I haven't been feeling well today, and Ozzy the dog has been extra cuddely, acting like a teddy bear keeping me company. He isn't normally like this, especially if I am in on my own with him in the day, he tends to want to go walking instead. ;)
When I occasionally feel down, Rhia my horse becomes very gentle and cuddly. She puts her head in my arms, and "listens" to my problems. If I'm wound up she acts differently to other times too.

I have picked two examples here, but it could be true for any emotion, like when I'm happy and hyper, so is Ozzy. :D

I know it has been recognised that certain animals can pick up on people being scared, has it been recognised that they can pick up on ALL feelings and emotions?

I believe that animals know how to use this "ability" better than humans, due to us forgetting how to act like animals. It could be mostly in the body language. With horses I suppose that is very likely as they read body language so intuitivley. But what about others? dogs? cats? smaller pets for e.g? I used to have lizards that seemed to pick up on things too.

So what do you think? Can our pets sense when we aren't feeling ourselves? How? Or do you think I have had too much time on my hands to think about this today? :help:

I think they can for sure. As an animal they can't speak as such but put more focus onto "body language" so thats maybe how they know

Just a guess :D

I think they can, I can't explain it, but my cats do it quite a lot. I was very upset the other week, and my normally bouncy hyper kitten laid on my chest all night in bed instead of teasing the guinea pigs:o

Doesn't sound like much, but it's a big deal, very unlike her, annoying piggies is her favourite hobby:)

Animals tend to live longer in happy homes than in others its been proven somewhere I'd have to search it out tomorrow

My lovely cat Merlin was incredibly empathic- you could never cry by yourself in my house when she was there. I don't know how she did it, but it wasn't just me that she did it with- any visitor was fair game on the empathy side too.

I know lots of friends who have dogs and horses who have become incredibly protective and close to them whilst they have been pregnant, and a couple of tom cats who have been very very aware (and not always in a good way) of whether women are premenstrual and weepy.

I assume that a certain amount of it is due to hormones that make us smell different, but as for exactly how the animals convert that into knowing what to do in human emotion terms, but there are also animals who don't have a clue about what to do!

My lovely cat Merlin was incredibly empathic- you could never cry by yourself in my house when she was there. I don't know how she did it, but it wasn't just me that she did it with- any visitor was fair game on the empathy side too.

I know lots of friends who have dogs and horses who have become incredibly protective and close to them whilst they have been pregnant, and a couple of tom cats who have been very very aware (and not always in a good way) of whether women are premenstrual and weepy.

I assume that a certain amount of it is due to hormones that make us smell different, but as for exactly how the animals convert that into knowing what to do in human emotion terms, but there are also animals who don't have a clue about what to do!

I have heard about the pregnancy thing before. It's a bit strange. :loopy: I suppose there are a lot of things we don't undersatand about the way their brains work.
I never thought about the hormones/smell side of things. That is a good point.

It's funny, when I'm actually really poorly, my dogs are really comforting, Takara decides walks aren't that important afterall and they both just take up the opportunity to sit on the sofa and cuddle.

When I'm feeling down and not that well but not actually really poorly Takara just winds me up constantly until I take her out and, 9 times out of 10 it makes me feel better when I go out with her! :lol:

edit to add: one of the cats couldn't care less, the other cat is lovely - she comes and pushes her head across your face when you've been crying!

my cats got sooooo clingy and needy when i was pregnant it was almost unbelievable - i had a rotten pregnancy, and they both (one boy, one girl) determined to share as much of the unpleasantness as possible. i felt so horrid about losing interest in them for several months after the baby was born (it was a hard time, to put it mildly), but they seem to have forgiven me now and just about returned to normal (babybabychickens is now a year old).

My bunny (yes, my bunny) is really supportive when I feel ill. I get really bad pains in my back at times and she always sits on my back when I lay on the floor, acting as a hot water bottle that's furry and cuddly.

She shows her feelings very well - when she wants a hug she comes to me, when she doesn't she hides in her 'house' (underneath a blue plastic stool she likes to reside under). We have 5 cats aswell at the minute, and they are all affectionate and lovely.

Oh, does my other half class as a pet? I don't think she does, but either way, she knows when I'm upset aswell :hihi:

My gang are great if either of us are unwell- they sense when peace n quiet are needed and give lots of love n hugs - even the drama-queen attention-deficit dobermutt knows to be quiet and not keep pacing back n forth to b let out for a wee, when I'm feeling rotten (I have occasional migraines that are debilitating if not caught in time).

What better medicine than the unconditional love of a good critter or two (or several)

No better medicine, I was sent home from work with a migraine on Friday, and I laid on the couch all afternoon (I would've gone to bed but I was so poorly and feeling so sick even the gorgeous smell of freshly cleaned out pigs were making me heave:o) and April the manic kitty laid next to my tummy allllll afternoon:love: I felt miles better when I woke up:D

When I have a migraine and am "out for the count", my dog lies on top of me and guards me for hours & hours. I am not aware of this at the time as I become completely unresponsive but my husband has told me what happens and how nothing will get her to move. She behaves differently if I am just asleep and I wonder how she can tell the difference. When you read about dogs who can detect cancer in humans it makes you realise how amazing animals are.

I dont doubt some of the more intellegent animals might respond to changes in peoples behaviour (and smell - hormones). Especially animals that are naturally group animals (packs of dogs, herds(?) of horses etc).

Anyone care to comment if the ultimate selfish creature, cats, respond in the same way?

While I'm sure my rats pick it up - I'm not sure they really care, so long as they get fed! :suspect:

If you read my first post ^^^^ right up there, my major source of sympathy snuggles came from one of my cats. She was a special girly and left a big hole in my life when she finally gave in to kidney and heart problems.

There is no crying allowed in our house. If you dare to cry you get headbutted by the dog, licked until you are dripping in slobber, deafened by the awful whining she does, until finally you just have to laugh at her looking and acting so stupid at which point she goes and fetches one of her toys :hihi:. For you to play with of course :roll:

There is no crying allowed in our house. If you dare to cry you get headbutted by the dog, licked until you are dripping in slobber, deafened by the awful whining she does, until finally you just have to laugh at her looking and acting so stupid at which point she goes and fetches one of her toys. For you to play with of course

:hihi: :hihi: I think you live with my dog!

Exactly the same! It's impossible to cry with all that going on - you are instantly reduced to giggles (whilst keeping your lips screwed tight shut incase he manages to get a sneaky tongue in your mouth :gag::gag:)

And what is it about the toys?! :loopy: I think its because they make him happy so he thinks they'll make me happy?


When I'm ill or hungover :blush: he's always really gentlye and snuggly around me and doesn't seem to want a walk :love::)