A “pet of a different nature,” Tawni Bear, inspired today’s article. As I read stories shared by one of my readers about his encounters with these beautiful wild cats, I was reminded of how far humans have digressed with many of their house pets. Often the original bond between animal and human has been lost.

Most wild pets naturally gain our respect and attention. Care is taken to understand them. Why? Because presuming that we know what they need and think can get us physically hurt…needed trust can be forfeited. Most domestic pets have lost this connection with their owners.

Anthropomorphizing is a big word that means ascribing human characteristics to something not human. Are we trying to humanize the loving pets we bring into our homes? In some areas our actions do little harm; but in others, our pets are paying a high price for our over indulgences.

In your own human neediness, do you turn to your pets with your emotional demands? Most pets desire to please… often at the cost of their own happiness. If your pets become rather neurotic, you often laugh, not realizing that your own actions are causing an imbalance within them.

Throughout your life you have experienced situations where fellow humans have hurt and misunderstood you. In an attempt to comfort yourself, you turn to your pet, possibly doing the same thing to them that people have done to you. You hurt them by misunderstanding what their real needs are. Onus is placed on them to adapt to YOU. You of course make sure they are fed and physically cared for. But they, like us, are more than just another physical body.

I admire (with perhaps a healthy fear) the wild mountain lions and wolves. Like Tawni’s owner did, I long to meet them. Why? I’m drawn to the beautiful energy of confidence I see in them. I also understand that to interact with them, I must offer them a reason to cooperate with me.

In general, our house pets are not offered the same opportunity of cooperation. We rudely scoop up those small enough… we tie up or lock up those that get in our way; we take out our emotional moods on them, convinced that they understand us… we presume a lot… because we want to… and we can.

Our house pets are willing to compromise more than most wild pets will. You can still keep much of the interactions you have. But for their sakes, at least start to watch for where you over-attach human personalities, when they don’t exist in reality.

This article has a two-fold purpose. First, “A well done,” to those who realize that their pets are not humans, and a wake-up call to the rest of you. Take a close look at Tawni’s picture. If you were in the same room, how would you communicate with her? Your pets need you to remember their wild heritage. Stop any tendency to anthropomorphize them; instead, understand their non-human state.