She wasn't being 'bad'...she was asking me for help.

Our animals are always communicating with us. If we slow down for a moment and allow ourselves to be just a little curious, we can often understand what they’re trying to show us.

This morning, my cat Cookie woke me out of a deep sleep by jumping on my chest and repeatedly running over and around me until I sat up. In my half-awake state, I assumed she was just being a little crazy-playful. It took me a minute to realize that 1) this was unusual “wake-up” behavior for her, and 2) the cone I had put on her last night was missing.

Cookie has a spot that needs to heal, and she’s been having a hard time leaving it alone. My immediate reaction was to get upset—I was worried she had undone the healing progress, especially when I noticed a drop of blood. With blurry eyes, I started searching the room in a semi-frantic and grumpy state for the cone, which she had somehow managed to remove.

It wasn’t until I took a breath that I noticed she had stopped running and was now sitting quietly across the room… right next to the cone.

It can be hard to shift from emotional reaction into a place where we can notice and truly listen. Somehow, I managed to pause—and I’m pretty sure that “somehow” was actually me hearing her message. The moment I got it, I shifted from irritation and worry to a little bit of awe. She was showing me.

We got back into bed—cone on—and curled up together. I could feel that she had been trying to tell me, “I made a mistake. Please help me fix it.” She had done what she needed to do to wake me up and get my attention. Even if I hadn’t been able to hear her message clearly, I would have understood it from the way she came right up to me, let me easily put the cone back on, and settled peacefully on my chest.

Can you think of a time your pet was trying to tell you something, but you missed or misinterpreted it in a moment of emotional reaction? No guilt needed—this is how we learn.

As I write this, Cookie has stopped eating and come to sit beside me, watching. And because I’m in a place of noticing right now, I can feel she’s confirming: You’re on the right track.

Our pets are always communicating with us. Sometimes, it just takes a shift—from emotional reaction to curious observation—to start understanding what they’re trying to say.

Instead of jumping straight to irritation or panic (or muttering “What now?” under your breath), try pausing for a moment. Ask yourself, “Is this behavior a little unusual? Could they be trying to tell me something?”

That small shift in perspective—right between frustration and curiosity—can open the door to connection, clarity, and maybe even a little laughter at how clever (and patient) our animals really are.