Are you familiar with Peggy Sue, that captivating feline who shared our lives a few years ago?
Peggy Sue embodied freedom in its purest form. When I say freedom, I mean she fully lived this concept, adamantly refusing to conform to our domestic confinement rules. Doors were mere obstacles to her, screens mere challenges to overcome. Nothing could keep her indoors.
She truly revolutionized our way of coexisting with animals. Of course, like any animal lover, I was aware of their sense of time for meals, walks, or playtime, but I had never realized they could grasp the passage of time with such finesse.
Peggy Sue came and went almost at will, and sometimes I wondered if she considered us her servants. She had this unfortunate habit of returning at dawn, just before the morning bird concert. After a few months of being awakened by the repeated noise of the door handle and her meows, my dark circles had become a true calling card, and my energy levels seemed simply depleted.
As Stéphane and I delved deeper into our communication with animals, we were inspired to discuss this issue with the main party involved.
Me: “Peggy Sue, I respect your need to explore and enjoy nature during the day. But your nocturnal escapades are starting to affect my sleep and, consequently, my energy for the day ahead. So here are two options to restore harmony for everyone: Either you come back before our bedtime, at 10 p.m., or you spend the night outside. It’s up to you, but if you decide to stay out after 10 p.m., the door will remain closed until the next morning.”
And to our great surprise, that very evening, Peggy Sue returned to the door at 9:30 p.m. And so it went every evening thereafter, except for the few occasions when we forgot to remind her of the new rules of household harmony.
What a joy to finally find peaceful and rejuvenating nights, and what a discovery of this new communication tool!
Since this experience, we have become aware that animals possess a perception of the passage of time. And it’s always fascinating to see that the experience is repeated with all animals!
It’s a topic we regularly discuss when communicating with our four-legged companions and stressing the importance of sharing the duration of our absences or activities. Indeed, animals often tend to worry when we don’t adhere to their usual routine. For example, some repeat their vocalizations until they get their food or treats. Or they lick us until we take them for a walk or howl until our return.
It’s crucial to be precise in our time indications if we choose to use this tool. Animals don’t understand vague or abstract terms like “soon,” “later,” or “later” because they live in the present moment!
Here are some examples of situations where we can use this understanding of time:
[icon_list_item icon=”fa-paw” icon_type=”transparent” icon_size=”17″ icon_color=”#ac9346″ title=”Before leaving an anxious animal, it’s important to mention the planned duration of our absence, adding a bit of margin to account for possible unforeseen events. It’s essential to respect the agreed-upon time so that the animal knows when to anticipate your return. For example: “I’m leaving for work and will be back at 6:30 p.m.” or “I’m leaving and will be back in 8 hours” (if you estimate returning around 5:30 p.m.).” title_color=”#727377″ title_size=”17″][icon_list_item icon=”fa-paw” icon_type=”transparent” icon_size=”17″ icon_color=”#ac9346″ title=”When an animal demands its meal by barking, it’s helpful to indicate that it will receive its food in 10 minutes or at 5:30 p.m., depending on what you’ve planned. This way, the animal will know that you’ve heard its request and that it will soon receive what it needs.” title_color=”#727377″ title_size=”17″][icon_list_item icon=”fa-paw” icon_type=”transparent” icon_size=”17″ icon_color=”#ac9346″ title=”If your dog wants to go for a walk but you need to finish a task first, it’s beneficial to communicate the time when you’ll be available to go for a walk. This will help it to wait patiently and entertain itself in the meantime.” title_color=”#727377″ title_size=”17″]
By using this understanding of time in our interactions with animals, we can harmonize our schedules and strengthen the bond that unites us.
And have fun with this new facet of animal intelligence!
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