I keep hearing that animals like dogs and cats don’t understand when we apologize after accidentally hurting them, but I just can’t agree!
Whenever I’ve accidentally stepped on my dog’s paw or tail, I immediately apologize not just with words, but with how I move, my tone, and everything. And I swear they understand! They seem to recognize my reaction as a way of saying, “Hey, I didn’t mean to!”
Even my cat does this. If he nibbles too hard during play, I say “Ow” and he pauses, looks at me, then gives a quick lick where he bit before playing gently. It’s like he’s saying, “Sorry about that!”
I’ve noticed animals naturally check in on each other during play to ensure they aren’t hurting anyone. What do you all think? Have your pets shown they understand apologies, or do you think it’s just us reading too much into their behavior? Share your stories or any studies you’ve come across!
My cats totally get it! If I accidentally step on a paw, they’ll get upset at first, but after I pet them and offer treats, we’re cool again. It’s like, “Alright, you’ve made amends.”
Galen said:
My cats totally get it! If I accidentally step on a paw, they’ll get upset at first, but after I pet them and offer treats, we’re cool again. It’s like, “Alright, you’ve made amends.”
I had something similar! Once, as a kid, I stepped on a cat’s tail by mistake, and it tried to scratch me right away. I felt terrible!
Now, there’s a stray cat I feed. I once accidentally dropped a bottle near her, and she ran off, avoiding me for a while. I spent ages apologizing, and she forgave me. Now when I visit, she cuddles and even lets me give her belly rubs when no one else is around.
I’m convinced they do. Animals like cats and dogs use gestures to show they didn’t mean harm during play, so it makes sense they’d understand us doing the same.
I believe they understand! My dogs, especially my drama queen, definitely get it. When I apologize, he gives me this look like, “Okay, I’ll let it slide.” The times I’ve accidentally hurt them haunt me, though!
They understand because social animals are wired that way. Puppies and kittens make noise when they’re hurt, and their siblings respond.
When I step on my cat’s paw, she yells at me but settles down right after I say sorry and pet her. I think our apologizing mimics what they’d hear from their littermates.
I think they read us really well. My cats always seem to know if I’m approaching to pick them up or just to give them a pat. It’s like they can sense the difference.
I’ve seen my dogs show similar behavior. If one accidentally bumps into the other, they’ll pause and check in even if no one yelped. It feels like an unspoken “Sorry about that.”
There was a study I read that showed dogs understand the difference between deliberate actions and accidents. If they can do that, it’s not a stretch to think they understand regret. Let me dig it up for you.