Is your pet autistic too?

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I adopted a dog 4 years ago. She had been sent back to the pound 3 times because no one could manage her behavior. She was considered weird and a bit odd. We bonded right away, and needless to say, I took her home.

It was through working with her that I began to suspect I was deeply different. Before taking her home I didn't know I was autistic. I began to have suspicions about my difference because whenever I did something to help her manage life, I had to adhere to it myself and it helped us both immensely.
For example, she needs a strict daily routine, or she becomes very upset, melts down, and can't cope. I had to create and adhere to the same routine, waking, sleeping, eating at identical times, and we both did amazingly well. I stopped burning out so much as a result and she stopped feeling separation anxiety.
She also had/has no tolerance for highly stimulating environments. She would freak out, nip, bite, bark, twirl and spin, just go crazy with these wild eyes. I could watch her sensory overload progression and I learned how to help her cope, and through exposure therapy, widen her window of stimulating exposures. It was a lightbulb moment for me, and I began to do the same for myself in my personal and professional life, monitoring myself for similar stimulation overload, and I began to do better too.

She also can't do eye contact, didn't express emotion via wagging her tail until she was 3 years old, is sensitive to touch and largely refuses it, prefers to place herself between my legs as I walk so I will "squish" her, this evolved into me giving her firm hugs which she prefers to petting, she hyperfixates on other dogs, but they attack her immediately, which she seems oblivious to, she thinks they are playing, but they aren't. At doggy day care they told me they had to protect her because she has no ability to read dog communication signals, so we stopped going. She is also primarily silent. She never growls and rarely if ever barks, and she is a breed known for protection and being vocal- a doberman. There is more to list, but this is already too long.

I feel my dog may be on the spectrum too, she is certainly the most undoglike dog I have ever owned. Are autistic animals something others have observed as well?

No, but they're plush.
I wouldn't trust me with a real pet.

I have a rat that might be autistic. He's never been 'normal' since we first brought him home when he was a baby. He doesn't like being touched, he likes things his way in the cage, he doesn't like sharing toys or food with the other rats, and although rats need company I think this rat would do quite well without the other rats. He likes sleeping on his own a lot and doesn't groom the other rats. He's not aggressive to the other rats or anything, but sometimes he hits them if they come near him when he's not in the mood for social interaction. He's quite an oddball.

Funeralxempire- well, plush count as real pets in my opinion.

Joe90
Your rat sounds like an interesting little being. I used to have rats in high school. They are such fun creatures. How many do you have?

My daughter's cat is severely NT.

Hello naturalplastic,
Good point, and at first I was worried about projection as well as anthrpormorphizing, but after collecting qualitative data on my four-legged roommate for 4 years, I think she's definitely not as typically dog-like as past dogs I have owned. There have been quite a few to compare to and she is certainly the most unique- for whatever reason.

When the Pandemic started my bride began amusing herself by feeding the local ducks...and geese…and squirrels...and bunnies... And I think I've seen some Autistic traits in the mallards!

My bride usually feeds the critters at specific spots behind our home. Once, however, we noticed the ducks were in the green-space next to our home. My bride wanted to keep the ducks happy so she went to where they were, next to our home, and poured the cracked corn there for them. Right where they could see what she was doing. Right where it would only have taken waddling a few steps to get to the food...

The ducks did not ignore the corn she poured right in front of them, but they also did not eat it. They took it as a sign it was time to get fed and they waddled much further to behind our house to their normal feeding spot...where there was no corn!

I think those ducks are creatures of habit.

P.S. Yes. After the ducks waddled to behind our house, after rolling her eyes, my bride walked over to them and poured some corn in their normal spot.

I had a cat named Floyd who was neurotypical, and very uncatlike.

If he were able to bark, he would do so, rather than meow. He begged like a dog. He came to the door when I got home like a dog.

Joe90
Your rat gives a whole new meaning to "third wheel" haha

Double Retired
That is so funny! I am wondering just how frequently these traits pop up in the animal kingdom. Cool observation!!

kraftiekortie
Are cats typically considered to be autistic or nd? I have heard a few mentions of this now that I am researching more about autism. I never knew it was a thing! I always felt my dog was more catlike than dog. She never begs, never greets me at the door, and she grooms herself like a cat. She also doesn't play like dogs do either. It is usually very solitary play. She bats balls around like a cat and tosses things in the air to amuse herself. Sounds as if she and Floyd could have had a Freaky Friday switch.

Growing up we had a cat who was very much not like other cats, but not in a particularly “autistic” way. She was extremely tolerant, quiet, and snuggles were her favorite thing in the world. I say she spoiled us because it isn’t really fair to expect a cat to meet the standards she set for us.

The cat we got after KC, I strongly suspect has ADHD, or the feline equivalent. Other pets, each has/had their own personality, of course, but don’t really strike me as neurodiverse.

My dog was raised with cats, so he acts very .... cat-like. He likes to be petted and spoiled. He climbs inside the cats' litter bin to take cover during thunder storms, because he gets scared of thunder. He pees in their litter bin sometimes. He sleeps on my bed. He prefers cat food to dog food, but I can't give it to him because of allergies.

My cats act like dogs. My oldest cat follows me when I walk the dog. It's like I'm the pied piper. My dog and I can walk for an hour and my kitty will be five paces behind following us through the streets and parks. If I can't find my cat all I have to do is start walking the dog, and he'll show up to follow us.

My cats like being bathed or going in water like a dog. One of my former cats used to let my daughter dress him up in doll clothes and push him around in a pram. Usually only a dog will tolerate wearing costumes or any type of attire.

(No I'm not into dressing dogs, but my daughter was young and the cat didn't mind).

All my cats have welcomed me at the door, my whole life. They stand up and put their front paws on me, like dogs.

My 13 month kitten and my ... brand new kitten ... (! !! !) .... will no doubt act like dogs too.

As for ASD, they're all on the spectrum having been raised in Chateau Linton.

I'm assuming everyone knows this book, but maybe not! It's super cute!