# Animal ESP? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854 "2018-01-31T02:40:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SeniorCitizen007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8baadc/32.png) [@SeniorCitizen007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeniorCitizen007)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/1 "2018-01-31T02:40:09Z")
I once lived in a caravan on a farm in Wales. The farmer owned 3 farms and lived on one of his other farms. When my wife and I walked up the farm track to the road the cattle in the field would move towards us menacingly. This went on for a couple of weeks (which made me wonder if they were planning to “trample” us). The farmer had a bad reputation for the way he treated his animals. One evening the cattle at the farm I lived on just glanced at us and did not engage in their usual tactics. The following morning I was told that the farmer was in hospital … his bull, at the farm he lived on, had attacked him. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/2 "2018-01-31T02:57:01Z")
I think animals have a 6th sense. I don’t know if you could call it extra-sensory, though. I have experienced many occasions where I thought my dogs or cats knew things before I did. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/3 "2018-01-31T15:15:35Z")
Four legs good. Two legs bad. **Beck** : Some animals do have senses that we don’t have. Some sharks, for instance, can sense electrical fields. Some migratory birds can sense the magnetic field of the earth. But your cat probably just has the same senses, differently tuned. Better hearing and smell, for instance, and an ability to sense changes in air pressure thru its whiskers. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/4 "2018-01-31T15:26:15Z")
“extra-sensory” is, pretty much by definition, not possible. Anything that an animal senses must be within its ability to perceive. No need to suggest anything supernatural. Do they have abilities that we are not able to comprehend? absolutely. UV vision, infrasound, ultrasound, IR, scent perception etc. Those abilities are astonishingly advanced to the point of appearing almost magical (a la Arthur C. Clarke) but they exist firmly within the natural world. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/5 "2018-01-31T15:32:56Z")
If a cat knows about something bad before you do, he probably planned it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/6 "2018-01-31T16:03:22Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > The following morning I was told that the farmer was in hospital … his bull, at the farm he lived on, had attacked him. One of my teachers in graduate school was attacked by his bull. When he got out of the hospital, he took the bull to the butcher. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/7 "2018-01-31T17:56:21Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I have experienced many occasions where I thought my dogs or cats knew things before I did. Math, Science or English? ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/8 "2018-01-31T18:00:52Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > One evening the cattle at the farm I lived on just glanced at us and did not engage in their usual tactics. The following morning I was told that the farmer was in hospital … his bull, at the farm he lived on, had attacked him. I think there is a Kliban cartoon in there… Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/9 "2018-01-31T18:15:50Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I think there is a Kliban cartoon in there… Sounds more like a Far Side. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/10 "2018-01-31T18:26:04Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > Math, Science or English? More like, new treats in the grocery sack. My little Yorkie generally barks way before I know someone is coming up the drive. And both dogs freak out if anyone goes to the gun cabinet. My Daddy despised little house dogs, every dog I had while he was alive knew he wasn’t friendly. They steered well clear of him. This very minute one my cats is yowling incessantly. I don’t yet know the problem, but I assure you something is on his mind. Could be he doesn’t like the litter smells or a wasp Is outside his little window seat. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/11 "2018-01-31T18:38:53Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > This very minute one my cats is yowling incessantly. I don’t yet know the problem, but I assure you something is on his mind. Could be he doesn’t like the litter smells or a wasp Is outside his little window seat. Our calico complains when she has nothing to complain about. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/12 "2018-01-31T18:47:43Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > I once lived in a caravan on a farm in Wales. The farmer owned 3 farms and lived on one of his other farms. When my wife and I walked up the farm track to the road the cattle in the field would move towards us menacingly. This went on for a couple of weeks (which made me wonder if they were planning to “trample” us). The farmer had a bad reputation for the way he treated his animals. One evening the cattle at the farm I lived on just glanced at us and did not engage in their usual tactics. The following morning I was told that the farmer was in hospital … his bull, at the farm he lived on, had attacked him. Some animals got protective and/or were ill-tempered when you came near them, and a bull that may or may not associate with them whupped a farmer’s ass, but we don’t know why. And this has what to do with “ESP”? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/13 "2018-01-31T19:06:05Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And this has what to do with “ESP”? The cattle were aggressive towards people until the farmer was in the hospital. Perhaps they sensed that the farmer wasn’t going to mess with them became not aggressive. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/14 "2018-01-31T19:11:35Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > The cattle were aggressive towards people until the farmer was in the hospital. Perhaps they sensed that the farmer wasn’t going to mess with them became not aggressive. Or they had just been fed, or they hadn’t had their morning beatings, or(being cows) they were just mellow that day. Why skip over all the logical explanations and skip to an illogical explanation? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/15 "2018-01-31T19:16:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Why skip over all the logical explanations and skip to an illogical explanation? I was explaining the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/16 "2018-01-31T19:17:57Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I was explaining the OP. Understood, and I was giving alternate explanations the OP should have considered first. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/17 "2018-01-31T19:22:52Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > or(being cows) they were just mellow that day. My theory is that they were attempting to be unobtrusive in case SeniorCitizen007 and his wife wanted to cut one open and have sex inside of it. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/18 "2018-01-31T19:28:39Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > More like, new treats in the grocery sack. Dog’s have excellent noses. > [@](#): > > My little Yorkie generally barks way before I know someone is coming up the drive. And ears. > [@](#): > > And both dogs freak out if anyone goes to the gun cabinet. And can learn to associate bad things with activities. > [@](#): > > My Daddy despised little house dogs, every dog I had while he was alive knew he wasn’t friendly. They steered well clear of him. Or with people. None of which is relevant to the OPs suggestion of ESP, except as an illustration of something people ascribe to ESP out of ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/19 "2018-01-31T19:35:38Z")
The simplest hypothesis, and one rooted in psychology and research in unusual beliefs, is that **SeniorCitizen007** constructed important parts of this scenario in his mind after the fact possibly immediately through flawed memory or over time with the same cause and aided by inaccurate retellings. It’s unlikely he had a diary of cow behaviour, so it’s likely any previous mellow days were forgotten, and any hint of menacing behaviour on the day in question was forgotten. And of course there is also the simple possibility of coincidence. A psychic link calming down the cows on one farm because their owner on a different farm had been trampled? Give me a break! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854/20 "2018-01-31T19:40:49Z")
On a similar note, I recently saw about 50 people walk into a large metal container…and it just floated into the sky and disappeared! Levitation? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-esp/807854.md?page=2)