Poll of the Day > has your pet ever made you feel really bad?

(+) Yeah! (+)

sometimes when I have to take my cat somewhere, he puts up a real good fight. not in actual fighting. once I get him, he just becomes a ragdoll in my arms. but he runs around and tries to evade me as hard as he can. last time I did this, I got him locked in my bedroom but he was still going around the room in circles. and kept going under the bed and I would push the bed to reveal then he would go somewhere else. finally he was in the closet and I guess he felt he had no more moves left. and he let this horrible mournful cry like he was saying "please just......why?"

and it broke my heart. I was just taking him to my parent's house cause my place had to be sprayed for bed bugs. I wish there was a way to tell him what was going on, so he would relax. I think everytime I put him in a crate he thinks I am getting rid of him. I adopted him from a pet store that kept their rescue cats in a small room and each cat in a cage. and he might think I am taking him back there.

My small dog always follows me everywhere I go, really close behind me. Every once in a while, like every few months or so, Ill end up inadvertantly kicking her as Im walking. Like as my foot raises off the floor the heel of my foot bops her I think.

I dont think she really gets hurt but she is a timid dog and she lets out this frightened squeak that sounds more like a baby squirrel that got caught by an owl, it makes me feel so bad for her. Then she gets head scratches though and she is happy.
---

yes. ernie makes me feel bad whenever i leave him because he has separation anxiety so he gets really stressed when we leave him alone. to the point he will scratch up the door moulding, get himself trapped on the kitchen table to bork, or lick his paws raw. i also feel really really bad when he has a seizure because i can't do anything to help him in the moment but i can try to comfort him afterwards while he's recovering.
---

My family used to breed West Highland White terriers. We were bad at it. Just another half-assed money making scheme from my step father.

We'd always have loads of puppies and I was the only one in our family of six that used to play with them.

Sometimes I'd accidentally step on a paw or tail and they'd squeal and run away from me. I'd try to pet them so they'd forgive me, but they'd run away, perceiving me as a threat.

Used to break my heart.
---

SpaceBear_ posted...

My family used to breed West Highland White terriers. We were bad at it. Just another half-assed money making from my step father.

:(
---

Jen0125 posted...

SpaceBear_ posted...

My family used to breed West Highland White terriers. We were bad at it. Just another half-assed money making from my step father.

:(

Yeah. The original five we bought were pedigrees, although one of the three females was a runt and one of the two males basically had doggie Down Syndrome (he was my favourite).

Each of the three girls were impregnated by the one alpha male on their first heat which is apparently a huge no-no. :'(

Sad thing is, they were sent to a dog sanctuary when our family (blissfully) broke apart and I have no idea where any of them are.

At least 40 Westies came from our original five over the years and it's a rare dog in Southern Portugal. Whenever I see a Westie about town, I'm almost certain they remember me. I like to think so, anyway.
---

SpaceBear_ posted...

Whenever I see a Westie about town, I'm almost certain they remember me. I like to think so, anyway.

:)

SpaceBear_ posted...

one of the two males basically had doggie Down Syndrome (he was my favourite).

i can imagine. i've seen pics and videos of dogs with doggie down syndrome and they seem so innocent and happy. it's hard not to love them.

SpaceBear_ posted...

Sad thing is, they were sent to a dog sanctuary when our family (blissfully) broke apart and I have no idea where any of them are.

That's not sad. I'm sure the doggie sanctuary took very good care of them after the abuse your father put them through. Poor puppers. I hope they're living large.
---

No my cats are basically cheap lazy roommates who I half hate but wouldn't trade.

ASlaveObeys posted...

No my cats are basically cheap lazy roommates who I half hate but wouldn't trade.

I was with a friend of mine once when he got a phone call off another friend who'd found a stray cat when renovating his family's waterpark.

He asked if my friend would be interested in adopting it. My friend said "HELL NO." then when he was told the cat would otherwise be put down he changed his mind.

It was a bright white cat who became a staple of my friend's life. The cat would be there everytime I went round usually with a different name attached to it. Spartapuss (because my friend was watching Spartacus at the time), several League of Legends character names etc etc.

