Look to see if the animal reacts to another animal when they are stressed or in danger. In a study on empathy in pigs, researchers looked at how pigs responded when their pen mates were placed in stressful or potentially harmful situations. When one group of pigs were in danger or experiencing a threat, the other group responded with stress signals like pushing their ears back and becoming more alert. This indicates that pigs have the ability to show emotional contagion, where they share the emotional response that another pig is having, which is a key part to having the capacity for empathy.[1] X Research source While you may not want to conduct your own test on animals, you can observe if the animal reacts when another animal appears in danger or under stress. The animal may respond with stress related noises or actions, such as a more alert or rigid body movements, cries or howls, and moving towards the animal under stress. Note if the animal responds to an injured animal or a dead animal in the area. In a study on empathy in elephants, a researcher observed an elephant mother who gave birth to a stillborn baby. The mother then guarded her dead calf for two days and tried

several times to revive the dead calf’s body. When the researcher offered the elephant mother water, the elephant drank the water and then touched her chest as if in a sign of mourning.[2] X Research source Though elephants have been one of the more studied animals in terms of empathy, an animal may display empathy by trying to protect an injured animal from a predator. The animal may also respond to a dead animal by displaying signs of mourning over their body or to others, such as the elephant mother touching her chest.[3] X Research source Check if the animal works together with other animals. Often, animals of the same species will protect each other and respond to the needs of their herd or pack. You may observe animals working together to build a habitat, such as a den, or you may observe animals working as a team to capture a prey or elude a predator. These group related activities can be a sign of empathy among the animals, as they must focus on how their fellow animals are thinking and feeling and respond to it in kind.[4] X Research source Watch if the animal yawns when you yawn. A new study done on empathy in dogs notes that dogs may yawn as a way to emotionally

respond to someone that they are emotionally attached to, such as their owner. The researchers concluded that dogs will yawn in response to a real yawn from their owner to identify with their actions and express empathy.[5] X Research source Test your dog’s ability to empathize with you by sitting in front of her and letting out a real yawn. Note if she yawns back at you, as this could be a sign of empathy. Note if the animal comforts you when you upset or in distress. The next time you are upset, stressed out, or in a distressing situation, note how your household pet responds to you. Your dog may go over to you and lick you or nuzzle you as a sign of empathy or your cat may try to sit in your lap or rub against you to show that she is aware of your distress. These actions are indicators that your animal is able to identify and respond to your emotional state. Test the animal's empathy and self-awareness with a mirror. Another key element of empathy is the ability to be self-aware, and researchers are currently testing the capacity for self-awareness in animals. You can do this on your own by placing your animal, such as a cat or dog, in front of a mirror and noting how they

react to the mirror. If your cat or dog tries to paw or lick at their reflection, they may not be aware that they are looking at themselves in the mirror and may be believe they are seeing another cat or dog.[6] X Research source You can test the animal’s capacity for self-awareness further by making a small mark in washable marker on the animal’s face. You can then note if the animal tries to rub off the mark on their face when they look in the mirror or if they ignore it completely. If they ignore it completely, this may be a sign that the animal is not self-aware and not able to respond to his own reflection. Keep in mind empathy is a cognitive and emotional skill. Empathy is considered a thinking response and an emotional response. This means that when you empathize with someone, you are demonstrating your ability to experience another person’s feelings in a certain circumstance. You also experience a negative response to someone’s difficult circumstances and their negative emotions. So, empathy requires to exercise your ability to process someone else’s circumstances and your ability to experience someone else’s circumstances.[7] X Trustworthy Source The Humane

Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source In the human world, empathy is seen as a way to demonstrate social competence. It is also a highly valued skill in people who are perceived as leaders and role models. When you are empathetic, you also display your ability to be self-aware of your responses and reactions. This can help you to better process your own emotional thoughts and feelings. Note the difference between empathy in humans and empathy in animals. While there is still debate around the presence of empathy in all animals, many researchers argue that empathy in humans operates differently than empathy in animals. Humans make moral judgements based on empathy that differs from the way animals make judgements, which is often based on the strength of survival and a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back” mentality. We also use our empathy differently than animals, as we are conditioned by social codes to react to others. This means that animals and humans may not view empathy in the same way or use it in the same way. Do not be alarmed if the animal displays no indicators of empathy. It is important

to remember that studies on empathy in animals are ongoing and there are no definitive studies on the topic. If you observe an animal and interact with an animal but do not note any signs or empathy, this may not mean the animal does not have the capacity for empathy. This may just mean their empathy is not being triggered properly or they may be processing the situation differently than you might think they would.