IMAGINE WHAT ANIMALS THINK …
Do you ever try to imagine what animals think? You don’t know if you’re right or wrong — the animals will never tell you. The fun is that you can make up whatever stories amuse you to go with their expressions.
For example, as you walk up to a horse, she looks like she’s smiling. Wow, you think. She’s remembering our last ride and she’s glad to see me. Then again, maybe not. Maybe she’s laughing at a great joke she heard — or she’s laughing at you. Horses do have senses of humor and sometimes you act funny.
Cats, on the other hand, don’t bother to hide their feelings. Cats have attitude. You don’t need to imagine what animals think when it comes to your cat: I’m entitled. You’re here to serve.
The goose is another animal with attitude — often a grumpy one. I don’t know how much experience you’ve had with geese, but if you find yourself near a grumpy goose, get out of the way — unless you enjoy abuse. Those hisses and honks are assaults of gripes and grumbles — possibly about your faults. What have you done wrong? Everything!
The red-eyed tree frogs are not just pretty faces. They’re slapstick comics, leapfrogging through the jungle, doing acrobatics. In their case, what the animals think is clear — let’s have some fun. Their antics can inspire all kinds of imaginings. For example, here’s a tree frog chasing a bug. 
Imagine — He’s coming up his walk when he spies the delicious-looking bug. He calls to his wife, “Hey, Martha. Cancel the reservations. I’ve got dinner here.”
When the bug makes a run for it, the frog tries charm: “No. Don’t go. I was only kidding with my wife. It was a joke. Can’t you take a joke?”
“No.” And the bug darts away.
“Wait up. You’re new around here, aren’t you? Cmon. Then we’re neighbors. We got off to a bad start. I just want to be friends.”
Finally, the frog tries his hurt act. He whines, “I’m starting to think you don’t trust me.”
(The bug got away, and the frogs ordered in.)
IF ANNOYING NEIGHBORS WERE FROGS
Did you ever have those neighbors you couldn’t get rid of — the nosy ones who were always peering over the fence spying on you? The ones who try to worm their way into your life. It’s easier to understand what animals think than it is to get into the heads of some people.
Entitled! That’s the word for cats (but I needed a “c” word for the title). You can never do enough to gain a cat’s appreciation.
What are your guesses as to what’s in this cat’s head?
Remember the story of The Princess and the Pea? This princess was caught in a storm for some reason. She came to a queen’s home saying she’s a princess in need of shelter. The queen took her in and made a rather excessive bed for her — twenty eiderdown beds on top of twenty mattresses. Not a trusting soul, she put a tiny pea underneath them all. The next morning, the princess grumbled about the bed. The princess was a cat.
Not all cats are princesses. Some are pugilistic. So, back off the alley cats. What these animals think is aggressive. Then there’s the cool cat — another guy who will lead you on given half a chance. And his lines are as old as the pyramids.
We all believe our best friends, the dogs, adore us. They usually do, but dogs have over twenty expressions and they use them all for one thing — to control us. If you’ve come under the you-forgot-my-dinner gaze, you understand.
And how many times have you met the I’m-not-guilty face on your buddy and started looking for whatever mess he’s made? That face swears to his innocence — even when we’ve caught him red-handed with the evidence.
How can you resist the Rescue-Me face on this guy? That face sings a sad song.
I’m pretty sure that’s true. I’ve known it since I got to know the horses at Freedom Hill Horse Rescue in Owings, Maryland. It’s no wonder they’re used in therapy. Their therapy works for me. When I’m feeling down, all I need is to go to Freedom Hill and hug a horse. I wonder if I could take a support horse on a plane.
Scientists say they don’t actually laugh — but I’m not a scientist. So when I see a horse with a big grin on his face, I’m pretty sure he’s thinking of something funny.
This is Benni. What do you think he’s laughing at? Could be he’s remembering a joke — horses’ jokes aren’t hay but they are corny. Are you ready?
So what do you imagine animals think? Maybe you’re right or maybe you’re wrong. The animals won’t tell you, so you can have fun making up whatever stories amuse you to go with their expressions.
Do you like my feisty frogs, heavenly horses, crafty cats, adoring dogs, and grumpy geese? All of the animals featured in this blog are on products in my store. https://ruthi-birch.printify.me/products
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