The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word TOUCHING
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
T
O
U
C
H
I
N
G
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Pathetic/feeling" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case pathetic/feeling = touching.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does TOUCHING mean?
TOUCHING adjective- Provoking sadness and pity; that can cause sadness or heartbreak among witnesses to a sad event or situation.
- Regarding; concerning.
- The act by which something is touched.
- (in the plural) A snack served with alcoholic drinks in an informal environment.