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Envy and jealousy are crazy emotions that will lead people to do some questionable things! And surprisingly, it’s not just people. When it comes to pets, they can be extremely possessive of their humans so seeing their owners cozying up to their partner or getting cuddles from this ‘outsider’ may just drive them over the edge! When your significant other is over for some Netflix and chill, just watch your pet shamelessly make their move and steal their hearts in a way that will leave you wondering! And you just can’t deny that there’s just no competition!
If you think we’re just pulling your leg, wait for the proof we’ve compiled for you below! The photos we present to you here will show you how openly and blatantly these wide eyed puppers and coy cattos will claim the attention of their owners’ loved ones and claim their hearts all for themselves! Prepare for the best mood boost of your day because we know you’ll melt at the sight of these pets dripping their charm all over the place.
With the help of Lynne James, a PSDA vet, we’ll help you understand animal behaviors better and unravel why some pets behave this way. They aren’t all that different from us! So scroll down below to get reading!
They’re so engrossed!
“Anyone who has ever owned a pet will recognize their ability to understand their owner’s moods. Who hasn’t sat down in misery and found their dog has hopped up next to them nudging their arm, wanting to be there for them, or their cat has jumped up on the seat next to them in a comforting way? This doesn’t happen by accident,” James, the PSDA vet explained.
James went on to further state that according to research, many animals experience emotions similar to humans. “They pick up on moods, emotions, and pheromones produced by people and other animals. By responding to these and acting accordingly, they are reacting with empathy, but this will definitely apply to some pets more than others.”
Those paws though
According to James, many mammals can experience many different emotions that humans feel like love, fear, stress, and happiness. “It’s incredibly important that we respect and nurture our pets so that they can enjoy a happy life with us. Our pets have individual needs; some pets may be very sociable while others less so. As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to provide for your pet’s five welfare needs, including their need for love and attention, and you can’t do that unless you learn about the species you’re planning to share your life with.”
James continued: “A sociable animal won’t thrive in life if their need for companionship isn’t met. How many of us humans have struggled with lockdown? We’re sociable creatures and the lack of social interaction has meant that lots of us are finding things hard, but can you imagine if we had to live like this permanently? We wouldn’t want to inflict that on our sociable pets either.”
Don’t think that cat is ever planning to let go
Some pets may find it stressful or difficult to share their home space with anyone else or someone new. It affects them in a way that may cause them stress and confusion. “It’s really important to research your pets so that you know you’re providing the right kind of environment for them so you can share a happy life together,” James added.
The PDSA has important information about taking care of your pets the right way and helping them socialize and reduce separation anxiety from their owners. It’s incredible to know that pets have a heightened sense of empathy towards their hoomans and towards other similar species. However, our pets are not as innocent at all times as they may seem.
That stare says it all
Dr. Suzanne MacDonald, from the Department of Psychology at York University in Toronto, speaks about pet intelligence and helped get a deeper glimpse into pet intelligence as a whole. She explained that pet owners “tend to overestimate” how clever, intelligent or smart their pets are. Since they love their pets so much, humans have a tendency to think that these animals are doing everything due to some intelligent reason.
What a cutie
Dr. MacDonald further believes that dog owners specifically are most likely to overestimate how intelligent their doggos are. “Dog owners tend to overestimate their intelligence because dogs and humans co-evolved so we can read each other’s cues very well. Dogs are super great at picking up small cues from us, and they look to us when they need help… so they have learned to do things—like have a ‘guilty’ face, for example—that make us think they have the same intentions and understanding that humans do… even if the research shows that they don’t.”
She went on to say that owners of these pets think their pets have complex minds and thought patterns when in reality the motives of these pets aren’t as complex as we may believe. This doesn’t mean that these pets are unintelligent, but it is important to get a realistic picture of how and why dogs do certain things.
That’s one territorial catto
According to scientist Inbal Ben-Ami Bartal, empathy in animals is a highly complex concept that cannot be so easily understood or explained. She refers to rat empathy when making these statements. “The definition of empathy, how can we say that animals really feel empathy the same way we do. But empathy is a construct. We don’t even know what it is in humans really!” Bartal stated: “I operate on the assumption that there is an evolutionary continuum between species, and that the basic building blocks of our responses are shared. Being sensitive to distress in others and motivated to care about their suffering is as old as the moment mother and child became connected for survival after birth.”
Bartal bases these statements on the assumption that empathy exists in all animals. This brings up many questions about how animals should be treated, and the importance of socialization cannot be underestimated, as this helps animals build their empathy to
That floof could win anyone’s heart
Best friends forever!
Happiest together
New Year’s Eve done right
Now that we’ve reached the end of these photos, it’s really interesting to try and uncover the reasons for animals being possessive and expressing themselves in a variety of ways. Pets might be feeling very similar emotions to you like love or envy when a partner is involved, and I’m sure humans can relate to this on some level.
Pets can be very expressive in their own ways and this compilation of posts shows you just that! They like to be the number one and we can’t blame them! Lets us know what you think in the comments below and whether your pet has ever demonstrated similar behavior. We’d love to hear from you!
