Hello! Today as one of my last research posts instead of writing about how animals benefit humans and how they help us improve, I will be talking about the opposite! Instead lets ask eachother this….How do we make our pets feel, and how do they usually feel. This can become wonders such as what their body language might be saying and how we can tell they are enjoying their furry lives and are happy!
Today I will be starting on the topic of do animals feel good? and do they even feel such as do they understand when their owners are sad, or when they are happy? Can they feel such emotions? Now animals fo indeed have feelings as it is involuntary for them to feel empathy for groups, and those who they see as a safe someone. They can sense how much a thing/person cares for them due to the actions we humans do for them. this can be such as giving them food right away when they have not eaten for a while, or playing with them until they tire out so they can have a restful night of sleep. it is actions like this and emotions that they gain that creates a sense of safety for them. In a summary when they feel a good emotion and they show that throughout their bodies, they connect that emotion with the action/person creating that safety feeling making them feel good! (1) We as humans do this as well, when we feel things we like we are almost certainly going to get it back, such as eating a favourite food and feeling good about it. This is relatively the same thing!
Now because I am a little biased towards animals (cats) I will be talking more about how cats can show their happiness so just be purrr aware for that. (pun intended). In addition, another way an owner can tell their animals are happy (cat) is by their body language.(2) Body language of anyone can show how they feel and in the case of cats, things such as purring, rubbing their body agaisnt your leg, any sort of being close to their owner can almost be interperetted as giving back, and bascially showing their appreciation for you (the owner). Them playing with you, and eating the food you give them show their trust for you, and trust is the key component of how they show their happiness.
In addition, while body language can help us humans understand how our animals feel, knowing what they are thinking can be impossible (it basically is). Animlas are quite similar to our thinking way then any other living creature on our planet. (3) This convinced to many as scientist (some) still are not convinced that animals feel or are thinking of anything but this is compltetly wrong and can be understandable. I mention undertstandable due to the fact that many actually ignore their animals emotions or ignore how to find out if they are safe and happy because they cannot live with the fact that their animal could be sad in their home. this is a real concern but this shows how much humans care about what animals think (even if they choose to ignore them). Many animals feel emotions and thoughts the same way we do; they feel anger, frustration, fear and hunger just like a human would. The only difference that is known is that animals cannot talk (say things humans can understand) which is a main reason to why they use their bodies instead.
Now animals are seen as something a person loves (because most of the time they are).(4) But the only key difference between me and my cat technically is that i have more cognitive and consious thoughts than he does. this is because my specture of life (my thoughts) have more complicated solutions and I have a more complicated understadings of thoughts, while his is only concerned about thoughts such as food, health and possibly feeling safe and comfy. It is impossible to tell how animals think, but inferring is the next best thing so while dwelling over the thoughts that our pets are feeling sad and angered, we can see those types of signs through their bodies making us feel better, and motivating humans to take better care of animals to better ensure their needs and wants.
This turned out to become a longer post, but I hope you guys have enjoyed the information as though they are a little similar to eachother, each little wonder holds a different detail about how animals think, feel, and show us how they feel!! Thank you for reading this today!
(1) UWA, U. (2019, April 3). Do Animals Have Feelings? Examining Empathy In Animals. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://online.uwa.edu/news/empathy-in-animals/.
(2) Whiskas, C. (2021). Sign of a happy cat . Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.whiskas.co.uk/kit/how-do-i-know-if-my-cat-is-happy.
(3) Worral, S. (2015). Yes, Animals Think And Feel. Here’s How We Know. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/150714-animal-dog-thinking-feelings-brain-science.
(4) Sabtu, W. (2022). Do Animals Have Conscious Thoughts? Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.cxomedia.id/science/20220513151336-43-174850/do-animals-have-conscious-thoughts.
