactive toys that prompt them to use their problem-solving skills. A great example is a treat-dispensing toy that the cat has to solve before being rewarded. This will also help regulate their sleep patterns, as they will tire themselves out during the day and sleep more at night.
另一种让你的猫感觉不那么孤独的方法是提高它们全天的认知能力。通过互动玩具提升他们解决问题的技能，如食物分配玩具，让猫咪思考如何解决问题才能获得的食物。这也将有助于调节他们的睡眠模式，因为白天疲惫不堪，晚上才睡得更香。

Finally, the best possible way to cure your cat’s loneliness is to get them a feline friend. When I noticed that Bandit was very depressed and not wanting to play at all, I convinced my family to get another kitten. Immediately there was a difference in his behavior. He started to play, ran around the house, and bonded with our new kitten Cosmo.
最后，治愈猫咪孤独感的最好方法是给他们找到同伴。当你注意到猫咪非常沮丧根本不想玩时，再养一只小猫，它的行为就发生变化。它就会开始玩，在房子里跑来跑去，与新来的小猫成为好朋友。

So, while cats are inherently independent creatures who stick to themselves, they can also get very lonely and need a friend to cheer them up.
虽然猫是天生独立的动物，它们会坚持自我，但也会变得非常孤独，此时需要朋友让它们振作起来。