Friendship is truly one of life’s greatest blessings! Our friends lift us up, remind us who we are and share in the burdens and joys of our lives in ways that only friends can.
Our pals love us simply for being ourselves, and if you think about it, friendship has a mysterious side too… I mean, what makes us look at another being and feel that instant connection? What makes us know, “This one is part of my tribe”?
A few years ago, the topic of friendship made its way into TIME Magazine‘s Special Edition: The Animal Mind. The article delves into the scientific perspective on non-human animals and friendship, but it doesn’t dive into the unique ways cats and dogs exhibit friendship. In fact, according to the science in this article, dogs do not rank very high on the friendship scale.
You’re with us if you’re saying, “Unbelievable!” to that statistic.
Science quantifies things, and scientists put the individuals they are studying into categories. Sure, this is a solid method for collecting data, but it sometimes seems to fall short when attempting to explore what we feel and observe emotionally or intuitively.
If we move away from scientists’ quantification of the term “friend” and into the true, experienced realm of everyday life, many of us would say that we share with our friends a bond of mutual affection. Now that’s more like it!
Every day in my clinic, I see this love and care between individuals of the same species or different ones. A great example of this: people who foster orphaned animals sometimes have a cat or dog who takes on the nurse role and befriends all who enter their home. So sweet!
My work with animals and their people through the years has shown me that non-human beings are without a doubt capable of friendship… and all of the emotions that go with caring for others.
Let’s look at grief. My clients often bring their furry buddy in for care after the recent loss of a family member (be it human or four-legged). After the loss of their friend and companion, many animals become less active and drastically change their behavior, sometimes hiding or refusing to eat. These are typical expressions of grief that you might see in any human being dealing with loss. When I “check in” with a sad animal companion, almost always I find that Fido is indeed grieving the loss of his friend.
Whether today’s science wants to call it friendship or not, the connection that we human beings have with our four-legged companions is not only fun, but also tender and fulfilling.
For me, it’s a no-brainer. Of course we’re friends with our dogs and cats. Why should we be friends only with other humans? Our cats and dogs are our ‘buds’ through thick and thin. They are in tune with who we are on a moment to moment basis, just as we are attentive to who they are and how they manifest in this world.
Where do you come down on this question of friendship? Have you experienced true friendship with a species other than your own? Tell us about it over on our Facebook page.
