# What is your dog/cat thinking of? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 2, 2023, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009 "2023-10-02T14:34:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/21 "2023-10-02T21:19:19Z")
Our one dog can hear the tiny \>snik\< sound of turning off the wireless mouse, which means **HE’S GETTING OUT OF THE CHAIR AND MIGHT LET ME O-U-T! OR MAYBE SOMETHING TO EAT! OR BELLY RUBS! YAY!** ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/22 "2023-10-02T23:33:16Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > If you feel you must post anthropomorphic or “funny” responses - well, I can’t stop you, but I’d prefer thoughts as to what your pet’s mental processes actually are. Boy, I wonder when I’ll figure out how to phrase an OP to elicit the sorts of responses I hoped for. 🙄 I guess I had hoped for a discussion somewhat more [batlike.](https://books.google.com/books?id=fBGPBRX3JsQC&pg=PA165#v=onepage&q&f=false) ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/23 "2023-10-02T23:49:37Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Do they think of us and wonder when we will come back? I think they do. Of course they do. We used to have a dog whose thought processes were pretty much this whenever left alone: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mRFCOPae8Pg/maxresdefault.jpg "Where Did You Go? - The Doubleclicks") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRFCOPae8Pg) ---
**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:** [October 2, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/24 "2023-10-02T23:57:22Z")
Well, it is kinda hard to read their mind to actually know what/how they’re thinking. They can’t tell us. Even humans can’t say exactly what they’re thinking, sometimes, with speech capabilities. All we have are clues by how they act or react to certain circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/25 "2023-10-03T05:45:26Z")
I’m not sure it’s possible for humans to understand and express what an animal is thinking in human terms without being anthropomorphic. Although we know that dogs and cats do have thought processes, it’s doubtful that they experience abstract thought in the way we do. From observing my cats, I feel confident that they feel some form of emotions like jealousy, greed, love, contentment, and joy. A whole lot of what goes through a cat’s mind seems to be “What’s **that**?” This makes sense because the evolution of the cat has resulted in an exquisite killing machine. Housecats very rarely get to put their skills fully into practice (aside from the odd bug), so I imagine a lot of what goes through their minds is a sublimation of that instinct. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/26 "2023-10-03T08:45:48Z")
While awake, my dog thinks about food and how long until the next walk. While asleep and dreaming. I’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/27 "2023-10-03T14:05:35Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I think of him pretty much like Puddy from Seinfeld. Perfect analogy! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/28 "2023-10-03T14:10:38Z")
We have a fairly decent agility course in our yard: eight jumps, a tunnel, 3 sets of weave poles, a small teeter, a hoop, etc. When my gf runs Simi and Kizzy through the course, Loki lays there watching, and I’m sure she’s thinking, “what idiots!”. Loki loves walking in the woods with us and the other dogs, but she doesn’t “get” agility. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/29 "2023-10-18T16:19:57Z")
Dupicate post. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/30 "2023-10-18T16:20:28Z")
We have two dogs. Both pretty well behaved. We are also getting our septic system replaced. Their yard looks like WWI battle field. For a while they where barking at the trac-hoes and skid steers, but finely said “f it”. 18-20 tandem loads of gravel/dirt/sand now. I’ve lost count and I’ve said f it too. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/31 "2023-10-18T21:49:49Z")
Yesterday, after a long hard afternoon of dirty, nasty work, I was sitting in the shade drinking a beer. Teddy was laying down next to my feet. I looked at him and asked, _“Wadda ya think, Old Buddy?”_ He turned his head and looked at me and said, _“I think you should have another beer.”_ Good Dog. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/32 "2023-10-19T00:16:18Z")
Did he fetch it? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/33 "2023-10-19T02:24:53Z")
He did not. He is a Dachshund, and the fridge is about 4 feet up in the air, and he is kinda lazy and an enabler. But I think he’s a Good Dog! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/34 "2023-10-19T02:34:40Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Yesterday, after a long hard afternoon of dirty, nasty work, I was sitting in the shade drinking a beer. Teddy was laying down next to my feet. I looked at him and asked, _“Wadda ya think, Old Buddy?”_ > > **He turned his head and looked at me and said, _“I think you should have another beer.”_** > > Good Dog. - If he actually said that out loud, then you’ve already had another beer. Perhaps several another beer. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/35 "2023-10-19T03:01:05Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > …you’ve already had another beer… A Fair Cop ---
**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2023, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/36 "2023-10-21T20:58:53Z")
The cats we’ve had over the years seemed to have 2 typical thoughts: 1) This is a nice warm spot-- think I’ll take a nap; and 2) I’m feeling a bit peckish, time to see if I can get a snack. One time when I’m sure what a dog is thinking is when I’m stopped at a light and the car in front of me has a dog in the back seat with windows partly open on both sides. \ This smells so good! Nothing can smell better than this. No, wait – the smell could be better from the other window. \ This smells so good! Nothing can smell better! No, wait! ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009/37 "2023-10-22T17:33:42Z")
My dog in the car: OH MY GOD, WE ARE GOING ON A WALK!! OH MY GOD, WE ARE GOING ON A WALK!! OH MY GOD, WE ARE GOING ON A WALK!! ad nauseum. My dog on a lead: LOOK AT ME, I AM GOING ON A WALK!! etc, ad nauseam. My dog having just been released from the lead: hmm. I think it is time to poo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-dog-cat-thinking-of/991009.md?page=1)