I had absolutely no idea where to put this, so mods if it's in the wrong section feel free to move it.

Does anyone think it's possible that my cat's emotions got projected (not sure if that's the right word for it) onto me?

He doesn't have many friends at all in this house... The other cats hate him, the dogs hate him even more, he's mentally stuffed up from being mistreated by his previous owner so he needs extra special care, but my family haven't acknowledged that and they treat him like our other cats (our other cats are so laid back you can throw them onto your shoulder and they'll just sit and purr), not suitable treatment for this guy at all. In fact I think I'm his only friend here :s

The other day he wasn't himself, seemed pretty depressed and in need of some love. He jumped onto my lap and meowed quite a bit (he NEVER meows), then proceeded to bury his head in my lap. I teared up, and for no reason at all I started to cry. I cried and cried for quite a while, then when the crying died down, the cat jumped off my lap and walked away, back to normal and all.
I found this very strange considering I had had a pretty good day and I was all smiles before this happened.

It's as if he came to me as a shoulder to cry on, and all that he was feeling somehow got projected onto me....
I've always had this sort of 'connection' with cats, I guess that would be why. But it still all seems so strange :|

I was reading this and thinking about perhaps he knows you are much more sympathetic  towards him, and that you needed to cry for him, for how he has been treated in his life, and in doing so it showed him that you care.... cats are very smart and often do things for reasons we can't seem to fathom... but I feel like it was more of the connection you feel to his whole life and not just the life he has had with your family that counts with him. I often cry not for the people who feel certain ways, but for the injustice of it all that lives in my heart. The inability to make it better and to 'help'. I am not saying by any means that you didn't, just this is kinda how I got it.... *smile* Hope it helps some. Take care and keep loving that little sweetie!!

Ah, makes sense Thanks Nyteshadecreed

Your very welcome...

Animals live by instincts and are very psychic.  In order of their sensitivities:  horse, cat (domestic & wild), dog (domestic & wild), monkey, other domesticated animals, then wild animals.

There is a book about Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul with stories of the sensitivities of cats.  Very interesting reading about our furry friends.