In this Q&A, I’m breaking down a very specific (and honestly pretty common) cat vocalization: Ella carries her stuffed “woobie” around the house and yowls when her people leave, go downstairs, or turn out the lights. The big point here is that this behavior can mean a lot of things, and I’m not going to diagnose your cat off a minute of footage. But the pattern Jennifer describes—those moments of you being “gone” or inaccessible—throws up a real separation anxiety flag for me. So I walk you through how to get clearer proof: set up a camera and watch what happens 10–15 minutes after you leave. If you see pacing and vocalizing kick in quickly, you’re getting a strong indication you’re dealing with separation anxiety. From there, I talk about practical steps: don’t turn it into a call-and-response by repeatedly asking “what’s wrong,” mix up your leaving routines so the “keys/shoes/suitcase” cues don’t set her off, and use puzzle toys to give her something else to do while you’re transitioning out of the room. And if you’ve tried the basics and it’s still intense, I’m a big believer in taking it seriously—loop in your vet, because medication can be part of a real treatment plan when needed.