How to animals sense emotion?

This is the second time our new kitty has done this. I was upset last night over Robert's tests and was crying. So this morning she woke me up by depositing a dead baby bunny on the bed next to me. She was quite proud of herself.

She did the same thing when I was in bad after having my back injections. After watching Hubby and a friend bring things in to me, she brought me a dead mouse.

I know she is doing it because she wants to give me her prized possession. But, she has caught other mice and doesn't bring them to me on normal days. It almost seems like she is doing it to make me feel better.

Is this possible? And how would they sense that?

Whatever the reason, I sure do love my Jenny-Any-Dots, even if I have to change sheets in the middle of the week.

Our dogs only want food from us...they never give food to us. LOL.

Glad you are so loved

Cheryl

I think they do. Wilhemina is always nicer to me when I have a bad migraine. She will curl up next to me and sleep. Sometimes I get this cute little face peeking over my blankets, looking intently at me, mewing with concern and then she will get all comfortable on my chest and go to sleep while I pet her. She is so sweet. Only to me though. She runs away from Sarah and whenever she picks her up, goes through incredible contortions trying to get away. It's very funny.

Alli

I think it's definitely possible, Charlotte! Animals are very perceptive, especially if you spend a lot of time with them. I don't have cats, but I do have a dog. I think horses have this perception too.

This week has been a particularly rough one for me. Dolly, my cocker spaniel, hasn't left my side. Yesterday, she laid on my legs in the recliner, rested her chin on my knees and just looked at me for the longest time--it was so loving. When she knows I'm especially having a lot of pain, she tends to curl up closer to me and refuses to leave my side. It helps because the worse my pain is, the colder I get, and she is snuggly warm.

A cocker/aussie cross I had a few years ago brought me mice occasionally. I think it was similar to your kitty giving you her prized possession. Mice freak me out, so my boys had to get rid of the mice for me, but it was pretty sweet all the same. I had never heard of a dog being a good mouser, but she certainly was.

Becky

My cat used to sense when someone was sick and curl up with them. My dog too. I think they are more sensitive than people!

Animals absolutely sense when something is wrong.

My uncle has heart problems and he came to visit. My cat was not normally social but as soon as he sat down she was in his lap making sure he was okay. She had done that with others that came to visit with health problems.

My dogs - I know I've said this before but they know when momma's having a bad day or is about to. Abby won't let me out of her sight, she lays outside the shower, lays at my feet where-ever I am. Lou gets very close, will sleep next to me and both dogs will actually tolerate being on the couch together with me when I'm in a bad day - not normal.

My horse - well he knows too. He's very perceptive of emotion and you had to watch attitudes when riding. If you were ticked off, he was ticked off. If you aren't having a good day - he just looks at me, like sorry but you can cry on my neck.

I haven't had them bring me presents but Lord help me if they do - I can only imagine what it would be.

Maybe, just maybe your cat is trying to tell you that you have a mouse problem?

I think your cat prefuuurs her food lightly grilled and a little salted but can't reach the pan herself.

Sorry you are feeling bad.

Les,

We been here five years and didn't even know we had mice til we got her! But, I don't think I have a problem with an exploding indoor bunny population! She's an inside cat, but she had snuck out for her wabbit hunt. That had REALLY freaked me out until hubby said he had forgotten and left the door open to the room that has the doggy door.

I think they definately know. Mo (aka Moomin) will be extra affectionate when I feel bad. She also used to always want to sit on or near my head when she was a puppy when I had a bad migraine, but I had to train her out of that as it wasn't always practical! She used to try and sit on the top of the back rest of the sofa and curl up to my neck. I do worry that the stress of her knowing when I feel rubbish might adversley affect her though.

Now I'm pregnant she seems to know what's going on and will snuggle up under my bump and not bat an eyelid when the baby kicks and punches her! Once renowned for being a dog of selective hearing when it came to getting her to do things she is now extra obedient and has even picked up a few new extra good behaviours without being taught them.

Amy

Wascawee Wabbits!

None of my pets do diddly squat for me when I am down. Maybe I should replace them all.

However my theory is since they have limited vocal communications that they are far more intuitive with all their senses. There are dogs that can sense someone about to have a seizure, diabetic coma etc. Just think about their sense of smell. We humans have a fear scent, that is what K9 dogs are trained to follow. Maybe we have a different scent for all of our emotions.

I often ponder how us humans communicated millions of years ago before we evolved even a verbal language. And I mean even the theoretical grunts and growls. Yes we have body language but that is very limited.

Were we more intuitive? Was it telepathy that MOST of us lost touch with after language developed?

For clans of people to coexist there had to be a fairly extensive way to communicate. Or we would have killed each other off long before we ever became an established species.

We had a flat coat retriever when my son was a baby.
Jason was a wonderful baby sitter.
He would come to get me if the baby cried, and would sit by the crib until he had fallen asleep.

We have a golden now and she couldnt be more different.
She does sense things, mainly my healer friend, she loves him always goes to see him
She comes into the living room on her way to bed at night. Walks in, looks at us and then goes to bed.
But when my head is bad she stays well away. I think it is because I am so boring.
She does come and look at me once in a while
I would like to think it is concern, but sadly I think it is her hoping i am better and will do something more interesting, or maybe produce a biscuit.

I do think they are sensitive though, just as individuals.