How To Tell If My Pet Is Happy

Sometimes it is easy to mistake a sign of sickness for a pet being depressed, it is important to know how to determine if your cat is happy, sick, or sad.  Let us look at signs of problems, this can be sickness, depression or stress.

Signs of Problems. 

1.  Lethargy.  This can be a sign of depression or poor health.  Lack of energy is always a signal that something is wrong.  To determine what the problem is you can take a stool sample to the vet, and schedule a visit for a check up.

2.  Itching.  Itching can be a sign of many things, not just fleas.  Itching can be a sign of allergies to an ingredient in the pets food, or it can indicate the animal is feeling stressed.  Obviously look first for signs of fleas, ticks, and lice, but also examine your pets food for any of the common allergins, in dogs this would be corn, beef, pork, soy, and wheat.  In cats this would be corn, dairy, or fish.  In either pet the color food dyes can cause problems.

3.  Excessive Shedding.  The more stress a pet is under, the more it will shed.  Excessive shedding is also a sign of low quality food, so again, check your food first.  It can also be genetic.  Cats under stress will often groom themselves frequently to allow them to feel good and relax. 

4.  Not Eating.  Typically sick pets, pets who are stressed. or depressed, will eat less.  This can also be a sign of sore teeth.  Try to encourage an interest in food by putting the food in the microwave for ten seconds to bring out the natural odors in the food. 

5.  Generally Uninterested.  A pet who is sick or sad, will be uninterested in things that once thrilled them, such as car rides or walks for dogs, cat nip, treats, or toys for cats.  Remember as pets get older they do lose some interest in toys. 

6.  Aggression.   A pet who is sick, injured, or upset, may respond in a negative way to attention.  Aggression is common in declawed cats so take this into consideration as well, they simply have a heightened sense of danger.  Often pets who are injured or in pain try to look twice as tough, so abnormal aggression should be a hint to you that there is a problem. 

7.  Passive Behavior.  In contrast, some animals become more passive if they are in distress.

8.  Sounds.  We all know dogs will growl if unhappy, but some people are not aware that a sad or even a dying cat, will purr. 

9.  Change in Bathroom Habits.  Diarrhea is a common sign of health problems, such as worms or other infections.  If a pet suddenly forgets they are house trained, or litter trained, it can be either a health concern, such as bladder infection, or a sign that the pet is stressed and  upset. 

10.  Negative Behavior.  A stressed pet will behave distructively, a bored dog will dig, bark, or chew.  Negative behavior is very common in intelligent dog breeds who are left home for long periods of time. 

Signs of Happiness

1.  Playfulness.  Happy pets play, and they play for no reason.  A happy cat will catch mice for fun, not just for food.  A happy dog will want to play as much as that dogs breed, and age allow it.  Here we note that some breeds are more playful than others.  The key is to determine if a dog is playing because it is happy, or because it is bored, (as in #10 above).   

2.  Curiousity.  Happy pets enjoy looking at things, they may like looking out the window, or, as with my cats, watching the cursor on the computer screen. 

3.  Recognition.   A happy pet reacts differently to people he knows, not that he is unsocial to those he does not know, but you can spot a recognition when he sees people he knows.  They watch you more than they watch a stranger in the room.  A dog who is leary of strangers is not a well socially adjusted dog.  (Of course I am referring to pet dogs, not guard dogs)

4.  Normal stool.  Happy, healthy, pets have normal stools.  They are not stressed. 

5.  Overall appearance.  A happy pet will appear like a happy pet, what could be simpler than that?  A happy dog wags its' tail, a happy cat will often purr and rub on its' owner.  A happy pet tells you it is happy. 

Remember every pet is different, getting to know your pets regular behavior will help give you clues to signs that it is happy or sad, sick or distressed.  Knowing your pet is the best key to keeping it happy.