Orphan cat syndrome?

mrblanche

mrblanche

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I volunteer at our local animal shelter. People who adopt animals are sometimes confronted by fear, strange behaviors, etc. I have just read the first eight chapters of "Anne of Green Gables," and I saw there the human equivalent of the emotions and behaviors adopted pets must be experiencing. If we can understand it in humans, to whom we can explain the situation, why does it so surprise and upset us in the pets we deal with?
 
yayi

yayi

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Interesting observation. I think a lot of people think animals cannot have the same feelings or emotions we have and so they envision them to behave in a certain way. If they don't, people act surprised or are upset. Sad really.
 
denice

denice

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I watch the show on Animal Planet called My Cat From Hell.  I love to watch a big bald guy with a lot of ink and is also a rock musician working with cats.  I have seen him get teary eyed about the cats in shelters who were labeled feral and euthanised when they were just scared and lashing out because of that fear.  I don't assign human emotions to animals but I don't see them as akin to inanimate objects either.  They are driven by instincts and they react to a scary situation the way their instincts dictate for them to react.
 
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