Dogs have amazingly keen senses of smell and can detect what are probably chemical changes that we can’t smell. I know of a young woman who is a Type 1 diabetic. She has a service dog that can detect when her blood glucose starts dropping into a dangerous range and I’ve heard of people whose pets seem to do the same thing. I’ve also heard of service dogs who can tell when someone is about to have a seizure. These are well-trained service animals that not only detect impending events but have also been trained in what to do.
do cats have this ability?
My Dobermanns sense when a panic attack or PTSD episode is coming on.
They smush up on me and become super attentive or do goofy things that short circuit it.
I firmly believe that Gypsy the Podengo knew something was going on with Bubby before he fell over dead with no warning.
Out of character, she kept kept jumping up on the sofa with us or standing near it, just staring at him.
So did Djinni the Ibizan
In the months leading up to his sudden death, I had all three of them jammed on the sofa with me.
They knew.
Hrafn, the boy Dobe I have now does the weirdest not-normal dog behavior of coming up to me and pressing his muzzle into my neck and just stands there for the longest time.
Where he presses is where the damage is from arthritis and whiplash.
Dogs know.