Do Animals Know They've Been Replaced?

Do pets know they have been replaced. Do dogs get jealous when a new baby or a second pet arrives. Why does a cat start peeing in corners, hiding under the bed, or developing cystitis with no infection after a new family member moves in. What does cortisol, the stress hormone, actually do to a dog in the weeks after a new arrival, and why do family dogs end up in shelters with "started behaving badly when the baby came" written on the intake card. These are the real questions behind the famous Harris plush rival study, the Range unfair-paw experiment, the science of feline idiopathic cystitis, and the long-term cortisol synchrony between dogs and their owners. In this video we walk through five concrete signs your pet has noticed the shift, on real experiments, not feelings, and then five simple rules that genuinely make life easier on the animal who got there first. 📚 SOURCES & FURTHER READING Harris, C. R., Prouvost, C. (2014), "Jealousy in dogs," PLOS ONE (the plush dog, book, and bucket experiment with 36 dogs) Range, F., Horn, L., Viranyi, Z., Huber, L. (2009), "The absence of reward induces inequity aversion in dogs," PNAS (the unfair-paw study) Range, F., Viranyi, Z., Huber, L., and later collaborators, comparative work on inequity aversion in wolves and dogs Sundman, A.-S., Van Poucke, E., et al. (2019), "Long-term stress levels are synchronized in dogs and their owners," Scientific Reports (hair cortisol synchrony) Buffington, C. A. T., and others, foundational and ongoing work on feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) and chronic stress as a trigger Westropp, J. L., Buffington, C. A. T., reviews of stress-driven lower urinary tract disease in cats Heath, S., Mills, D. S., and others, veterinary behavioral medicine on territorial stress, hiding, and aggression in cats Salman, M. D., et al., "Human and animal factors related to the relinquishment of dogs and cats in 12 selected animal shelters in the United States," Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science (on common reasons dogs and cats are surrendered, including arrival of a new baby) Patricia McConnell, "The Other End of the Leash" and related writing on multi-dog households and competition for human attention Standard veterinary behavior guidance on slow scent-first introductions between resident and incoming animals (Overall, "Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats") If breakdowns like this are why you keep coming back, subscribe and turn on the bell so the next one finds you. #Pets #DogBehavior #CatBehavior #AnimalScience #PetPsychology