Do animals have psychic abilities? Experts and non-experts alike are split on the subject. More literal- or scientifically minded people might argue that psychic abilities, such as telepathy or premonitions, do not exist, either in animals or in humans. And yet any human who has lived with and loved an animal friend knows that animals perceive things differently than humans do. Animals can certainly do some incredible things that seem to defy all logic. Dogs, cats and other animals have been known to warn their human companions of health issues, for example, such as dangerously low blood sugar or an impending epileptic seizure. They have even been reported to have detected cancer in their beloved human companions well before an actual medical diagnosis was made, indicating a problem by nosing or pawing repeatedly at the afflicted point on the human’s body.

There are many far simpler and more common examples of animals’ psychic abilities. For instance, anyone who has a cat has experienced the sometimes chill-up-your-spine phenomenon of a cat staring fixedly at a certain point in space, as if looking at someone who is standing right there, when no one seems to be present. Many animal lovers have also noted their animals’ ability to tune in to humans’ emotional states. As humans, we rely on the close emotional connection and support we receive from our animal companions, and yet it is rare that we stop to consider how special it truly is — that a being of another species can understand and respond to us so well on a feeling level. If you have ever experienced your dog laying his head in your lap and gazing up at you with soulful eyes when you were feeling sad, you were experiencing a psychic bond in action with your animal companion. It has also been repeatedly documented that just a few minutes of stroking an animal’s fur can significantly lower one’s blood pressure; a sense of calm and wellbeing comes over a human as they connect in this simple, tactile way with their beloved animal companion. While this may not typically be viewed as a shared psychic bond between human and animal, that is exactly what it is. The animal is tuning in to the human’s psychic vibrations; sensing the human’s tension or stress, the animal sends out calming vibrations to help the human achieve a state of inner calm and balance.

But animals’ psychic abilities don’t stop there. Dogs whose beloved humans have passed away have been known to howl, pace and show other signs of intense grief at the moment of the human’s passing, or even before the tragedy has occurred. Based on events like these, some animal experts believe that animals may possess powers of telepathy — communicating through just their thoughts with their human companion — and that animals might also experience premonitions — sensitivity to events that haven’t yet occurred, such as when animals exhibit strange, agitated behavior just before an earthquake.

It is undeniable that animals are highly sensitive; even domesticated animals like dogs and cats are still largely primitive and instinctive. Unlike their human counterparts, they haven’t been altered by a fast-paced, modern culture that slowly and surely leads them to losing touch with their intuitive side. Thus, animals’ psychic abilities are more pure, immediate and accessible than those of most human beings. Regardless of the species, the stronger the bond with their human companion, the stronger an animal’s intuition can become — and also, the stronger the human’s ability to sense that the animal is experiencing something outside the realm of what is plainly visible or tangible.

Signs that your animal companion is sensing or interacting with an invisible entity, such as a spirit, a toxin or some type of danger:

Your animal:

•    Appears to see someone or something that isn’t actually present, or that is invisible to you.

•    Completely avoids certain rooms or areas of the home or yard, or displays fear, protectiveness or even aggressiveness whenever forced to enter these areas.

•    Barks or meows in a familiar way at “thin air,” when no one seems to be present.

Signs that your animal is trying to communicate a message to you on a psychic level:

Your animal:

•    Stares at you intently and meaningfully while “vocalizing” (e.g., barking, growling, meowing or moaning), as if wanting to get something important across to you.

•    Shows up in a dream and tells you something important that you remember when you wake up.

•    Noses or paws at a particular spot on your body or a certain point in your home, as if to tell you to look more deeply into this area.

•    Has an instant, instinctive reaction upon meeting one of your friends for the first time, such as growling, hissing, or otherwise showing intense dislike for this person; often the growling or hissing will intensify if your friend comes close to you or touches you, even in a friendly, non-threatening way.

Other signs that your animal is having a psychic experience or tapping into psychic abilities:

Your animal:

•    Suddenly shows signs of intense sadness or moodiness (though sudden changes in mood could also indicate a health problem; if it persists and is unexplained, this merits a visit to the veterinarian).

•    Naturally attunes to your emotional state, changing their behavior according to your mood — for example, becoming quiet and hovering close when you’re feeling sad, or being joyful and ebullient when you’re in a good mood.

•    Seems to read your mind, such as becoming excited and joyful when you’re thinking about taking the animal for a walk, or hiding when you’re thinking of taking the animal to the vet or another unpleasant place.

•    Becomes alert, standing at attention at the window or door, several minutes before you (or another beloved human) arrive home, as if they can hear your car approaching — even if you’re still much too far away for them to hear

•    Is lost but finds their way back home, even over impossibly long distances or through completely unfamiliar territory.

In many cases, supporting and encouraging your animal companion’s psychic abilities actually depends on your willingness to develop your own intuition and psychic acuity. After all, helping your animal “become more psychic” is really more about learning to interpret their psychic messages and behavior more accurately. Here are several ways to support your animal companion’s development of their psychic abilities:

•    Visit a pet psychic — Psychics who specialize in communication with animals can tune in intuitively to a dog or cat’s thoughts and feelings, and can translate them for the animal’s human companion. This can be especially helpful if you’re experiencing relationship problems with your animal friend, if your animal has unexplained health issues, or if your animal seems depressed and you don’t know why.

•    Talk to your pet, verbalizing what you think they’re trying to communicate — Even if you don’t understand your dog or cat’s “language,” chances are good that they understand yours far better than you realize. When they vocalize a message to you, listen carefully, tune in on an intuitive level as well as you can, and then tell your animal what you believe you heard. Often, your animal will let you know whether you understood the correct message, either by behaving excitedly — “That’s right, you got it!” — or by behaving with increasing anxiety and insistence: “No, that’s not it — try again!”

•    Talk to your pet, verbalizing what you think they’re trying to communicate — Even if you don’t understand your dog or cat’s “language,” chances are good that they understand yours far better than you realize. When they vocalize a message to you, listen carefully, tune in on an intuitive level as well as you can, and then tell your animal what you believe you heard. Often, your animal will let you know whether you understood the correct message, either by behaving excitedly — “That’s right, you got it!” — or by behaving with increasing anxiety and insistence: “No, that’s not it — try again!”

•    Work on developing your own psychic abilities — If you increase your own ability to tap readily into your intuitive side, you can quiet the logical part of your brain more quickly in order to tune in to whatever your animal might be feeling or attempting to communicate.

Your life will improve when you become more serious about developing your psychic connection with your animal friend. Not only will you benefit from greater access to your furry friend’s wisdom, their incredibly sensitive senses and their extensive, intuitive knowledge that seems to defy all explanation, you will enjoy the deeper, even more meaningful, soul-to-soul connection you share with this sensitive and profound being.