Humans have long recognized that animals are sentient beings, capable of experiencing complex emotions. Yet, we still find ourselves amazed each time our furry, scaly, or feathered companions display empathy. This understanding is relatively new and has been shaped by decades of scientific research. Studies have consistently documented mourning behaviors in elephants, rats rescuing friends from drowning, and chimpanzees providing food or comfort to fellow community members.
Sometimes, however, personal anecdotes make the concept more relatable. One intriguing story involves a pet parrot, shared by its owner, who described an experience as the most “creepily intelligent” display of animal behavior.
“I had a really bad day and was in my room crying. My cockatiel Stormageddon started screaming from his cage, so I got him out; he jumped onto my shoulder, put his head on my cheek, and started saying ‘It’s ok. It’s ok. It’s ok’ over and over again,” the Reddit user recounted. “I say that to him when he freaks out in his cage at nighttime (a car honks a horn outside and he starts screaming and flapping his wings). I didn’t realize he could tell I was sad and say it back to me to comfort me like I comfort him, let alone say it at all.”
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This story ignited disbelief on social media; however, many bird owners, particularly parrot parents, were not surprised. They acknowledged that their pets often exhibit complex behaviors that go beyond simple interactions and swearing.
Several others shared their own experiences with animals. One cat owner recalled a moment when their pet seemed to sense something was wrong. The cat persistently sniffed a mole on the owner’s body and placed her paw on it, making a “disgusted” noise. This behavior prompted the owner to visit a dermatologist the following day. After tests, the mole was diagnosed as stage 1 melanoma, which could have gone undetected for a much longer time, posing greater risks.