Comic: Home Alone Behavior Dog vs Cat
Love this comic by my pals over at Cuddles and Rage.
Source: cuddlesandrage.com via Mary on Pinterest
Warning! I’m about to get real nerdy. Given that this blog is about the lifestyle and science behind owning a pet, I feel it necessary to say that I’m not convinced pets are cognitive. As much fun as it is to anthropomorphize (I do it all the time with my pets!), it’s highly unlikely that they have an internal dialogue of thought or memory.
Instead, their emotions and behavior are triggered by things in the environment. Take the dog in the comic anxiously sitting at the door for his owner to come home. For these dogs the jingling of keys, act of putting on a coat, and owner leaving through the door predict hours of isolation without their primary attachment figure, which triggers anxiety, resulting in a number of behaviors including whining, drooling, barking, destruction, elimination, and so on.
In contrast, kitty is looking for something to do. Maybe, she waits until her owners are away to avoid ineffective punishers like shooing, yelling, and physical removal that occur when they are present. Who knows!
Either way, I love this comic. It’s cute and creative and fits this blog perfectly. I hope it put a smile on your face!
See you soon!
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