Do animals feel guilt?

Answer 1

I think so......my dog always acts all sad and puts his head down when he's done something wrong.

Answer 2

Not in general, to feel guilt one has to be able to mentally take the place of another and only us and some other primates can do this.

Most animals do not even have a concept of self (evidenced by their not recognising themselves in mirrors) so therefore it is impossible to imagine being another.

Human characteristic, those who think their dogs portray it are mistaking subservient fear behaviour for guilt.

Answer 3

Animals know right from wrong, so I think it follows that they also feel guilt. As soon as one of my normally well behaved cats does anything wrong, they immediately hide.After a few minutes, they come back crying and looking to curl up on my lap. This is the only time they do this.

Answer 4

There is no particular nawer to this question, but it depends on the animal. We can train animals, to do certain things. Like we can train dogs, to assist people with vision problems. Certain animals can sense certain issues and problems. There are smarter animals, and some animals don't know much of anything. Cats, dogs, horses, are usually trained to assist people with disabilities, and for this reason they can sense people with disabilites. Animals are not like people, and the more you train an animal, the more the animal can feel realize things.

Answer 5

YES! My dog got out of her cage while I was at work, and chewed up one of my shoes. She bolted as soon as I came in the door. And continued to keep her distance for a good ten minutes. I had no idea that she had done anything, but she knew that she was in trouble. When i found the shoe, she stood in the hall looking pitiful as if to say "I'm sorry. Don't be mad." But she got lightly scolded anyway, just so she doesn't begin to feel that it's okay. Animals know when they've done wrong. Don't let them fool you.

Answer 6

Depends how you define guilt. If you take it to mean knowing they've done something you disapprove of, then yes, definitely. Our cat has a habit of getting carried away sometimes when we're playing (my own fault, I should know better) and when he scratches me and I yell out "Ouch!" or words to that effect he'll go and lurk in the corner until I go and tell him he's forgiven. I think it's the tone of voice.

Answer 7

Sometimes a dog will look guilty when it poops or pees in the house. I think it's more cowering to the owner's yelling than actual guilt though. I could be wrong though.

Answer 8

I know that my dogs do, because if they have an accident in the house, they will walk towards me with their heads hanging down like they are sorry and asking for forgiveness. I think many animals, especially domesticated ones have many human emotions. I have 2 dogs and they act more like kids than animals!

Answer 9

no. i don't even think they think they do anything wrong. for example, a dog that makes a mess of the house appears sorry only when the owners come home to a messy house--all they know is the pack leader is not happy with the rest of the pack at that particular moment in time.

feeling guilty involves time and probably a knowledge of what you are doing may potentially be malicious. i don't think my dog feels guilty about using my louis vuitton wallet as a chewtoy--i don't think that when now he sees my purses he's thinking "oh man, i shouldn't have chewed her wallet 6 years ago..." he's probably thinking "that belongs to her, not me" nor do i think he maliciously destroyed my wallet...it was just there, and he was teething.

Answer 10

Yes my dog had a go at my chickens, while I was away and kill a few, which he never done before or since, but when I arrived back he would not come out to greet me as he would usually do. He just sat in his bed which was covered in feathers, looking rather guilty.

Answer 11

Hard to say really as animals emotions are different to ours.A lot of the time i think its more a case of they know if theyve done wrong and are worried about the consequenses.