Yes, Your Pets Do Feel Love

And here’s why — plus, a few unexpected couplings that make us so happy they do.


If you’ve ever seen two bonded cats cuddle in a sunny window or your dogs chase each other around in the backyard, you have no doubt: Your pets love each other as much as you love them. And now science is backing it up.

Inspired by a sad moment saying goodbye to his dying dog, scientist and author Paul Zak began to wonder what the biological connections between humans and animals and animals and other animals were. Research has shown that the human brain releases the chemical oxytocin (sometimes known as “the neurochemical of love”) when we’re treated kindly; its levels rise when you hug a loved one or shake hands with an attractive person and spike during sexual climax. A boost in oxytocin can make you start to care about others, even a total stranger.

Zak wanted to test if the same was true in the relationship between animals and humans and between different animals — and tested all sorts of scenarios. One that caught our eye: interspecies camaraderie. At an Arkansas animal refuge, Zak took a blood sample from both a goat and a terrier that often played with each other. After the two animals horsed around for 15 minutes, Zak took another sample. The result: The dog’s oxytocin levels increased by 48%, and the goat showed a 210% increase. In his tests, Zak had only seen increases like that with people who are in love or romantically attracted to each other, which implies that the goat might actually be “in love” with the dog. (Cue "awww.")

But who needs science to back it up when there’s plenty of evidence of pet love all over the internet? We found some unlikely pet friendships cropping up on Instagram that were too cute not to share:

Just hanging — because what else would a dog and chicken do together?

These two pitties are the bread in this tabby sandwich.

It was just a single hesitant sniff before pug and hedgehog solidified their friendship.

If this isn't the face of pure joy, we don't know what is.

"But, mom! Why can't Patches come outside, too?"

A quick kiss is all it took for Donnie and Butterscotch to become besties.

Nothing like an evening snooze to bring two species together.

Clearly size does not matter.

Really, is anything cuter than two cats snuggling after a long day spent lounging around?

Photo credit: Marcel ter Bekke/Getty Images

NEXT: How Giving Love Makes You Feel Loved »

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