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PSYCHOLOGY

2025 November 21, 22

Level: High

“Fur”-ther Insight — What Your Pet Is Really Thinking

by Linda Ludwig

An arm of psychology helps people better understand their pets

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Have you ever wanted to ask your pet why it’s doing what it’s doing? A pet psychologist could clue you in on what’s happening behind those curious eyes. His or her training and education make them ideal professionals to arrive at inferences about pets’ various psychological states based on their behavior.

  To begin understanding pet behavior, it’s essential to recognize that pets experience emotions much like humans do. Pets can feel happiness, fear, frustration, anxiety or excitement — and their actions often reflect these emotions. For example, a dog that chews up the couch while its owner is away isn’t being “naughty”: It’s likely dealing with separation anxiety or boredom. Similarly, cats need quiet, enclosed spaces where they can hide and feel safe. Without these, they can become stressed or even aggressive.

  Social needs are huge for many pets. Dogs, for instance, do well in a pack because they learn about social hierarchy, communication and behavior — in other words, they get a social education from their interactions with other dogs. You can also tell a lot from a dog’s tail, ears and eyes — a wagging tail can mean happiness, while a tail between the legs usually signals fear or anxiety.

  Cats flatten their ears when they feel anxiety or fear, and a swiftly moving tail can be positive or negative, depending on other cat body language.