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Cat petting a feathered friend Humans, in an effort to convince ourselves that we are better than other animals, have always tried to come up with reasons why we belong in a separate and superior category.- We are capable of speech and animals are not, we said, until Koko the gorilla learned sign language. Alex the parrot too learned to communicate using human speech correctly.
Polar bear petting a dog We are capable of higher mental functions and animals are not, we said, until dolphins proved they are almost as intelligent as humans. They just lack opposable thumbs.- Cat and dog owners can affirm with certainty that their pets can process complex ideas, think for themselves, and help humans in many situations.
- We are capable of compassion and empathy in a way animals are not, we claimed. But animals prove again and again that they can establish loving friendships with animals of other species, care for them and protect them.
- We usually call a brutal person an "animal". But this is so wrong and so unfair. Humans are definitely worse than animals when it comes to cruelty against other species and against our own. Humans engage in mass murder, sadism, and depravity, while animals do not.
In the following video you will see how a cat gently pets a bird - a housemate and friend obviously - with such tenderness.
Watch two more videos. One of a polar bear petting a dog, and the other of polar bears and dogs affectionately playing together in the Arctic.
