Questions tagged [psychology]
Regarding a pet's mental status, or motivation for behaviors or attitudes.
190
questions
0
votes
0answers
60 views
Possible trip away from home for 7-10 days - 3 cats in household - cat sitter or cattery? What to look out for? [duplicate]
I have 3 'mature' cats (age 7, 7 (littermates) and 12). All get on fine and often hang out and nap together, eat together happily, use the same litter boxes etc.
We have been taking a few overnight ...
0
votes
2answers
71 views
Why does my sister's dog pinch with his teeth?
Just to clarify, this isn't a nibble. It's a single, very deliberate pinch!
He's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and he's getting quite 'long in the tooth' now. I mind him quite regularly when my ...
26
votes
2answers
4k views
Active wildlife outside the window- Good or Bad for Cat psychology?
At my current house, there is an active community of wild creatures in the backyard, including a variety of birds, chipmunks and squirrels, rabbits, a groundhog, and butterflies by day and lightning ...
0
votes
1answer
59 views
Cat siblings suddenly fallen out with each other
We have a couple of two year old male neutered cats, Ed and George, who have lived with us since they were kittens. Until yesterday, they were on exceptionally good terms, and would play, groom, and ...
3
votes
1answer
105 views
My dog, Jack Russell, is jealous of others showing me affection
We have a ~10 month old, 5 and a bit kilograms, Jack Russell bitch, "Smudge".
Smudge is hardly perfect, but one piece of behavior is a bit worrying.
She had tended to yap and feint-lunge at me/us if ...
3
votes
0answers
165 views
My cat has been hissing at her sister after 4 years of being with each other
I've noticed my cat Azula is hissing at her sister Divina a lot more than usual lately. Of course, cats play with each other and sometimes hiss but they are twin sisters, they've never been separated ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
Does my isolated neon need a companion
1 of my neon tetras has fin injuries...
Until they heal s/he is struggling to get to the surface to feed so I've put it in a breeder tank 3" by 5" & 3" deep (it floats in my main tank)
My ...
1
vote
2answers
357 views
How to ensure that my cat always remains indoor, no matter what?
The area where I live is extremely lethal for a domestic cat. There are scorpions, tarantulas, poisonous snakes, dogs, foxes, eagles, vultures, larger wild cat species, and even sometimes leopards. My ...
3
votes
1answer
58 views
Dog keeps hyperventilating
Several years ago a smoke alarm inside my house went off and my dog started to shake and hyperventilate. Since then she does this after various beeping type noises, such as a computer booting.
In the ...
-3
votes
1answer
141 views
How to help my cat in this situation? [closed]
We have three bedrooms. Me and my mom share one bedroom and for various reasons Bhutu(my cat) is allowed only in our bedroom, and not the other two, during night time when we all sleep.
Now I often ...
0
votes
1answer
118 views
My 8 month old puppy won't eat
Raja, my pup, and I just moved back to college and she won't eat. When I give her her food she just noses it until its everywhere and keeps nosing it until it's wedged behind my desk. There was ...
1
vote
1answer
59 views
Does frightened cat drink a lot of water?
Today one of our tenants was on the rooftop. She had her huge teddy bear in hand.
At the same time I went to roof to have a walk with Bhutu (my cat). By seeing the teddy Bhutu was frightened to hell. ...
5
votes
4answers
938 views
Cat licks face while I'm sleeping
My cat climbs on my chest when I'm sleeping and licks my face. She does this several times a night. It's not just in the morning and it's not because she's hungry (she still has food when I get up). ...
2
votes
2answers
129 views
Is it both mentally and physically healthy for my cat to be kept like this?
My mom is her late 60's and lonely. She has found as if her child in my cat, Bhutu.
She keeps Bhutu on a leash with the other end of the leash in her hand 24 hours. She even sleeps with the leash in ...
1
vote
1answer
109 views
Why our cat loves us most even though our maids feed her? Is it natural animal behavior?
In case of my cat Bhutu, neither me nor my mom feeds the cat. It is the two maids who feed the cat. Yet she showers all her affection on me and my mom.
She is just friendly towards the two maids.
...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
How to make a cat comfortable towards a person with whom she relates a terrifying experience?
One tenant girl had bought a huge teddy bear and came to show it.
Bhutu, my cat, reacted as if she has seen a ghost and ran for her life.