We generally hated it because it was annoying af. But it just became part of our crew. :)
---

Yeah, I've occasionally felt bad over small stuff that happened with my dogs over the years as well as still feeling pretty bad about not paying more attention to my cats when they were dying. I half think they may have died of a broken heart =( Well, that and they were nearing 20 at the time.
---

I feel bad when I accidentally step on my dog's tail or paw. They are always walking really close to me. Like running around my feet. Or walking backwards(more like hopping) while looking at me when I'm walking forward. Or right behind me when I step back after getting something out of the fridge. But I apologize and give them hugs and kisses. And then they're fine.
---

LinkPizza posted...

I feel bad when I accidentally step on my dog's tail or paw. They are always walking really close to me. Like running around my feet. Or walking backwards(more like hopping) while looking at me when I'm walking forward. Or right behind me when I step back after getting something out of the fridge. But I apologize and give them hugs and kisses. And then they're fine.

But how do they know your initial standing on them wasn't some form of punishment they don't understand?
---

SpaceBear_ posted...

LinkPizza posted...

I feel bad when I accidentally step on my dog's tail or paw. They are always walking really close to me. Like running around my feet. Or walking backwards(more like hopping) while looking at me when I'm walking forward. Or right behind me when I step back after getting something out of the fridge. But I apologize and give them hugs and kisses. And then they're fine.

But how do they know your initial standing on them wasn't some form of punishment they don't understand?

I don't know. Because we can communicate by normal means. But I give them lots of love to communicate that I love them. And they still like being around me. So, IDK...
---

SpaceBear_ posted...

LinkPizza posted...

I feel bad when I accidentally step on my dog's tail or paw. They are always walking really close to me. Like running around my feet. Or walking backwards(more like hopping) while looking at me when I'm walking forward. Or right behind me when I step back after getting something out of the fridge. But I apologize and give them hugs and kisses. And then they're fine.

But how do they know your initial standing on them wasn't some form of punishment they don't understand?

Many animals are really perceptive and emotionally intuitive. If you are surprised and comfort them right when it happens they seem to calm down. i divert my attention to them, apologize, offer rubs. that they calm down after suggests they understand it was a mistake and not a punishment. animals remain anxious after punishment.
---

Doctor Foxx posted...

SpaceBear_ posted...

LinkPizza posted...

I feel bad when I accidentally step on my dog's tail or paw. They are always walking really close to me. Like running around my feet. Or walking backwards(more like hopping) while looking at me when I'm walking forward. Or right behind me when I step back after getting something out of the fridge. But I apologize and give them hugs and kisses. And then they're fine.

But how do they know your initial standing on them wasn't some form of punishment they don't understand?

Many animals are really perceptive and emotionally intuitive. If you are surprised and comfort them right when it happens they seem to calm down. i divert my attention to them, apologize, offer rubs. that they calm down after suggests they understand it was a mistake and not a punishment. animals remain anxious after punishment.

They are very perceptive. Especially cats and dogs, I think. I know dogs are very good with micro-expressions. Which is apparently why pigs are better drugs dogs than dogs...
---

LinkPizza posted...

Doctor Foxx posted...

SpaceBear_ posted...

LinkPizza posted...

I feel bad when I accidentally step on my dog's tail or paw. They are always walking really close to me. Like running around my feet. Or walking backwards(more like hopping) while looking at me when I'm walking forward. Or right behind me when I step back after getting something out of the fridge. But I apologize and give them hugs and kisses. And then they're fine.

But how do they know your initial standing on them wasn't some form of punishment they don't understand?

Many animals are really perceptive and emotionally intuitive. If you are surprised and comfort them right when it happens they seem to calm down. i divert my attention to them, apologize, offer rubs. that they calm down after suggests they understand it was a mistake and not a punishment. animals remain anxious after punishment.

They are very perceptive. Especially cats and dogs, I think. I know dogs are very good with micro-expressions. Which is apparently why pigs are better drugs dogs than dogs...

