do animals have emotions?

You are looking at your animal friend, noticing an unusual expression on their face.  Suddenly you wonder, what is he feeling?  Does she have feelings?  Most animal lovers would indeed say yes, my animals do have feelings.

As an animal communicator I have seen my own animal family members experience anger, jealousy, and deep grief over the loss of a mate.  In my intuitive connections with other animals I have seen them go through a wide range of emotions, that varies with their history and experiences.

Many animal lovers adopt animals from shelters, or take in stray animals they happen to find.  These animals can have a variety of problems that are referred to as abandonment issues, while other animals have a history of being abused.  In the recent past there is a category of animals that have become known as foreclosure animals.  It is not uncommon that a realtor will go into a home and find one or more animals left behind.  When people are financially stressed, and in situations that involve loosing their jobs and home, they can become unable to deal with one more thing.  Unfortunately, that one more thing can involve the animals.

Imagine having that kind of history.  Animals are not unlike people.  Some are more resilient that others, while some of them carry the trauma for a long time.  These situations can produce fear and anxiety, which in itself can lead to a wide range of problem behaviors.  Some animals can be possessive and territorial, while others are tense and high strung.