NationStates Jolt Archive

I've been thinking about this, and I've notice that about the last 5 days of Sara's life, she was avoiding me. Me and her were real close, she would follow me around everywhere in the house and she would always sleep on my bed at night However, on the last 5 days of her life, she avoided me and basically chose a secluded spot to hide in. I always wonder why animals do that.

I've been thinking about this, and I've notice that about the last 5 days of Sara's life, she was avoiding me. Me and her were real close, she would follow me around everywhere in the house and she would always sleep on my bed at night However, on the last 5 days of her life, she avoided me and basically chose a secluded spot to hide in. I always wonder why animals do that.

This has been a deep thought with Jack Handy.

This has been a deep thought with Jack Handy.

Here's another deep though, Are we really here?

I've been thinking about this, and I've notice that about the last 5 days of Sara's life, she was avoiding me. Me and her were real close, she would follow me around everywhere in the house and she would always sleep on my bed at night However, on the last 5 days of her life, she avoided me and basically chose a secluded spot to hide in. I always wonder why animals do that.
...

I think...no...

I've got no bloody idea, mate. Sorry.

This is a shot in the dark and could be wrong. Animals run on instinct and they instinctively know that they are at their weakest when close to death. That weakness would attract predators to their pack, herd, flock or whatever, so for the survival of that group, they leave.

This is a shot in the dark and could be wrong. Animals run on instinct and they instinctively know that they are at their weakest when close to death. That weakness would attract predators to their pack, herd, flock or whatever, so for the survival of that group, they leave.

Heres another idea: when your dying it hurts, which leads to grumpiness, which leads to anti-social behavior.

That shows thought process and personality. This is another blow to the "only humans can be sentient" argument.

That shows thought process and personality. This is another blow to the "only humans can be sentient" argument.
Or maybe it just shows that whatever killed this animal, be it old age or a disease, had some adverse affects on its brain that caused its natural inclination to stay near its food source to function incorrectly.

Or maybe it just shows that whatever killed this animal, be it old age or a disease, had some adverse affects on its brain that caused its natural inclination to stay near its food source to function incorrectly.

She was 15, so it's a combination of old age, liver, and kidney problems.

She was 15, so it's a combination of old age, liver, and kidney problems.
So senility and a polluted circulatory system caused part of your cat’s brain to die, disrupting its usual habits. There, your question is answered.

That shows thought process and personality. This is another blow to the "only humans can be sentient" argument.

Or, you know, it could be those instincts acting up again? The instinctual response to pain being to go curl up in whatever place is deemed "safe" by instinctual selection? Yeah, that could be it too. There are thousands of good forms of instincts that could cause the behaviour. Everything from the instinct to leave the "pack" when ill, for fear of spreading the disease, to search for a more safe/healthy environ to heal in.

Or, you know, it could be those instincts acting up again? The instinctual response to pain being to go curl up in whatever place is deemed "safe" by instinctual selection? Yeah, that could be it too. There are thousands of good forms of instincts that could cause the behaviour. Everything from the instinct to leave the "pack" when ill, for fear of spreading the disease, to search for a more safe/healthy environ to heal in.
Ooh, that one was good too.

That shows thought process and personality. This is another blow to the "only humans can be sentient" argument.

It just might be the human tendency to project ourselves onto other creatures. We are personifying the animals when the most reasonable answer is evolutionary instincts.

The animal was probably in pain, or a least a high level of discomfort, and so it hid. Basic animal instinct, pain causes the animal to feel vulnerable, and it hides from possible predators.

Heres another idea: when your dying it hurts, which leads to grumpiness, which leads to anti-social behavior.


Yep. When my pain levels are at their highest, I curl up in my room and wont talk to anyone for days at a time. Having to interact with other during a time of extreme physical stress takes a lot of enregy that could otherwise be used for "healing."