We recently introduced a new cat into our household. As cats are very territorial, this change requires an emotional re-adjustment for the two resident felines. The new kitty lives behind a closed door, but occasionally escapes into the main part of the house. The sight of the newcomer causes the resident cats to yowl, hiss, and posture aggressively.

The new “family dynamic” makes me wonder about the emotional lives of animals. Pets obviously feel fear, anger, contentment, joy, and affection. These emotions are easy to understand on a human level, but what do they really mean to a cat? Can gaining a better understanding of our pets’ emotions help us to be more loving and consistent caretakers?

Even if you don’t have a pet, you might enjoy reading about different theories of emotion in pets, farm animals, and animals in the wild. Here are some books to get you started:

The emotional lives of animals: a leading scientist explores animal joy, sorrow, and empathy--and why they matter by Marc Bekoff, foreword by Jane Goodall.

Pleasurable kingdom: animals and the nature of feeling good by Jonathan Balcombe.

For the love of a dog: understanding emotions in you and your best friend by Patricia B. McConnell.

The pig who sang to the moon: the emotional world of farm animals by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson.

The nine emotional lives of cats: a journal into the feline heart by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson.

When elephants weep: the emotional lives of animals by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson.

Because the cat purrs: how we relate to other species and why it matters by Janet Lembke.

The tribe of tiger: cats and their culture by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas.

The social lives of dogs: the grace of canine company by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas.