Return to Normal – The Pet Response

You are striving to return to a normal state. How can this affect your pets? Since the official lockdown reopened last May in Arizona, I have experienced some animal companions who have had their own struggles with their people going back to leaving the house for a regular job or even going on trips. They became accustomed to seeing and being with you for most, if not all, of the day.

With some pets it depends on how much time they have lived in their current home, their age, what the day-to-day was like beforehand and have they ever experienced the family leaving previously. In many cases, those that do not have animal siblings have been the most challenged as they are having to relearn the natural sounds that occur in a house when no one is at home. Or they are so adapted to their human playmates they do not know what to do with themselves when others are not around.

Some go through behavioral meltdowns just as a kid may do acting out in a variety of ways. You can feel the emotional process…” if I act out enough, maybe my family will come home – and things will be normal again.” If young, the change can trigger a second fear stage. The key is to be patient and take it one step at a time. Finding them a focus that excites them is pivotal. A cool morning or pleasant afternoon walk or some back yard play or just having something for them to look forward to can be the ticket. Making it fun and giving them attention is important.

With several cat friends, it was the opportunity to observe how they were relearning every sound in the home as if it were new. They were more apt to want time in my presence connecting even more than was the previously as everything had changed and it was getting used to their new norm. One cat in question would walk me to the door daily asking for a few more minutes as she was not quite ready for me to leave, so I connect for a while longer until she moved back into the room showing that she was okay now.

Even families with multiple animal siblings, several acted out and it was a combination of both me and their people talking with them to explain and reiterate the reason for the changes. It has taken patience, love and understanding, but all have come around in their own time.