She is usually a very cheerful girl always trying to play ...
4
votes
3answers
142 views
How will my cats feel about a weekend vacation?
I will be spending several days at my parents house this coming weekend. They've been encouraging me to bring my cats with me, but so far I've been reluctant to do so. But this coming weekend my ...
2
votes
2answers
173 views
Can cat understand if we try to communicate in cat's language by mimicking sounds that cats make in different situations to communicate?
First of all my apology to those readers who have little or no experience with cats and don't know the meaning of a numerous numbers and types of cat vocalizations and gestures.
This may sound absurd ...
3
votes
1answer
108 views
Why my cat responds instantly to any movement?
Whenever there is any movement of any kind Bhutu (our cat's name) instantly gets excited. It may be our legs, arms, any vegetable, water bottle, TV remote everything. And she instinctively tries to ...
1
vote
2answers
477 views
If I make eye contact with my cat for a long time from close distance, she slaps me
The condition is like this.
If I am lying in bed and Bhutu (my cat) is sitting on my chest. If I make eye contact with her and keep it for 2 minutes, she starts getting serious and suddenly slaps me. ...
1
vote
0answers
18 views
what do i need to consider when giving someone a pet as a gift [duplicate]
we give the pet as a gift to someone and owners don’t know how to look after them or didn't really want them in the first place. Don’t add to the death toll by giving the wrong gift to the wrong ...
2
votes
3answers
103 views
Do dogs get jealous?
Anyone with two dogs will probably tell you that dogs definitely feel jealousy. Is it true? Will it be harmful for the dog's owner?
0
votes
1answer
76 views
How to ensure that while in a rough play session with my cat, the cat never gets distracted to any other human and starts to play rough with them?
I thoroughly enjoy rough play with my cat, and I encourage her to play rough with me. But everybody else in my home dislikes it.
It often happens that while I am in a rough play session with my cat, ...
2
votes
1answer
181 views
Why can my cat not sleep anywhere else other than my mother's lap?
My cat has this strange behavior which I think is extremely rare among cats.
Her favorite sleeping place is by burying deep inside my mother's lap. If my mother is not there, she sleeps either on my ...
16
votes
4answers
6k views
Can a cat who only lives in a (small) flat be happy?
I know some cats would be very miserable if they couldn't go outside. But I was wondering if there is such a thing as an "apartment cat" where a cat would be perfectly happy to live in a small flat (...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
My cat buries his food. Why? [duplicate]
Being a cat owner for many decades and knowing much about these enigmatic creatures, my new rescue kitten (about a year old), has the strangest behavior: After eating, he scratches the floor, multiple ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
How fast does a rabbit get attached as a pair? [closed]
How fast does a rabbit get attached as a pair? I’d like to separate but not lose a bunny due to loneliness. They have been together in two groups. One having two bunnies and one having three bunnies.
...
53
votes
19answers
46k views
How can I fix my relationship with my 7 month old cat after I've constantly abused her the past month?
My kitten is 7 month old, and I...
[Content Warning: Descriptions of animal abuse behind spoiler]
Now she won't move around me, being highly cautious to every move and every sound. I feel so bad ...
5
votes
3answers
136 views
Why does my cat need me around to eat?
She will meow directly at me only (2 people in the house) and will have me follow her to her food bowl.
She does this even if the bowl is completely full. She stops meowing once she starts eating ...
2
votes
1answer
170 views
Is my cat happy, expelled by my step-mother and living in the garden?
My cat Kiwi was born in November 2011, I lived with him for 3 years with my father and my sister in our apartment. In 2013, my father met my future stepmother who is really, really obsessed with ...
2
votes
1answer
147 views
Do cats have a theory of mind? [closed]
I mean do cat have theories of beliefs, desires and intentions of human owners, as we have about other human beings?
3
votes
1answer
2k views
How can I regain my dog’s trust after losing my temper with her?
My dog (pit mix) recently bit my daughter (1yo) in the face and in anger and I suppose fear I grabbed her by the scruff and hit her with my open hand like three times.
I know I should not have hit ...
3
votes
2answers
173 views
Why does my dog want me to basically massage her jaw?
My dog has been very weird lately. She used to lick my hands when she was a puppy, but doesn't do it anymore. This past week or so she does it all the time! She also never had gas, but this past week ...
