You Look Sad

Or is that just resting b*&%ch face?

Sometimes we think our animals look sad. But are they really?

I know our pup Amy can put on a sad face when she wants.  I tend to think of it more as her “sincere” face - ears back, eyebrows wrinkled, looking as though if she doesn’t get that last treat, the world is going to end (and perhaps for her, it will). She also uses this face when she needs to be petted, RIGHT NOW, and I guess she thinks the more sincere she looks, the quicker she’ll get what she wants. It generally works.

Sincerity in every muscle.

Even cats can look sad, but they are a bit more subtle about it. They usually put their whole body into their supposed misery, curling up in a ball with no legs (hidden, not cut off) and ears at half mast. 

I think if our animals are with us long enough, they pick up on our own expressions, and our energy. If we feel sad, they may put out a sad vibe too, because they don’t know why we feel sad, but hey! They’re our pet, and they’re with us, 100%. They just know we are. And they’re really empathic.

Our emotions affect everyone and everything around us, and we are also affected by what’s going on in the world. So pay attention to what you read, how you speak, what you let into your life. Being aware is essential, but if you let outside circumstances rule your life, you’ll take on stuff you don’t really want, and your animal friend will be ….. sad.

Grumpy Cat, whose face was just made that way.

Have you noticed that? “Oooo, I’m really stressed today,” we think, and the dog will come over to see if they can jolly us out of it. The cat, on the other hand, might move to the other side of the room, not because they don’t love us, but because strong emotion can be hard for them to handle. With cats, I think it depends on their upbringing. My cat Ry always hangs out with me when I’m feeling emotionally under the weather. He doesn’t necessarily want to cuddle, but he’s there to talk to if needed. And not a frown or sad eyes - just my sweet, lovable Ry.

I wonder what snakes would do. Slither under a rock, the better to avoid all that angst? And hamsters. Extra time on the wheel, I’m sure, all the time sending us little hamster messages saying that if we’d exercise, we’d feel a lot better. (Truth. Hamsters are wise.)

Our emotions affect everyone and everything around us, and we are also affected by what’s going on in the world. So pay attention to what you read, how you speak, what you let into your life. Being aware is essential, but if you let outside circumstances rule your life, you’ll take on stuff you don’t really want, and your animal friend will be ….. sad.

The next time you think your animal looks sad, take a look into yourself. How are YOU feeling? What is going on around you and your pet? We humans tend to be pretty unaware of how our surroundings affect us (including what we see on the Internet or in the news), but our animal friends have the superpower of hyper-awareness about what’s going on.

Except maybe Ry, who is a love bug and wants everyone to be happy. And to give him treats.