It sometimes seems like cats can stare into your soul, discerning every part of your character and personality. Is this true, though? Are cats a good judge of character, and can they sense evil in a person?

Few creatures are as cautious in who they trust as the humble kitty-cat. These fluffy little devils are unbelievably cute and cuddly and love nothing more than to bestow upon you their trust and affection.

Yet, they are very careful with how they hand out that love, and it can seem that they take a true judgment of character before making decisions. So, can cats sense evil in a person?

Cats are excellent judges of character, but probably not in the way that you are expecting. Yes, your cat will take a reading of whether it likes you or not based on your mood, your behavior, and your general temperament. What it can't do, however, is sense some deep and dark pit at the bottom of your soul.

These fluffy things aren't psychic, no matter how much you may want that to be true. They are simply good at observing behaviors and developing opinions based on those behaviors. There is no "vibe" check except those based on prior experiences.

A cat might, for example, be afraid of big and bulky workmen in high-visibility jackets because there was a renovation done at home, and it traumatized and scared the poor little thing. This fear may then move on to other big men, despite the kitty being completely fine around female strangers.

It will likely come as no surprise, of course, that cats simply possess no concept of morality. They don't know what is "good" and what is "bad" in a metaphorical sense, but they do know what they like and what they don't like. These little tidbits of knowledge are what shape their behaviors and habits.

Ultimately, while a cat is good at developing strong negative or positive opinions of a person and is, therefore, a good judge of character, it is not as black and white as it may otherwise seem. After all, serial killers can have cats, too!

No, cats cannot "sense evil" in someone, as that is simply not a concept they understand, and they are also not psychic. In much the same way that no human can psychically link with another and determine whether that other person is evil or not, a cat is incapable of doing that same thing. It just simply won't ever happen, as it is impossible.

Seeing as they aren't real, no, cats cannot see ghosts or spirits. These are simply superstitions that have no bearing on reality and are based on a variety of unprovable claims and anecdotes. Do not worry about adopting a cat because you think it'll be seeing spirits and bringing ghosts into your home to haunt you – neither exist, so neither will come, and nothing will happen.

Yes, cats can detect changes in somebody's mood and have been known to respond to them. Bizarrely, for creatures so aloof and sometimes distant, these fluffy little dudes are very good at perceiving people's moods and will often change their behavior based on it.

It is very common for cats to come and spend time with people who are crying or visibly upset. This is not because they understand that a person is sad, but it is simply because they are extremely observant creatures that will notice the body posture and behavioral changes of a person whose mood is changing over time.

In a sad person, these behavioral changes see people physically change and show signs such as crying, poor posture, and more. The cat will also notice that a person is withdrawn, spending time alone, or generally seems uninterested in the world around them. This is what will cause a cat to react, despite it having no concept or understanding of "happy" or "sad."

Cats are not creatures of magic and devilry – after all, there is no such thing. Instead, they are intelligent creatures that can detect emotional changes and get quite skittish sometimes. There's nothing to worry about – and, no, cats can't "sense evil" in people.