4
votes
1answer
135 views
New 5yo Cat being introduced to 1yo siblings
So recently we took in an older family pet, he couldn't live with my parents any longer so 5yo Spartapuss came to live with me and my fiance in our flat. He was essentially my cat for 3 years and when ...
6
votes
1answer
487 views
One of my dogs attacked my other dog after killing and eating a rabbit and again after killing a coyote
I have two dogs that are brother and sister from the same litter (that's what I was told at the rescue shelter) and have always been together. A couple of years ago I noticed the male dog with a ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Issue with fearful/anxious dog I occasionally petsit
Occasionally I look after 4 chihuahuas. 3 of them are always 100% fine, but the 1 dog is timid/anxious/fearful. When the owner is there, she is ok though still timid/shy, but as soon as the owner is ...
3
votes
1answer
359 views
How to deal with a hell hound
There was a time when we did not have any trouble with our dogs. We have a very responsible alpha male dog. One snarl will end any fights before it started. He has a friend, a gay dog. We found out he ...
4
votes
0answers
125 views
Why my mom's cat starts crying if my mom is out of her sight even for 10 minutes and is there any way to pacify her?
The cat Bhutu was earlier my pet but now she stays with my mom in our ancestral home in country side.
Due to life threatening conditions over there outside the security of living room, (house is very ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Help. A common goldfish living in 3 gallon tank
My wife got a goldfish from our pre-school. It came in a "fishbowl" the size of a large coffee cup and a tiny ziplock with fish food. It was severely stressed: fins clamped at his side, sunken belly, ...
1
vote
1answer
217 views
I raised my cat since she was born and now she doesnt like me?
I once startled a cat at this abandoned house and then when it ran off. blop, a kitten popped up and was just born. i ended up keeping it and took care of her and named her sam because well first, i ...
2
votes
1answer
172 views
Can dogs recognize their siblings or parents?
Can dogs recognize their siblings or parents if they meet at an old age, after being separated at an early age?
I had a beagle, who was separated from their siblings and parents at 2 months old. A ...
5
votes
1answer
114 views
My cat is stressed, can it come from my depression?
I have an old cat (16 years old), since two weeks she frantically licks herself until she pulls completely her hairs.
I brought her to the veterinarian and he said that she is probably stressed.
...
2
votes
1answer
573 views
My Cat tried to Tuck me in bed. What does it mean?
My cat, Morris, wanted to spend time with me in my room alone.
I took in 5 cats from his family including him in the house. They would have been feral cats otherwise.
Only 2 of them love to spend ...
4
votes
1answer
88 views
Sudden start of agression
I have one female cat and one male. Both are neutered. About 4 months ago for no reason our male cat started "picking" on our female. He chases her out of the house, pushes her away from her food and ...
2
votes
0answers
78 views
Suggestions to expedite a 7 week domestic kitten's tolerance of humans
I help in a private cat/kitten rescue (cleaning litter trays feeding etc) we had an orphan litter of 5 five week olds come in via a 3rd party.
Day 0 or 1 they were all distrustful of us (owner and 2 ...
5
votes
2answers
168 views
Why does mother cat attack me if I clean kitten's pee?
My cat attacks whoever cleans her kittens pee or pooh. Except if it was me cleaning it. Why? What does she think of this? If I cleaned it, she'd just check the clothe and it's over. It seems shes ...
3
votes
1answer
196 views
How to communicate with a cat?
Is there any way to communicate with a cat? For example, telling it to do something or stopping it from getting into mischief? How can I understand what the cat is trying to tell me with the 'meows' ...
1
vote
2answers
256 views
My cat hides when I move
So I got my first cat about 2 weeks ago! Her name is Thelma, and she is a domestic short hair who is really shy. When I first got her, I gave her the bathroom as her safe space, as my small studio ...
1
vote
2answers
308 views
What can go wrong if people carry 1 week old kittens alot?
My cat gave delivery a week ago and on the first day till now she lets us (6 people ages 6 to 20) touch her kittens and even carry them if we wish. Ofcourse no one touched the kittens on the first ...
1
vote
2answers
201 views
Is my cat considered aggressive?
My cat is pregnant but I don't think it makes a difference sense she used to display this behaviour before becoming that also. We have two (human not cat) 2 year olds and their mom to spend some time ...
