Do animals or pets know when we are sad?

Question

If so, then how? And why do they care?

Answer 1

Yes. They communicate with body language too. They learn our body language & what it means. They care because they love you, they want you to be happy. The same as you want them to be happy.

Answer 2

Your heart rate and respiration change as does your body language. All of theses impulses are easily perceived by animals. We use so much vocal language we don't always pick up on the subtle signs of saddness, but just think of how you can tell something is wrong with someone even from a distance especially if you know them.

"Care" depends a little on how you define it... as animals ourselves, we are alll hardwired to "care" about the state of our offspring, mates, and "herd" members. For our pets, we are part of their social network either as their alpha members (all alphas are "protector/caregivers") and so it would trigger a "concern" response from the animal that perhaps they would be in danger if the "leader" is ill. Or if the animal perceives his role as a more dominant one, he/she may feel an instinct to nurture you the subordinant/"young". Finally, if the animal perceived the depressed state of the person and considered them "food" they might be more prone to aggression towards the "weakened" individual.

Lots of possible instinctual possibilities, but most certainly the animals can and do notice when we are sad and that will trigger a response in them.

Answer 3

Yes, I am not an animal psychologist, but I know that my dogs know when I am sad. They know when I am happy. They know when I am excited. They know when I feel lost. It is very odd, because I can tell in the way they act towards me. WHen they know I am sad, they come over and calmly try and lay with me and cuddle. When I am angry, they know to stay away from me. When I am excited or happy, they can tell, when I look at them, or the way I talk to them- they know it. Pets (primarily dogs) love their owners unconditionally. They know that we take care of them and feed them and take them for walks and rides in the car- so this is why they care. Pets have more feelings then we may ever realize as humans. Too bad more people don't understand them.

-EA

Answer 4

They do . My cat Quarter Pounder always knew when I was sad or crying , she'd put her paws around my neck and lick my tears away and rub her face against mine.

Neil Sheldrake a researcher and author has written how elephants and other animals mourn when one of their herd or pack dies.

I know dogs mourn because my brother's teripoo was quite depressed for months after our poodle passed. When my mum would inadvertently call her by our poodle's name , she'd run to where our poodle's bed was and look for her.

Animals have feelings just as people do and so they care when someone they love is hurting. They may not be able to verbalize it like we do but they do care. Probably moreso than alot of human beings on the planet at the moment.

Answer 5

Animals have other senses that ours cannot be compared to. It's almost like a sixth sense to us. I had a Pom that just knew whenever I wasn't feeling well. I used to be toubled with high blood pressure, severe headaches and a cardiac arrhythmia. Whenever these things would be bothering me and I would lay on the couch or the bed, my dog jumped right up there as soon as I laid down, and just laid across my chest. I didn't have to do or say anything...she just knew. She's gone now, and I miss her so much...but I think of that sweet little face all the time. I dearly loved her.

Answer 6

Yes pets do know when your sad my vet told me that people give of different scents that we can't pick up on but they can when we change our moods they can smell the change in us & they care because they love us so mutch and they want us to be happy after all when someone you love is hurting don't you want the to feel better?

Answer 7

Of course they know when we are sad. They can tell by our actions, and if you are crying they know what that means. Why do they care: because they love us just like we love them. My dogs get so excited when I get home. They get excited when other people come in too, but i sit down and they are both on my lap giving me kisses and just loving me. It is hard to be sad around them. But when i am they try to cheer me up, and give me all sorts of love.

Answer 8

Yes they do know. And they know when we afraid too. That how people get hurt around Wild Animals and Horses.
It just a special perception animals have. Like when they sense danger.

Answer 9

Probably because all those sad vibes are poruing out of your body. your movements show it too. a wolf can tell if you are a man;child;scared;hunting and things like that. pets usully care because you were with them a long time or something.

Answer 10

i think yes, because if i feel sad my dog usually comes
up to me and licks my hand. i know for sure they can tell if
we are afraid or somehting. don't know how they know.
maybe they have a sixth sense or something. like during the tsunami. the animals managed to sense it before hand and
escaped to higher ground level.