People notice that when they're feeling down, their dog will often come to them, put its head on their knee, and appear to offer comfort. Is this empathy? They do sense when we are down (or most any other mood we have), but again we do not know what's in their head. We must be careful not to project our emotions onto them.
Do dogs feel fear, panic, or grief? Yes, they appear to display these emotions, but probably not the same way we do. They are most likely to experience “isolation distress,” given that they are social critters. They often don't feel safe alone—especially if they had an abandonment episode as a puppy. They feel distress mostly in the moment, but it can turn to long-term anxiety, if it's repeated. Cats—having descended from an African wildcat—are solitary creatures. They are not as social as dogs and do not need the comfort of closeness, as do dogs.
A big question we humans often have about dogs is, what is their sense of time? There is a belief that if a dog is home alone for an hour or six hours, that it cannot tell the difference. Once again, we cannot get inside their head to be sure, but their response to the passage of time is based more upon the routine that they experience. If a dog is left alone—outside its daily routine—it may panic, after some time has passed. This response seems to be tied to their gradual loss of your scent.
Dogs do have an exquisite sense of timing when it comes to their being fed. If feeding time is very regular, their digestive system will sync with that schedule, and they will know when a meal is due—almost to the minute. Cats are more content to be on their own. They want to be aware of their owner's presence, but they rarely long for absent owners, the way dogs do.
How good is the memory of a dog or cat? That's a hard one to test. Traumatic experiences are remembered. Dogs especially settle into a routine, that seems as if it's driven by memory. Cats and dogs retain memories—but they are primarily episodic in nature. They retain memories that help them to keep away from trouble or that help them to gain an advantage, but we have little understanding as to their long-term memories.
Do dogs feel rage? They have the same mammalian limbic system that we do, so they have the same four responses to a threat: (1) fight, (2) flight, (3) fawn, or (4) freeze; and those behaviors can be readily observed. What causes them to choose to fight? Fear is the driver, and they show it by panting, lowering their tail, and laying their ears back. Different breeds respond differently.
What do dogs and cats seek in life? Dogs are focused on (1) somewhere to live, (2) something to do (especially working breeds), (3) someone to get close to, and (4) something to look forward to (although they seem to have little concept of the future). Cats share some of these same needs, but mostly they appear to want just to be safe and happy.
Researchers have been able to learn more about the feelings and emotions of dogs than cats, because a dog can be placed in a laboratory setting and will cooperate with activities there. They have even been trained to lie still inside a noisy MRI machine, as their brains are being scanned… no way with cats. Cats are territorial and self-possessed (even rather imperious). They are not likely to cooperate in a lab—away from home. Cats follow their own nature. The ancient Egyptians responded to the lordly attitude of cats by worshipping them.
So those are some of the results of current research of emotions of dogs and cats. We may not be able to talk with them about their emotions, but scientific studies are breaking into new territory that is increasingly delving into the minds of our four-footed friends. The results of these studies can help us verify some of our beliefs about their thoughts and emotions, as well as help us to discard our erroneous impressions. That will help us to better understand these critters—and understanding is a main pillar of love. The more we understand each other, the better we can focus our care—which leads to healthier relationships.
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