How Animals Help Us Feel Safe in Stressful Times
Right now, many of us feeling more emotional intensity than usual. There is volatile tension in the United States and across the world. Many people are feeling scared, worried, or overwhelmed by what is happening. All of this is felt within our bodies and nervous systems, even when we try to keep going as normal.
When we live alongside animals, it’s natural to worry about how our stress might affect them. We may also find ourselves worrying about their safety. However you’re feeling, it makes sense. These are uncertain times.
When I pet my cat’s silky fur, I’m reminded of how constant he is. He isn’t tracking the news or anticipating what might happen next. He moves from one moment to the next, responding only to what is here.
This is one of the gifts of having animals in our lives. From the ones who share our homes to the ones we notice outside. The squirrels running through the yard. The birds searching the ground for food. And the bugs swirling in the air. They all continue on, moment by moment.
When life feels overwhelming or chaotic, many of us search for a way to feel safe again. Our animals show us where to begin.
Returning to safety in the present
When we’re overwhelmed, it’s natural to think of how we can make ourselves feel better. We look for answers, solutions, or reassurance. Yet, safety isn’t something we find by just thinking different thoughts. It’s something we feel in the body.
Safety lives in the present moment. It’s felt through breath, touch, movement, and the senses. These are signals to the nervous system that we are here, right now.
Our animals live this way every day. They experience the world through sensation and presence. When we spend time with them, they help us return to a sense of comfort and feeling grounded. They do this by simply being who they are.
~
Touch brings us back in anxious moments
You might notice the warmth of your animal’s body as they rest beside you or curl into your lap. The softness of their fur as you pet them. The weight of their body pressed against yours.
When Mako rests on me, his warmth soothes my legs. The vibrations of from his purring make me smile and instantly uplifts my heart. In these moments, his comfort brings my attention into the here and now. My body begins to relax and my mind comes back into the moment.
Physical touch can help signal safety to the nervous system. As you stroke your animal or simply rest beside them, your thoughts may begin to slow.
These moments of contact can remind you that you are supported and not alone in the moment you are experiencing.
🐾
Breath soothes a racing mind
When walking with your dog, you might notice the pattern of their breathing as you move along together. The inhale and exhale that matches the pace of the walk. Sometimes their breath is quick with excitement. Other times it slows with their cadence of moving forward.
You may find your own breathing beginning to match their pace.
If you sit next to a resting cat, you might hear the soft rise and fall of their breath as they relax beside you. This can help bring your attention back to your own breath and body.
🐾
Listening together softens overwhelm
Animals are attuned to their environments through sound. You might notice your dog pausing to listen to birds, wind moving through trees, or distant neighborhood sounds. Your cat may turn their ears toward barely audible movements in the room.
Joining your animal in listening can help you focus on the environment around you. In that moment, your focus is on the sounds— not your racing thoughts. Noticing sounds together can bring you back into your body.
🐾
Movement helps release restlessness
Animals often help us reconnect with movement throughout the day. You might walk your dog or stretch alongside them after a nap. Or, even following your cat from room to room can dissolve that restless energy.
Mako always knows when I need to get up and take a break. He knows what I need more than I do and I’m grateful for the way he cares for me. When I move with him, he gets the attention and affection he needs too. It’s good for both of us.
Movement supports the nervous system in releasing tension. Moving alongside your animal can help you engage with your own body again and feel calmer.
🐾
Presence reminds us we’re not alone
Sometimes our animals support us by staying close. Sitting beside us while we take a break. Curiously checking out what we’re doing, as we tend to various tasks around the home. Resting nearby, just so they can be close to us.
These moments of shared presence can be regulating and restorative. You do not need to talk or explain what you are feeling (it’s okay if you do, your animal is listening). Being in the same space with your loving animal companion is a comfort all of its own.
When the world feels chaotic, you don’t have to do anything special to find your way back. You don’t need to force calm or think your way out of fear. Often, it begins with something simple. A hand resting on fur. The sound of breath nearby. The presence of a sentient being who is here with you.
Our animals show us how we can regulate our nervous systems by example. Day to day, they live in their bodies. They responding to what is real in this moment.
In times like these, that kind of presence matters. When you allow yourself to feel it, you may find your body remembering what safety feels like again.
~Angela 🩷
For anyone grieving a beloved animal:
Even if your companion isn’t physically present right now, their love, lessons, and the connection you shared are still with you. You can keep that loving presence in your body and in the moments that remind you of them. Their guidance in returning to the present doesn’t disappear — it lives on in the ways you remember and feel them.
