How Long Can a Cat Remember a Person?

Tell me, have you had long separations from your cat and how did he greet you afterwards?

They never forget... I rescued a feral kitten when I was about 15. At 18 I left the cat with my folks where he would have a good life and traveled across the country and ended up staying there. I didn't see the cat again for 9 years. The cat recognized me immediately when I called him and wouldn't leave my lap. I took him back home with me where he lived out his final few years. I wish I had more time with him, he was a really cool cat.

As far as I can tell, they remember someone important for their whole lives.

If your significant other makes you choose... keep the cat.

My cat's always come to greet me when I come home. How I love that.

When my mom passed, her cat was taken by my brothers girlfriend. 3 years later she abandoned the cat when she moved. The neighbor contacted my brother who went and picked him up and dropped him off at my sisters. A week later I picked him up and the moment he heard my voice and smelled my hand, he was in my lap. Had that old black cat for another 4 years before he passed. So lucky to have had him back.

I have no respect for anyone who purposely beat or harm their pets.

My father passed away 8 years ago and left behind a cat. I took the cat in and he is very happy to be cared for and petted constantly by my family. But sometimes I unintentionally make the same voice as my father did when I speak. To others, it seems like my father is talking, if my mother is to be believed. However, this cat runs to me every time this happens and looks at me with a "surprised face" even from outside or from the food bowl.

My wife and I have been running a animal rescue out of our house for a couple decades now. I can tell you that when you save a cats life, they become so grateful and believe it or not, loyal. Cats in general are solitary animals and want to be the only pet in the house but when you rescue them and save their lives, that loyalty will spur them to pack up in a big affectionate family. It’s amazing to watch.

Cats are the most amazing animals..Mark Twain said, “Time spent int the company of a cat is never wasted,” he was right of course!

My cat remembered she hated my dad from the time she was a kitten until she died 14 years later. His sin? He picked her up and pet her as a kitten. She greeted him thereafter with a hiss and her paw up and ready to strike. There were gaps of several years between visits, but she still remembered and never forgave him for touching without permission.

A few years ago we found a stray kitten and looked after him for a while until someone who lives a few streets away agreed to adopt him. They kept him as an indoor cat so we didn't see the cat again. One day a couple of years later he must have got out, because I saw the (now adult) cat in the street (he had easily recognisable markings). I called out to him and he sat looking at me for a while, then he made a weird squeaky cry and ran over to me and rubbed madly against me while yowling and purring. They remember.

I lost a cat for 2 years and he just came strolling back one day. It was shortly after we moved with our 2 brother cats. I feared he tried to find the old house and got killed on the streets. After he came back, I surmised he was let in and kept by someone. It's anyone's guess why he came back, but I saw him walking toward me on the front sidewalk one day and called his name. He meowed back and just rejoined the fam like he'd always been there.

Cat owners already know the answer this question. We are quite aware how long a cat can hold a grudge. If they can hold a grudge for a lifetime they can remember a lot for a lifetime.

My husband passed in Aug, of 2023 and my cats still look for him to come in the front door. Even more so if I go out the front door they get in the windows in the front of the house and wait for me to return.

Every summer I go to the same place and stay there for two weeks. I love cats and I am very happy when my neighbours' cats come and visit, I feed them, I pet them if they let me. I go home and do not return for a year. Every time I get out of the car, these cats come and greet me and run to my house. They get to my front door before I do. Cats remember, they have a great memory, not only for their owners!

Many years ago, I moved to a different state, leaving my cat with my sister. Several years later she came to visit, bringing the cat along as a surprise for me (and for the cat it turned out). I was standing in the driveway when they pulled up. The moment she rolled down her window, my cat scrambled across her and out the car window. He climbed up on my shoulders, wrapped himself around my neck like a furry collar, and purred at full volume!😻😍

I know cats do remember. I had a cat that lost a toy that was found about 10 years later. The look in her eyes was priceless. She immediately started to play with her old toy in the same way. It was not the same as she remembered before, but she tried.

I had a kitten if about 1 or 2 years when I was arrested and had to spend about a year away from him. He went back to the lady that I got him from during that time. When I got him back, I found out he had been kept in a room with about 20 other cats and received no human interaction. When I got him back, he hid for the first 2 weeks and hissed at me any time I went near him. Then suddenly one day, out of nowhere, this look that I can only describe as recognition washed over him and he came bounding out of his hiding place and started rubbing all over me, quite aggressively. He pretty much never left me alone after that, it was almost impossible to put him down. He was desperately clingy. And he stayed that way for another year, but then sadly I had to get rid of him due to more legal trouble. This time I opted to find him a permanent new home. It was breaking my heart to be shuffling him around so much. I'll never know what life has been like for him since then, but I hope he's happy in a loving, stable home. EDIT: Thanks for all the support everyone. Means a lot.

We have a tabby whose best friend was our bulldog. They took naps together, played together. It was our cat's habit to greet the dog every morning and every evening at the door. After our dog died, for 6 months our cat went to the door every morning and evening looking for his best friend