Animals Are Human-Like Sometimes.

I grew up with animals, and I like to think I have a dispassionate view of them too.

I grew up around dogs and cats, mainly. And I can vouch for the fact they have all the emotions humans do. Love, hate, compassion. Possibly even a sense of humor, believe it or not (we had a sheep dog that would tease our Siamese cat).

I posted this on another message board, and they said I was just anthropomorphizing them. But I don't think I am.

What do the rest of you think?

 

Oh yeah, the mischief on my dogs face tells me everything I need to know about him. He has a sense of humor. I see the smirks. When he thinks he got away with something I see those smirks, I see that cockyness. I see him pretend he doesn't hear me, he thinks he's clever looking the other way, but his ears are concentrated on me.

 

Their is an old saying that you can own a dog, but a cat owns you. However cats are cunning and are quite happy to play along to get what they want.
When we are at home. our cat pats the cat flap with his paw, so that we will open the door and save him having to squeeze through the flap. He will also play with the dog and wake him up simply to make him move. Then he takes over the warm spot in his basket and falls asleep.
People who do not live with animals don't know what they are missing out on. All 3 of our children loved animals from a young age. We brought them up to accept them as living creatures, rather than some sort of toy.
I assume from your post, that you were brought up in the same way.

 

Of the animals you mentioned, they have the same neurotransmitters, some of the same and similar brain structures and essentially the same sensory organs, So I don't see why not?

 

Sure, it's cute as hell when an animal acts a little human.
It's tough watching humans acting like animals though.

 

Humans are animal-like most of the time. Probably because we're animals (of the mammal variety).

 

Big difference between anthropomorphizing an animal and understanding their feelings in the context of the animal's thinking. People like to think only man has these feelings. It makes us feel superior.

 

Well, we simply are the superior animal in thinking skills like reasoning. But not in feeling and definitely not in using our instincts (possibly and ironically thanks to our thinking skills ).
Because we have better thinking skills it can also be put we (on average ) have the better sense of humour too, if not a better sense than certainly a more developed kind. Which of course doesn't mean certain animals don't have humour, I also noticed it in several.

 

I think we had this same thread last year....

 

Cats and Dogs don't rear their young for the prolonged period that humans do, so they are probably more on alert for a fight or flight response to be activated as well.

 

same. our plane crashed in the woods and i was raised by wolves until i was 12.

 

Righto Mogley

 

What happened when you were twelve?

 

And yes of course animals experience love etc. They're not being human-like when they do, either.

If they DON'T experience love, it would imply they are extremely logical? Which seems less likely. Love motivates us to do things we wouldn't do otherwise. If they don't feel emotion, animals do all they do because they logically know it makes sense, and understand the reasons why it makes sense.

 

I can't say for all animals, but I know a German Shepherd and there's a couple of times in their life where you look into their eyes and they show you their spirit. I've had this with my dog once already in 5 years and it's a very weird thing, it's just... You look into their eyes and they show you something and in the moment you just realise you aren't just a dog are you? You are everything, and to you, i am everything. And that's a big responsibility, a responsibility a LOT of assholes don't get. I iu would swear I was the crazy rabbit lady the way I worked away week after week after years for my rabbits lol. Grow their own vege patch I did, and a herb garden just for them haha. But I do it, because Iove them and I care for them and all my pets seem to like me too.

 

@Driftrue I have a story we should write together.

When a human dies they become a dog, and then they live as a dog which is why they are so relatable. And when you die as a dog you get born into a cat, and they already been a dog, and so they know they're gonna stay a cat so they are pissed off and that's why cats are assholes. and then once you die as a cat you become a rabbit. and you was already a cat so you know all the fast moves to get away from those cats as a rabbit.

A kids book? Maybe adult? Dark humor?

Edit: I decided it can't be a kids book or movie because there's so many fun ideas I have for it already, it s a complete sarcastic dark humor movie script. It would be gold.

DON'T ANYBODY STEAL MY IDEA
©®™

An ~Irminsul~ Original ©®™

 

Logic is not the opposite of love or emotion.

I think many animals can be conditioned by rewards (usually food) to exhibit certain behavior without necessarily demonstrating love or logical abilities .

 

Like it! Maybe written like a kids book, but really for adults. I saw one once . A parody: The Very Hungover Caterpillar. The cover had a man on the floor in a sleeping bag.

I don't know though, I have this feeling that reincarnation goes in a direction and that human to dog is going the wrong way. Maybe certain dogs.. Or other animals who seem brighter than the rest, more "spark of consciousness".. They're on their last doggy life and get to be human next. Not that humans are better, but we have more scope for understanding, and so, "enlightenment".

... Not a Driftrue original : P
but a blend of other ideas I have read

 

I didn't say it was the opposite. And I am referring to natural behavior such as rearing young. You either have to think: okay, this is my offspring, my genetics, it will live longer than me and so I will sacrifice my time and sometimes health, even life, to protect and nurture it. Or you have to experience a sense of love for it which makes you do those things "out of love".

 

You cannot train an animal to raise young for a food reward.

And what about animals who mate for life? I suspect they experience love. Not a logical thought about it being a good strategy.