#10. Can Pets See Ghosts?

What does the quote have to do with ghosts, aside from the fact that some studies show a healthy correlation between religious beliefs and ghost beliefs—in humans anyway? For me, Hitchens’ words ring true, and wryly touch on the idea that pets may have a spiritual side. In many religions, gods have ghost-like properties, though I’ve never heard man nor beast profess that pets can directly experience holy ghosts.

I’ve known a few dogs. They’re wonderful, complex animals with personalities, emotions, and thoughts. I’ve known dozens of cats over the years, too. But as T.S. Eliot wrote so succinctly, “a cat is not a dog.” Despite their superior dexterity, cats are more limited in their emotional range and personalities, and that suits many of us just fine. During their few waking hours, cats are known to daydream for extended periods, donning that classic thousand-yard stare. At least it looks like that’s what they’re doing. We may be giving them too much credit for what’s really going on in their walnut-size brains. 

Despite their differences, cats and dogs do share some basic commonalities. Much like our own species, they both love to play, eat, and sleep. Both also appreciate being petted, and both will let you know in no uncertain terms if you rub them the wrong way.

Another common trait, according to some cat and dog owners, is that their furry cohabitants can detect ghosts. I can’t imagine a scenario in which a human who is skeptical of ghosts would infer that their pet sees them. But believers? Let’s look at the numbers: Today, around 270 million adults reside in the U.S. Depending on the survey, 40-50% of them, or around 120 million, believe in ghosts. Around 65% of believers live with dogs or cats, which means roughly 80 million people both believe in ghosts and keep pets.

Surveys have also found that as many as 63% of pet owners believe their critters can see ghosts.

If these numbers are to be believed, then we can infer that around 50 million American adults think their pets see ghosts.

Is that even possible—that nearly one out of five grown-ups thinks their four-legged friends see ghosts? As someone who studies such things, I’m here to tell you it’s not only possible. It’s totally plausible.

To the slim majority of us who find the prospect of ghosts highly unlikely, this may seem a mind-blowingly large number for such a niche belief. But we shouldn’t simply write off people whose beliefs seem weird to us. Their anecdotal evidence that Scooby and Mr. Snugglepuss have supernatural senses is far more compelling to them than our ability to debunk, after the fact, what they feel they’ve experienced firsthand.

Moreover, we all hold some beliefs that are less than wholly verified, so it’s best to withhold any negative judgment about the believer and focus instead on reason and evidence. It behooves us to start from a position of tolerance, respect, and, especially, understanding for those whose beliefs differ from our own. At least until they start trying to kill us or indoctrinate our children—neither of which is the case for most owners of ghost-detecting pets.

Let’s dig in a little bit. The question of whether or not dogs and cats see ghosts breaks down into three sub-questions:

• Do ghosts exist?

  
  

• Can our pets see ghosts?

  
  

• Why do people believe these things about their pets?

Do Ghosts Exist?

Entities that act the way ghosts supposedly do would violate the laws of physics. That doesn’t mean they can’t exist. It means that the evidence for them would have to meet very high standards before we discard centuries of theory and research that have proven applicable everywhere else in the universe.  

An even bigger problem is the wide chasm between declaring something exists and clearly defining it. Despite centuries of inquiry, advocates have taught us nothing about what ghosts are made of, nor about their properties beyond what they’ve inferred from subjective experiences, grainy photos, ambiguous noises, and sensationalist reality TV shows.

No evidence for ghosts has even come close to meeting basic observational standards. That means being able to identify the phenomenon reliably, and to demonstrate that one is accurately measuring its key properties. Since this has never been accomplished, we can still say ghosts may exist, but it would be wiser to bet against their existence unless much better evidence comes along. Besides, we do have viable alternative explanations for why people form beliefs in the afterlife and its denizens.

Can Our Pets See Ghosts?

Intuitively,  it makes sense that dogs and cats might perceive ghosts when we can’t, owing to their superior senses of vision, hearing, and smell. (Yes, many “witnesses” say that ghosts come in different scents.) Intuitions alone are poor evidence, however, although they may be all you have to go on if you choose not to dig a little deeper. It doesn’t help that prestigious organizations such as the American Kennel Club waffle on the subject.

Moreover, house pets aren’t the be-all and end-all of perceptual acuity. Engineers have developed sensing devices that can detect light, sound, and stray molecules in the air as sensitively, or more so, than house pets’ eyes, ears, and noses. Not that these could help much if we don’t have a clue what we’re trying to detect. The point is simply that better perception doesn’t mean better identification.

Also, bringing animals into the loop glosses over the problem of how we know what they experience. If my cat stares into space, is she seeing ghosts? Honestly, she’s just as likely to stare at a wall. Or maybe she’s staring right through it at a ghost on the other side! It doesn’t carry any information beyond, perhaps, something about cat behavior. They may simply be pausing to focus on something they smell or hear.

If you’re going to infer that they’re seeing ghosts, wouldn’t it be even more reasonable to assume their brains are detecting wi-fi signals and streaming programs on the Animal Planet channel? At least we know that those signals are real.  

Why Do People Believe These Things About Their Pets?

In part, it’s because ghost-believing pet owners have a bond with their beloved housemates and want to share experiences with them. Another reason is that it validates the owners’ paranormal beliefs and reduces any burdensome self-doubts.  

Another factor, surely, is that pet owners don’t fully understand all the subtleties of their furry friends’ behavior. We have a strong urge to infer human thoughts and feelings that aren’t remotely true. It’s fun to try to guess what my furbaby is thinking, but chances are good I’m wrong every time.

If you believe ghosts are real and your anipals see them, let me offer a perspective shift. Allow for the possibility that by not making supernatural inferences about what your little buddy is experiencing, you’ll create an opportunity to explore and learn more about what’s actually happening in their minds and bodies. Animal psychology and physiology are important and fascinating fields. A little deeper investigation will teach you volumes about the inner lives of those beautiful creatures who share your space.