Animals are capable of receiving telepathic communication of thoughts, intentions, and feelings of humans and other animals. However, like individual humans, they may interpret or understand others’ communication in unique ways and respond according to their familiarity with human or other animals’ ways of being. As with individual humans, they see how the thoughts and feelings of others make sense and can be interpreted according to their own nature and current way of understanding life. What? I hurt you? Humans puzzle about why their animal friends behave as they do. Instead of getting the animals’ points of view and how they understand things, people often imagine that animals should understand and react just as they do in the same situations. This leads to confusion, misunderstanding, and problems with animal friends.
Recently, a friend complained that his cat swatted him when he was getting ready to prepare feline breakfast. The cut bled profusely until he tended to it. When he admonished his cat and showed him how his claw had made a cut, the cat didn’t seem to relate to what the person said and continued asking for his food. The person later realized that his cat did not really understand that he had hurt him and could not relate to the reprimand. The cat ate his food, relaxed and cuddled with his person as usual.
If the cat had swatted another cat in the same way, there would have been a different response and probably no bleeding due to natural fur protection. A follow-up communication when the cat and human relaxed together in which he told his cat about the fragility of human skin and the necessity of keeping claws sheathed if playfully or even impatiently swatting might be more effective. Then the cat could more easily add this to his understanding of humans and how to behave around them.
In a similar vein, I’ve had to explain to exuberant young horses how they have to be careful to keep their feet on the ground and not rear up around humans or nip and push at them as they do when they play with other horses. They may not understand how to behave around humans without being shown as they and other horses are not so easily hurt in rowdy play. They also may not understand human shock or fear of them. As with humans, understanding of others comes with experience and willingness to step into the others shoes, paws, hooves…
Wild animals often interpret human presence as dangerous even when our intentions and emotions are calm and loving. Their experience with humans and other predators may have shown them they need to flee first to be safe and not wait around to see if we are okay.
Other wild animals may assess human emotions and intentions first and hang around if our thoughts, feelings, and actions feel safe. I almost trip over some of the desert cottontail rabbits that live here, because they hardly move when I approach and just carry on nonchalantly. Other rabbits who don’t know me or are more wary in general flee at first sight of me. As this shows, members of other species are as individual in their understanding and responses as humans.
To The Rescue Animals who live with us and observe our habits and emotions may interpret jagged or escalating emotions and words as dangerous and even come to the rescue. An animal communicator who trained with me recently shared an experience that one of her students related while doing an exercise in the basic course. The student recalled how she was in an argument with her then-boyfriend. The argument escalated and the boyfriend raised his hand. Exactly in that moment, her rabbit raced into the room, stood between them, and undauntedly growled (!) at her boyfriend.
The rabbit’s timing and courageous actions surprised them. His presence and commanding action instantly dissolved their argument and they began to laugh. The woman was so impressed that her rabbit was capable of such an act. He clearly understood what was going on and his timing was precise. His devotion in wanting to protect her and courage in standing up to the man regardless of his much smaller body moved her.
Animals may show understanding of other animals’ emotions and thoughts and come to the rescue for them, too.
The May/June 2018 issue of ALL ANIMALS magazine has an article on how chimpanzees formerly used in research are adapting to their new sanctuary. One 12-year-old chimp named Genesis has a severe neurological disorder that sends her into fits of rage almost like seizures. She finds comfort and reassurance with her fellow chimps, who give her space and then hug her when she recovers. The fits occur with less frequency as the days go by, and her caretakers are hopeful that with time and encouragement from her group, she’ll continue to improve.
On a recent afternoon, Genesis slid into an episode and focused her fury on a blanket clutched in her hands.14-year-old leader Latricia stayed by her side until the fit subsided and Genesis had calmed enough to let the blanket go. Latricia patted her shoulder and hugged her. When Genesis turned away to join the others, Latricia picked up the blanket and destroyed it.
For more understanding of animals’s viewpoints and how to receive them, check out my books, Animal Talk and When Animals Speak. TheAnimal Communication Mastery Serieswill give you more ways to get into and understand the worlds of other animals. The Basic Course How to Communicate with Animals audio recording and booklet will help you to be able to go directly to the animals to learn about them. Audio recordings are now on sale.
