Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Trudy on January 14, 2011 at 2:19pm

I love watching my dogs chase each other in the snow, and I'd love to see Endo chasing Eve, not to mention Eve bopping Endo on the head. Chasing is good; so is inter-species bonding. Endo is clearly an all-purpose alerter with high level emotions. Cats have the social emotions, too, but do a good job of trying to conceal them!

Permalink Reply by GinaY on January 14, 2011 at 10:34pm

The evening the home vet came and laid Song to her final rest, Thunder, Hope, Spirit, Foxy, Hailey, and Jordan howled for hours. Even the cats joined in by rubbing up against the dogs trying to comfort them.

Permalink Reply by Trudy on January 15, 2011 at 11:46am

I'm sure that our dogs and cats find comfort from their friends to be important in recovering from grief, just like people. Thanks for writing about it.

Permalink Reply by lotsofshots on January 15, 2011 at 7:33am

Suri, my Coonhound, was a rescue dog that was found abandoned. sick and thin. She was nursed back to health in the rescue and learned to interact with other dogs there. Every weekend about thirty or so of the dogs would be loaded into a truck with their fosters and volunteers and make thier way to PetSmart with the rescue, sometimes traveling for a couple hours at a time to get to the adoption event. Suri had problems in that she was not leash trained and had been "returned" a few times for that reason. Coonhounds have traits that need special understanding but anyway, she was used to the PetSmart drill and going with her doggie friends to meet the humans and sometimes go home with them. She had been fostered right before I got her and that was another change for her, so many situations, life with dogs, life with strangers and life with loving fosters, mixed with memories of being wild when abandoned.

A couple of weeks ago we took her back to PetSmart for some booster shots and the dogs from the rescue were there! She was shivering with emotion and though she is aloof in nature, she was elated to see her friends and be in the place where so many good experiences had taken place. We let he thoroughly enjoy the place and gave her plenty of time to stay. but when it was time to leave she would have nothing to do with it. She actually sat down and would not move at the door! We had to coax her with treats to get her to leave the building. I know that Suri was experiencing memories and that she was "happy" and had not forgotten her past experiences with her pup friends and all the attention and hugs and treats that went along with the showings. He body language and expressions were joyful and happy, then recalcitrant when faced with the prospect of leaving. Those were obvious and true emotions. That is why dogs have tails, body language and voices and the reason why they talk, with barks and cries and sights. They are letting you know how they feel and they are aware of your emotions too, I believe, Lots.

Permalink Reply by Trudy on January 15, 2011 at 12:05pm

Wonderful story, really kind of exciting. With that background, Suri is bound to be truly grateful and especially bonded to you. I'm sure she knows she was rescued. Our dogs have dog friendships developed at sports training classes, which makes all their lives more complete, but their friendships don't have the same intensity that Suri feels. I absolutely agree, "Those were obvious and true emotions".

Permalink Reply by catlover on January 15, 2011 at 11:58am

That's a beautiful story about Suri, lots. I do believe that animals have feelings and emotions. They definitely remember going to the vet ( not necessarily a pleasant experience ) and don't like going in the car because of it. My current feline companions are pretty laid back and don't show too much emotion other than a soft rub against my leg.

Permalink Reply by MissKitka on January 15, 2011 at 2:55pm

Trudy,

Absolutely animals are very emotional. I have always lived with cats and even though many people see them as independent and standoffish this is far from the truth when a person opens their minds and accept them as intelligent and caring. My previous cat friend Hairy actually saved my life twice and then years later became diabetic and I had to shoot him twice a day. He truly was very special and I respected him like any human. He was 22 years old when he died but I will never forget him. The last few years he became deaf and I taught him 20 signs which he understood well. All animals have emotions and all we have to do is observe carefully and give them the chance they need to prove it.
Don

Permalink Reply by Trudy on January 16, 2011 at 9:42am

Hi Don. Hairy was a remarkable cat, and I'm really impressed with your story of his life and that he was able to save your life, twice. I agree that feline intelligence and emotions are right there for us to observe, if only we give them a chance.

Permalink Reply by Trudy on January 18, 2011 at 8:13am

Aggie Update: Aggie went to her old Obedience class and did some exercises, and saw old friends both human and canine. The young dogs go to class too, so it's a pack activity. Aggie loves to jump, and the heights are lowered for retired dogs. She has really perked up, and with the extra exercise is also sleeping well. We got this idea from Suri's story, and it worked. She still checks out Gem's old room, but she doesn't appear to be depressed.

Thanks again for all your responses. I think we all have Therapy Pets!

Permalink Reply by Amy on March 7, 2011 at 8:09pm

When I had to send my Gwennan girl to the Rainbow Bridge 5 1/2 years ago I came back from the vet and went to the basement for something and Llyr followed me down. He then sat down in the middle of the basement and howled for quite a while. Broke my heart to see him like that. It took him quite awhile to grieve for her as well.
Llyr is at a stage in his DM where he does not realize when he is pooing and if he has an accident because I am off at the timing you can see in his eyes that he does not understand why it is happening. The only good thing about his DM is that he is not in any pain, but he does show happier emotions when he is in his cart and is able to be more mobile. When he is not in his cart he is not unhappy, but just happier when he is in his cart I have no doubts that our animals have many emotions..

Permalink Reply by MissKitka on March 7, 2011 at 8:39pm

Amy,
My cat friend Hairy was diabetic for his last 6 years with me. He had only one hypo and peed on the floor, so he was mortified by that. I made sure he was not blamed for it. I respected him till the end at 22 years. I built 2 sets of tiny stairs so he could get on the bed and the couch without having to jump. A diabetic cat or dog is a very special gift of sorts. As a diabetic it taught me to be more vigilant of my own condition while looking after his. Animal friends always teach us a lot of things.
Don