Can Cats See Ghosts?

Do animals, such as cats, have extrasensory perception?

Can Cats See Ghosts?Some wonder, "Can cats see ghosts?"

This is due in part to many pet owners having witnessed their animals, especially cats, interacting with things that are not visible to the human eye.

So are cats able to see ghosts? Some of the unnerving accounts we've received of felines battling the unseen or alertly monitoring something invisible would seem to indicate so.

Animals Are Alert to 'One' Energy

Any true observer of animals will know that what some may believe to be soul-less beasts are actually intelligent creatures, adept at communicating even without a language similar to our own. But animals do communicate quite well. For example, they may use sounds, body language and reactions to 'speak' extremely well.

Beyond physical communication, animals such as cats, also seem to share a connection with each other that is best described as an awareness of 'life force' energy. This energy connects all of us, animals and everything. It is tangible, though most seem unaware of its presence.

Animals of all sorts seem to 'know' things, an uncanny connection that disbelievers are too quick to dismiss. The animal kingdom is not unintelligent by any stretch of the imagination (double-negative used for emphasis!). Animals are in touch with this 'one' energy that is highly intelligent. Call it sixth sense.

It is this form of sixth sense, much of the animal kingdom possesses, that possibly allows them to be more in-tune with the invisible world; and cats are extremely capable of being aware of what is happening within their environment. How many pet owners have witnessed their dog or cat seeing something that frightens it? Almost every cat owner can tell the tale of their beloved kitty having its hair stand up on its back while hissing and spitting at seemingly thin air.

What causes this? Can cats see ghosts? Yes.

Stories About Cats and Ghosts

Ghost stories would indicate that cats are very perceptive of both the physical and spiritual realms. There are many accounts of cats seeing ghosts, and the following are just a couple of the them. One gentleman, who live alone, resides in a very active, older home. It is not uncommon for people to experience contact from ghosts while there. One day he noticed his new cat sitting on the stairs gazing at something he simply could not see. Becoming quite hysteric, the cat began swiping its claws through the air in an attempt to defend itself. Yet, the threat the cat perceived was seemingly non-existent. One must ask, 

"What would make a cat become frightened to the point of engaging in self-defense, other than the ghost of a person or animal?"

Another ghost story concerning a cat tells of the pet's owner observing the kitty gaze at their home's stairs. What was unnerving was the fact the cat's eyes and head would follow something invisible move up, then down the staircase. The cat also would intently watch a certain spot on the ceiling of a room, and one day the pet and its owner found out why. Both of them heard heavy, stomping boots of a man walking across the upstairs floor directly above the spot on the ceiling. The cat could sense this long before the footsteps were ever heard audibly.

In Egypt, cats were regarded as gods. Cats were truly to be considered sacred animals, some being deified, while many were mummified. Could it be that Egyptians knew of the animal's unique perception of the spirit world? Perhaps, to the people of ancient Egypt cats provided earthly glimpses of the unseen realm.


It should be noted that cats, after the death of their physical body, have also been known to visit their earthly (both animal and human) friends. There are many tales of former pets still being heard within the home, or a bodily depression being made on a favorite sleeping spot, such as a bed. A couple cat ghost stories come to mind in particular. The haunted Fairport Harbor Lighthouse in northern Ohio has its share of witnesses seeing the ghost of a cat. The cat, described as a gray puff of smoke, has been observed within the lighthouse's home. A former caretaker's wife had once kept many cats in the house while ill. Many years later, the mummified remains of a cat were found in a wall during some repair work. Did they find the body of the ghostly feline?

Wanda of the Angels & Ghosts Forum shared an intriguing story of her ghost cat experience. She had good confirmation that her beloved cat was indeed with her:

"My cat, Babette was a blue Persian. I had always wanted a Persian, as they are such sweet cats. Anyway, I got Babette from a breeder. She was a polydactyl (six toes on the front paws, seven on each back paw). She was really descended from Hemingway cats in Key West. However, Babette had very small kidneys and went into failure when she was 4 years old. My Mom was upset, as Babette adored her. Soon after, we had to have "Babby" put down. I woke up often, feeling her big paws kneading my back as she always did, and heard her purr. They don't call them 'Purr-sians' for nothing. She had the biggest purr ever. I felt like (the phenomena was caused by) just being half asleep and memory. My Mom called me a couple of weeks after Babby was put down. She said, 'I still feel her jumping on the bed with those big feet. And I hear that big purr!!' I just told my Mom that Babby loved her and was checking on her."

More Reading About Animals and Ghosts: 
Animal Ghost Stories
Can Dogs See Ghosts?