What Pets Are Telling Us: Understanding Trauma Through Behavior

Professionals who work in animal shelters, domestic violence shelters, and social services often meet pets at a difficult moment of their lives. These animals may be arriving alongside human survivors—or after being separated from them—and they often carry the effects of trauma.

This article is meant to support you: the people in positions to help pets heal. By better understanding the impacts of what these pets have experienced, how they communicate, and how to meet their behavioral needs, you can have a positive impact on their well-being.

Research has consistently shown that pets—especially dogs and cats—are frequently included in the sphere of domestic violence. Their smaller size, constant presence in the home, and close integration into the family make them vulnerable. In fact, many survivors report that abusers deliberately harm or threaten pets as a way to exert control.¹

Even when pets are not physically harmed, they may be deeply affected by the stress and fear experienced by their human family members. Dogs and cats are remarkably attuned to human emotions: they respond to our voices, facial expressions, body language, and even changes in scent when we are under stress. Living in a tense or frightening environment can take a real toll on them.

The same strong bond that puts pets at risk, however, can also support their recovery. 

Some signs of abuse are physical and may be noticed by veterinary professionals or shelter staff working closely with animals. These can include unexplained injuries, repeated fractures at different stages of healing, burns, bruises, poisoning, or extreme weight loss.² Fearful behavior in reaction to people in general or a specific individual can also be a red flag (although pets may be fearful for reasons unrelated to abuse).

These behaviors can be frustrating, but they are not acts of defiance. The pet isn’t being bad, they are feeling bad.⁵ Recognizing this is the first step towards helping them heal.

Many people believe they are good at reading dogs, but studies show that this confidence is often misplaced.⁶ Understanding a few key principles can dramatically improve the safety and comfort of everyone involved.

Look for “Loose” 

A relaxed dog has soft eyes, ears and mouth, a loose body, and fluid movement. A tense dog—especially one that is trying to look much smaller or larger than their actual size–should be approached with caution.

A wagging tail does not automatically mean a happy dog. Instead, consider a wagging tail an indication that something has the dog’s attention. To determine how the dog feels about what has their attention, look to cues like the tail’s position relative to the back, stiffness and speed of the wag, and other body language. For example, a low, sweeping wag with a wiggly body suggests excitement. A stiffly wagging tail held over the back with hard eye contact may indicate aggression.

Stress Signals Matter

Calming signals are subtle body language behaviors dogs use to communicate, de-escalate tension, and manage their own stress. These behaviors may be subtle, and include things like yawning, lip-licking, turning away, or lifting a paw. Dogs may freeze in place, shiver, or show the whites of their eyes (often called a “whale eye”). They may also pin their ears back, pant heavily, or hard blink.

These calming signals can all be signs of stress.⁷ Though subtle, dogs under duress often display several of these behaviors at the same time; if you see these behaviors when interacting with a dog, it is important to respect those signals and give the dog space. 

Never Punish Warnings

Growling and air-snapping are normal warning signals dogs may use to indicate that they are being pushed too far. Punishing those signals (e.g., through yelling or physical contact) does not teach the dog to have better tolerance—instead, punishment teaches the dog to skip the warning and increases the risk of a sudden bite later. 

The appropriate response to a warning is always to create space and reduce stress in the short-term. Long-term solutions should focus on increasing the dog’s comfort level through desensitization, counter-conditioning, and positive reinforcement of calm behavior.

Cats often get a reputation for being unpredictable or “hard to read,” especially compared to dogs. In reality, cats are constantly communicating! Learning to read cat body language helps prevent bites and scratches and, just as important, helps cats feel safer and more comfortable.

Cats occupy a unique place in the animal world: they are both predators and prey (“mesopredators”). While they are skilled hunters, they are also vulnerable to larger animals, including humans. This dual role shapes nearly everything about how cats behave and communicate.

One of the most important things to understand about cats is that their comfort level can change quickly. Just a few extra pets can make the difference between a cat enjoying an interaction and a cat feeling overstimulated. Frequently pausing, assessing the cat’s body language and adjusting your own behavior throughout the interaction is key.

When trying to understand how a cat is feeling, it may help to think in terms of green light, yellow light, and red light signals.

Tail

• Green light: Tail held upright. This often indicates confidence and comfort. A gently curved tip or “question mark” tail can indicate a desire for play.
• Green light: Quivering tail. This usually signals excitement—look for it when the cat is greeting a familiar person or receiving a favorite meal.
• Yellow light: Swishing, flicking, or lashing tail. This usually signals irritation, overstimulation, or rising stress. Interaction should stop.
• Red light: Puffed-up tail. This signals high arousal, meaning it is not a safe time to interact.

One of the most misunderstood cat vocalizations is the hiss. A hiss is not aggression! It is usually a way to express discomfort, uncertainty, or fear. Think of it as a cat saying, “I need things to slow down.” Respecting a hiss prevents further escalation. 

Even seemingly small changes in our behavior and environment can make a big difference for the pets in our care.

Set Them Up for Success 

• Reduce visual stressors with visual barriers
• Reduce auditory stressors by playing calming music or brown noise
• With a veterinarian’s approval, consider pheromone diffusers or sprays (like Feliway and Adaptil) and calming supplements (like Calming Care)

Increase Control and Predictability

• Offer choices when possible
• Keep routines consistent and clearly signaled
• Create “invisible spots” where pets are not touched or approached

Create Positive Experiences

• Encourage dogs to use their noses (e.g., snuffle mats)
• Give cats opportunities to “hunt” through play sessions with toys
• Use positive reinforcement training to build trust

Pets who have experienced trauma often expect neutral situations to turn bad. Over time, repeated safe and positive experiences can help shift that mindset toward a more positive cognitive bias.

By understanding how pets’ previous experiences inform their current behavior; what their behavior tells you about how they are feeling; and meaningful actions you can take to improve their comfort, you become a powerful advocate for pets’ safety and recovery. 

For a deeper dive on these topics and to test your knowledge with pet body language quizzes, check out my webinar, Pet Behavior 101: Supporting Animals in Crisis!

¹ Identifying non-accidental injury cases in veterinary practice. Tong, L. 2, 2016, In Practice, Vol. 38, pp. 59-68.

² Recognizing and responding to cases of suspected animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect: what the veterinarian needs to know. Arkow, P. 2015, Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports, Vol. 6, p. 349.

³ ‘Battered pets’: features that raise suspicion of non-accidental injury. Munro, H. M. C. & Thrusfield, M. V. 5, 2001, Journal of Small Animal Practice, Vol. 42, pp. 218-226.

⁴ Alupo, C. Canine PTSD – An inquiry study on psychological trauma in dogs. 2023.

⁵ Todd, Zazie. Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. s.l. : Greystone Books, Ltd., 2024.

⁶ Adults’ ability to interpret canine body language during a dog-child interaction. Demirbas, Y. S., Ozturk, H., Emre, B., Kockaya, M., Ozvardar, T. & Scott, A. 4, s.l. : Anthrozoos, 2016, Vol. 29.

⁷ Human-dog communication: How body language and non-verbal cues are key to clarity in dog-directed pay, petting and hugging behaviour by humans. Walsh, E. A., Meers, L. L., Samuels, W. E., Boonen, D., Claus, A., Duarte-Gan, C., Stevens, V., Contalbrigo, L., & Normando, S. 106206, s.l. : Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2024, Vol. 272.