Questions tagged [psychology]
Regarding a pet's mental status, or motivation for behaviors or attitudes.
369
questions
1
vote
1
answer
462
views
Allowing puppy on couch
So, to start off, I have seen this question:
Guarding couch
which deals with a problem that occurred in the one incident, but it seemed more related to guarding than anything.
Introduction
So I am ...
- 321
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Anxious dog howls and screams when we take our other dog out
So we have three dogs of ages: 5, 3, and 7 months. We take the two older dogs outside to go potty at the same time and take the puppy separately because she gets distracted to easily. Whenever we take ...
- 31
9
votes
5
answers
32k
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). ...
- 91
3
votes
2
answers
191
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 ...
- 4,233
4
votes
1
answer
165
views
Why does our cat love us most even though our maids feed her? Is it natural animal behavior?
In my cat Bhutu's case, neither my mom or I feeds the cat. It is the two maids who feed the cat. Yet she showers all her affection on my mom and me.
She is just friendly towards the two maids.
Is ...
- 4,233
0
votes
1
answer
95
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 ...
- 4,233
6
votes
4
answers
13k
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 ...
- 331
1
vote
2
answers
335
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 ...
- 4,233
4
votes
2
answers
116
views
Taking a new puppy out
I really need some advice please.
I am picking up a French bull dog puppy a few days before Christmas. The day after I pick her up, I have to go to family's house for a family meal, which is about 90 ...
- 43
2
votes
2
answers
94
views
How do I make my turtle happy?
My turtle, Tyler, has recently been getting really sad. He is perfectly healthy. But he is eating slower, and sleeping more - thus he seems sad, which makes me sad!
Are there toys that I could buy, ...
3
votes
1
answer
124
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 ...
- 4,233
2
votes
2
answers
4k
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. ...
- 4,233
1
vote
0
answers
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 ...
- 19
3
votes
3
answers
114
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?
- 151
1
vote
1
answer
120
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, ...
- 4,233
1
vote
1
answer
869
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 ...
- 4,233
16
votes
3
answers
9k
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 ...
- 271
1
vote
1
answer
126
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 ...
- 1,210
2
votes
1
answer
84
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.
...
- 21
60
votes
19
answers
87k
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 ...
- 741
5
votes
1
answer
457
views
How to care for scared cat?
I have a cat. It's 8 months old. I decided to put a female in the house. She is his age. Both are neutered. Ever since the female arrived she has been trying to hide. I need to put her in a room but ...
- 51
2
votes
2
answers
206
views
Female dog suddenly timid around men, scared of everyone after moving to a new home
Two months ago I started dating my partner and his dog, a 6 year old Labrador. When I first met her she was excited, happy, and licked me all over. She was happy around everyone; we took her on trips ...
- 21
7
votes
3
answers
224
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 ...
- 231
3
votes
1
answer
313
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 ...
- 467
1
vote
1
answer
428
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?
- 385
2
votes
1
answer
5k
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 ...
- 29
3
votes
1
answer
261
views
Cat behaving badly
We have a 9 year old female cat that has been hitting, spitting and being very verbal towards our 4 (almost 5) year-old Male cat. Both have been neutered, so they can’t breed.
We have had Willow since ...
- 31
4
votes
2
answers
1k
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 ...
- 49
6
votes
1
answer
328
views
New 5 year old cat being introduced to 1 year old siblings
So recently we took in an older family pet - a 5 year old cat, named Spartapuss. He couldn't live with my parents any longer, so he came to live with me and my fiancé in our flat. He was essentially ...
- 61
7
votes
1
answer
2k
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 ...
- 71
4
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Why has my 8 month old puppy started to whine?
I have a 9 month old mastiff/pit male puppy who, for the most part, is an exceptionally well behaved pup. However, his persistent whining is getting out of hand.
He was only 7 weeks old when I got him ...
6
votes
1
answer
712
views
Dog Sitting: drop-off vs pick-up
This may sound like an odd question but I will be dog sitting for a friend for 2 weeks. The dog is 8 months old, very active, and hates parting with his owners.
Would it be best for me to go meet the ...
- 161
2
votes
1
answer
83
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 ...
- 21
4
votes
1
answer
493
views
How to deal with a "hell hound"?
There was a time when we did not have any trouble with our dogs. We had a very responsible alpha male dog. One snarl would have ended any fights before they started. He had a friend, a gay dog. We ...
- 282
6
votes
1
answer
277
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 ...
- 4,233
3
votes
3
answers
11k
views
Cat keeps peeing out of fear
I’m at my wits' end and need some help as to what to do. My 5 year old cat has always been timid, but will come up to us and socialize and everything. Lately he’s been peeing on my bathroom rugs. ...
- 31
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
My cat stops functioning when I put a harness on him. How can I get him more comfortable in it so that I can take him outside?
My cat really wants to get outside, he sits by the door meowing and has been chattering at all the birds outside as well. The problem is that I live in a heavily wooded area, and know that there are ...
- 81
3
votes
2
answers
7k
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, ...
- 51
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
I raised my cat since she was born and now she doesn't like me?
I once startled a cat at this abandoned house and then when it ran off, a kitten popped up who I think was just born. I ended up keeping it and took care of her and named her Sam.
She loved me, she ...
- 23
6
votes
1
answer
174
views
Why do my dogs only lick me instead of each other?
I have two dogs, and neither of them licks each other unless they're cleaning themselves, but they like to lick any person that gets near them wherever and whenever possible. Why do they not lick each ...
- 195
3
votes
1
answer
276
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 ...
- 133
6
votes
1
answer
148
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.
...
- 195
8
votes
3
answers
59k
views
Cat bites my face at night and when he seems happy
I just got two 6-month-old brother male kittens, both neutered and vaccinated. One of the two, the smaller one Gintoki, keeps biting lightly whatever he can of my hands, arms, neck, and my wife's as ...
- 83
4
votes
1
answer
2k
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 ...
4
votes
1
answer
97
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 ...
- 41
2
votes
0
answers
83
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 ...
- 657
6
votes
2
answers
371
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 ...
- 2,125
7
votes
4
answers
26k
views
How to dissuade my cat from jumping on my bed?
During the day, my cat loves to jump on my bed to groom himself there or have a nice nap. But I don't like that, because I don't like cat hair on my bed, and also as he is free to go out, he brings in ...
- 73
3
votes
1
answer
355
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' ...
- 806
3
votes
2
answers
711
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 ...
- 133