Do animals have feelings?

[Pongui]

"Feelings" in the mammalian mode, like empathy - yes, all mammals and some birds.

"Feelings" in the sense of nerves and awareness of pain - even more so. Simple life forms likely feel pain most profoundly. They just don't think about it, as we do.

 

[Flatlander Fox]

My cats have many feelings, and are quite the entertainers and backstabbers.

I have had many exchanges with my great cats. Many of them involve the word "NO" and "Meow".

After the last "Meow" usually I will get attacked from behind, or from under the bed.

Occasionally the cats will attack from above, using figurines to bombard us while we sit on the coach.

The cats feel very guilty also if they break something, you won't see them if they have done something bad.

 

[Globber]

Some animals have feelings.... For example flies do not, which is why I murder them with nary a thought . But, for higher life forms such as say, monkeys, horses, cats, etc. then there is very much emotions and feelings.

 

[MrPresident]

Yes they have feelings but not nearly as many as some humans think they have. First of all, a pet is in no way similar to a baby and should never be treated as such (especially primates). Secondly, pets have basic desires and most supposed "emotions" can be accounted to them. Thirdly, pets do not (I repeat do not) understand English - Took me ages to make my Dad understand that one. Talking of my Dad, I think my pet can do some sort of Jedi mind trick on him. One minute my Dad is saying "No, you have already been fed. I'm not feeding you any more." (and so on) then the next minute I see the cat stuffing his face full of cat food. Anyway, pets have feelings but not that many and probably in no way similar to human feelings...I bet you all thought I would mention giant radioactive monkeys...

 

[Immortal]

Im leaning toward yes, they have feelings like "warm, cold, happy, sad" but emotions like thoughtfulness and apathy I cant see them experiencing.

 

[Silverflame]

Yes. My cat sure does at least

 

[napoleon526]

I think that most mammals do. However, cats are a bit of a special case. I think that cats merely pretend to have feelings, so they can manipulate you. If my cat wants something, all she has to do is act all cute and pitiful. This is how she was recently able to gain posession of my father's Santa Claus suit (I guess she liked laying in the beard or something).

 

[napoleon526]

Of course, with other animals it's hard to tell:

 

[Pongui]

Perhaps we should say their feelings are different. Not making them somehow higher or lower than us, just alien to us. Bees, for example, get a feeling we can't relate to when they collectively "decide" to migrate. A cat toys with her crippled and flopping catch because to her that feels right. I don't believe our lacking such feelings makes us more or less developed.

 

[CurtSibling]

I have had a dog as a pet and companion for 12 years.
You get to see the full range of animal emotions in that amount of time.

Dogs can show happiness, guilt, fear, anger, depression and silliness (not all at once)...

It is illogical to say animals have no feelings.
Obviously they do not have heightened sence of situational awareness we humans have.

But they do have feeling of emotions and highs and lows of mood.

 

[Pillager]

Yes.

'Yes' being a bit of a boring answer, I'd like to add my support to Perfection's sentiments.

Originally posted by Perfection
Before Deep Frying: Yes

After: No

 

[Jeratain]

Okay, I accidentally hit "leaning no" on the poll. But then I thought about it for a second.

Everyone posting here seems to think that the word animal only includes dogs and cats

I do believe that animals have feelings, but not all. I don't think some forms of fish (maybe all forms) are capable of having feelings. Insects (though not literally an animal) do not seem to have feelings. Turtles don't seem to have feelings. Reptiles in general don't seem to show feelings.

Mammals on the other hand (the majority of them) do have feelings as far as I can tell.

 

[gr8ful wes]

Watch mother mammals nurse thier young and tell me that they don't have feelings. Watch bucks duel aggressively for the right to mate and tell me they don't have feelings. Listen to wolves howl together and tell me they don't have feelings, See mother birds fake a broken wing to lure danger away from her young and tell me they dont have feelings, Watch fox pups frolick and play in a meadow, See a rabbit fleeing for its life and tell me it doesn't have feelings.

Perhaps the feelings aren't the same as the emotion they evoke in me, but they are quite real.

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by Pillager
Yes.

'Yes' being a bit of a boring answer, I'd like to add my support to Perfection's sentiments.

Deep frying?
I think humans make the best noises when fried though!

In my view,
For some humans the title 'animal' is too kind.

 

[Zcylen]

indeed a dumb question.
of course they do...geez

 

[puglover]

Originally posted by napoleon526
Of course, with other animals it's hard to tell:

Far Side! Yeah!

 

[gael]

I think it's a bit of a dumb question if you ask me.

We're all animals, it's just that we attatch ourselves , or affiliate ourselves with animals that share the same emotions as us; mammals.

As much as you hate to admit it, you're a baldy monkey. o-o-O!

Personally i hate most reptiles and insects, just because i know they don't undertand my emotions, and if they could they would probably eat me... the Bastards.

 

[Panda]

Of course they do.

Especially pandas. Pandas are absolute suckers for cuddly display of affection, preferably from young, large-breasted human females.

 

[napoleon526]

Originally posted by gr8ful wes
Watch mother mammals nurse thier young and tell me that they don't have feelings. Watch bucks duel aggressively for the right to mate and tell me they don't have feelings. Listen to wolves howl together and tell me they don't have feelings, See mother birds fake a broken wing to lure danger away from her young and tell me they dont have feelings, Watch fox pups frolick and play in a meadow, See a rabbit fleeing for its life and tell me it doesn't have feelings.

The line between feelings and instinct is a fine one. Most of what you're describing here I consider instinct. Animals demonstrate these behaviors because it offers them their best chance to ensure the survival of their genetic material. Are feelings just instincts that have grown more complex over the course of human evolution? I don't know.

 

[puglover]

Originally posted by gael
I think it's a bit of a dumb question if you ask me.

We're all animals, it's just that we attatch ourselves , or affiliate ourselves with animals that share the same emotions as us; mammals.