All animals are intelligent in their own ways

https://qz.com/1181881/proof-of-animal-cognition-is-recognized-by-new-laws-in-europe/

mammals get each other very well. emotions communicate so much, and the animals we most commonly keep as companions are emotionally intuitive. I don't need to view a study for this, I observe this working with them day in and out for years. They know when you treat them well and give them respect
---

my cat likes to lay down under my desk while im sitting at my computer... i often don't notice and end up kicking him a little
its not hard enough to hurt tho
---

Doctor Foxx posted...

mammals get each other very well. emotions communicate so much, and the animals we most commonly keep as companions are emotionally intuitive. I don't need to view a study for this, I observe this working with them day in and out for years. They know when you treat them well and give them respect

It's not really what you say, as much as the tone of voice you use to talk to them though. Animals are good at picking up subtle tones for excitement, calmness, happiness, or even just a response to a call.
You can talk about skinning them and eating them, or whatever, as long as you do it in calm quiet tones, it's totally fine.

I will occasionally do it to annoy me gf :P

Oh man,the number of times I've wished that I could just directly explain the situation to my cats so they're not as upset.

Putting them in a cage to go to the vet is definitely a rough one, especially with the stray cat and the cat who spent four years in a shelter. I'm so sure they think I'm getting rid of them.

Stepping on or kicking them by accident is another big one to feel bad about... Although my cats really respond well to the apology attention.

But the time my animals make me feel the worst is definitely just... When they die. The horror over the fact they suffered pain, the feeling of betrayal when putting them to sleep, the guilt about how much attention I gave the pet while they were alive... Which always feels like too little no matter how much I loved them all the time.

One of my cats broke my heart the most. It took me a very long time to get over her death. Really I'm still not over it, just not extremely depressed about it all the time. She was only four when we had to euthanize her because she had an incurable, painful, terminal disease. When the vet gave her the non lethal shot that's supposed to make the animal sleep peacefully, and left the room for us to say our goodbyes while she fell asleep... She was terrified. Like she knew what was happening. She ran around and around the room for so long, resisting the drug. My husband finally had to catch her and hold her down for her to relax. I felt like the biggest monster.
---

Idk how I'm going to live after my dogs pass away. I can barely stand being away for long. I'll probably just die after they do...
---

LinkPizza posted...

Idk how I'm going to live after my dogs pass away. I can barely stand being away for long. I'll probably just die after they do...

I feel exactly the same way. Theyre 12 and 10 years and their breed typically lives for around 12-14

Im gonna be devastated
---

I already told my boss when Ernie passes away I need him to use his discretion to let me have at least a week off from work.
---

Jen0125 posted...

I already told my boss when Ernie passes away I need him to use his discretion to let me have at least a week off from work.

I feel like I would need time off. And I feel that it might be hard to get the time off. But I won't be any help at work when that happens... I will be utterly devastated...
---

Yes, almost every time I wake my cat up. Especially if she's sleeping with her head buried in her paws.
---

We took in a pair of boxer/Pittbull puppies from a girl who couldn't keep them. We named them Rough and Tumble. Rough was very smart, and was always escaping the back yard. Whenever we'd catch her trying to find a place to escape we'd say 'Hey! No!" in a stern voice. She'd come back inside and hide her face in the corner like she was ashamed. It was both adorable and sad.

Tumble on the other hand was dumb, and felt no shame. She couldn't escape unless Rough showed her how.
---

My dog's nuetral face looks like she's depressed and yeah I'm always like "be happy! D:" And she wags her tail
---

FellWolf posted...

My dog's nuetral face looks like she's depressed and yeah I'm always like "be happy! D:" And she wags her tail

dogs tend to look sad when they are laying on the floor with their head on their paws. I think it's just us trying to apply humanness to their face though

Zog was a redline case when I got him. Totally hated people and dogs. Training wasn't fun for either of us. muzzles and pinch collars aren't something any trainer should want to use, but I couldn't risk him being put down.

He's doing much better now though. Took about a full year of training to get him to this point, and man I could tell he was miserable and it made me sick.

We are both much happier now.

Zangulus posted...

When Im getting ready to take my cats somewhere, I take the cage out and leave it setup. We put a towel in it. Invariably the cats will start sleeping in it. And then when its nearly time to go, if were lucky the cat we want is already in there. But we pick our cats up all the time. So they usually dont suspect anything until theyre in the cage and its already shut. Its harder to corral them all into a single room though sometimes. They keep escaping. Usually one person has to stay in the room to keep the cats in while the other gathers.

I know a lot of people who let the cats use their kennels as like a bed. That way, it's already normal for them to go on it. And it makes it easier when you have to take them somewhere.
---