Do Animals Understand Time? How to Tell Your Pet You’re Coming Back

The suitcase comes out.

Your dog begins following you from room to room.

Your cat climbs inside the suitcase—which could mean, “Please take me with you,” or possibly, “These black pants needed more fur.”

Before you’ve told anyone about your trip, your animal already seems to know something is happening.

And that can leave you wondering:

Does my animal understand that I’m going away?

Do they know how long I’ll be gone?

And perhaps most importantly:

How can I help them understand that I’m coming back?

These questions become especially important when you have an animal who becomes anxious, stops eating, hides, paces or develops stress-related behaviors when their routine changes.

You don’t want them wondering where you went—or believing you disappeared without warning.

Fortunately, you can communicate with your animal about an upcoming trip, schedule change, move or appointment.

But first, let’s talk about how animals understand time.

Do Animals Understand the Concept of Time?

Animals may not understand clocks and calendars in quite the same way we do.

Your dog probably doesn’t know you have a dentist appointment at 2:30 on Thursday.

But he may know you’re wearing the shoes you only put on when you’ll be gone for several hours.

Our animals become experts at reading our routines.

They notice:

• when the sun rises and sets
• when meals usually appear
• which clothes you wear when you leave the house
• the difference between your workday and weekend routines
• when the suitcase appears
• when your energy changes because you’re preparing for something

Sometimes they recognize that a change is coming before we realize we’re giving them any clues.

That’s one reason animals may become confused when the clocks change. The clock says dinner is at 5:00—but their stomach, the fading sunlight and sixteen years of careful research say it should be served now.

They may not watch the clock.

But they’re very good at watching us.

How Do Animals Experience Time?

Over many years of communicating with animals, I’ve learned that they don’t always describe time using hours, dates or calendar pages.

They often communicate through the rhythms of nature:

• sunrises and sunsets
• light and darkness
• sleep cycles
• full moons
• changing seasons
• familiar routines

I’ve asked animals how long they have been uncomfortable and received responses such as:

“I have felt this for three sunrises.”

Or:

“I haven’t felt that pain for seven full moons.”

This information can give their humans another helpful point of reference when evaluating changes or discussing symptoms and treatments with their veterinarian.

Birds offer another wonderful example. They follow extraordinary migratory patterns, returning to particular areas year after year.

I’m fairly certain they are not using Google Calendar.

They are tuned in to the rhythms and changes of the Earth.

Your companion animal may use those same natural patterns, along with the routines of your household, to understand the passage of time.

Do Dogs Know When You’re Going on Vacation?

Many dogs—and other companion animals—seem to know we’re preparing to leave before we say a word.

They notice the suitcase, changes in our routine and the nervous energy that can accompany travel preparations.

When people prepare for a trip, they usually take care of all the practical details.

The pet sitter has instructions.

The food is labeled.

The medication schedule has been written down—possibly highlighted, underlined and accompanied by three emergency phone numbers.

But one important piece may be missing:

Has anyone explained the plan to the animal?

Your animal may see the preparations and feel that something is changing without understanding:

• where you’re going
• whether they are going with you
• who will care for them
• where they will be staying
• whether you are coming back

That uncertainty can be especially upsetting for an animal who has experienced abandonment, shelter life, several homes or previous changes that frightened them.

You may know this is only a three-day trip.

Your animal may simply know that the suitcase is out and your energy feels different.

How to Tell Your Dog or Cat You’re Going Away

Find a quiet moment when you aren’t rushing through the house trying to remember where you put your phone charger.

Take a breath, connect with your animal and mentally share what is going to happen.

1. Show Your Pet How Long You’ll Be Gone

Rather than relying only on a date, show your animal the number of day-and-night cycles you’ll be gone.

If you’ll be away for three nights, picture:

• daylight becoming nighttime
• nighttime becoming daylight
• the cycle repeating three times
• yourself returning home at the end

It doesn’t need to be a perfect mental movie. You’re communicating the idea that some time will pass—and then you will return.

2. Tell Your Pet Who Will Care for Them

Give your animal mental pictures of the person who will be caring for them and what their days will look like.

You might picture:

• the pet sitter coming through the door
• meals being served in the usual place
• walks happening along the familiar route
• medications being given
• bedtime in their own bed
• your animal staying safely with a friend
• you returning and greeting them

Include as much reassurance and familiarity as you can.

If your animal will be staying somewhere else, show them where they are going and that you have arranged for someone trustworthy to care for them.

3. Tell Your Pet You’re Coming Back

This is the part people sometimes forget.

Don’t end the mental story with yourself leaving. Show your return.

Picture yourself coming back through the door. Imagine greeting your animal, touching them and settling back into your normal routine.

Let them feel the love and happiness you’ll experience when you see them again.

You can also silently say:

“I will be away for three nights. You will be safe and cared for. Then I will come home.”

4. Communicate Calmly With Your Animal

Animals are sensitive to our thoughts and emotions.

If you’re saying, “You’ll be perfectly fine,” while internally broadcasting, “I feel terrible! What if you think I’ve abandoned you? Maybe I should cancel the whole trip!” your animal may pick up on that worry.

You don’t have to pretend you aren’t concerned.

Take a breath and settle yourself before you communicate. Then focus on what you genuinely want your animal to understand:

You are safe.

You will be cared for.

I am coming back.

Repeat the communication several times before your trip so the message remains consistent.

How Do You Know Your Pet Understands You?

This is usually where the next question appears:

“What if I’m just talking to myself?”

Sending a message to your animal may feel fairly easy.

Receiving their response is often where doubt takes over.

You may suddenly see a picture in your mind.

A word or phrase may pop into your head.

You might feel an unexpected emotion—or simply have a sense that your animal understood.

Then, within seconds, your analytical mind charges into the room with a clipboard:

You made that up.

That was just your imagination.

How could you possibly know that came from your animal?

This is the struggle I hear from students again and again.

They may already be receiving something from their animal—but they dismiss it before the conversation has a chance to begin.

How Do Animals Communicate With Humans?

Animal communication doesn’t always arrive like a loud voice announcing:

“Hello, Human. I have received your vacation itinerary.”

It is often much quieter and more natural than people expect.

Your animal’s response may come through as:

• a picture or scene in your mind
• a word or short phrase
• an emotion
• a physical sensation
• a memory that suddenly appears
• an unexpected sense of knowing

Because the information arrives through your own intuitive senses, it can feel as though it came from you.

Learning animal communication isn’t necessarily about getting your animal to start talking.

Your animal may already be talking.

The real work is learning how to recognize the communication—and trust yourself long enough to listen.

Learn How to Communicate With Your Animal

If you would love to communicate with your animal but keep wondering whether you’re making it all up, I created Your First Conversation for you.

In this gentle, 60-minute recorded workshop, I guide you through the same intuitive process I’ve used for more than 16 years to communicate with animals.

You’ll begin learning how to:

• recognize the subtle ways animals communicate
• quiet the self-doubt that interrupts the connection
• distinguish an intuitive impression from an analytical thought
• trust what you receive
• begin your own conversation with an animal

You don’t need a perfectly quiet mind.

You don’t need years of experience.

And you don’t need to consider yourself psychic.

You simply need a little guidance—and the willingness to notice what your animal may already be sharing with you.

Because telling your animal that you’re coming back is wonderful.

Being able to hear their response is where the conversation truly begins.

Start Your First Conversation HERE