11 Signs You’ve Met Your Soul Pet That Was Destined To Be Your Companion In Life
In many cases, your pet is more than just an animal, but a part of your family and the best love you can ever have.
Gerain0812 / Shutterstock Pets are so much more than an animal that you've adopted and brought into your home. They end up becoming part of your family and an extension of you. They bring so much light, love, and compassion into anyone's life because they end up being our closest confidant, best friend, and healer.
Sometimes, it can be hard to wrap your head around the fact that your pet has seemingly come into your life with such a purpose that it almost feels like fate. But how do you know that you've met the one?
Here are 11 signs you've met your soul pet that was destined to be your companion for life
1. There's an instant connection
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When you meet your soul pet, it's as if the universe has pulled some strings to bring you together. From that very first meeting, whether it's at a shelter or a foster home, you automatically feel this pull toward the animal, as if the universe is whispering in your ear that you need them.
According to NIH Health, interacting and having a deep bond with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood.
So, when you end up experiencing that instant connection with your furry friend, not only are you creating an emotional bond, but you're also experiencing results that can help your overall well-being. This deep connection can allow you to grow alongside your pet and face whatever the future holds.
2. You feel a sense of peace
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According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, research has shown that simply petting a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol, while the social interaction between people and their dogs actually increases levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin (the same hormone that bonds mothers to babies). One of the most powerful signs that you've met the pet you're supposed to have is being able to feel that sense of peace and calm when you're around them and petting them.
It doesn't feel uncomfortable or forced, but as if you've met this animal before and have known them for your entire life. Over time, that shared peace ends up becoming such a valuable and compassionate trait between a pet and its owner.
3. They teach you valuable life lessons
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Not only is your soul pet a source of comfort and companionship, but they also can teach you things about yourself that you may not have known before adopting them. They don't even have to say a word but by having a pet and loving them, you can end up learning more about how they interact with the world and how valuable that can be to start doing the same.
Dr. Barton Goldsmith, a leading expert on relationships, communication, and personal growth, explained that our fur babies give us both unconditional love and few lessons that we sometimes need to learn.
"Our pets have given us more than I can express. Life is just better with our animals in it. I have outlived too many pets, and the loss is always a heartbreak. But I get to love them while they are here and will never forget what they’ve taught me," he said.
4. You feel energized around them
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A significant sign that you've met your soul pet is the fact that no matter how long you're interacting with and playing with them, you never feel tired. Instead, you feel incredibly energized, as if they're transmitting some of their positive energy onto you. It almost feels as if their spirit is contagious and you simply can't get enough of them.
In fact, according to Independence Health System, our furry friends can inspire us to get up and move. Animals can help boost our immune system and increase our energy by playing, laughing, and exercising with them.
5. You feel a deep purpose with them in your life
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One of the most profound signs that you've met your soul pet is feeling a deep sense of purpose now that you've adopted them into your home. Having a fur baby instills the belief that life is no longer about you anymore. It's almost the same feeling that new parents get once they welcome a new life into this world.
"Pets can provide a really powerful sense of purpose," Megan Mueller, an expert in the psychology of human-animal relationships, said. "There’s the routine of caring for a pet and the responsibility of caring for another living creature that can really provide this driving force for getting out of bed in the morning. That applies to all people, and we really have to think broadly about how to support people being able to successfully have companion animals no matter what the circumstance."
6. You had an unlikely meeting
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Sometimes the bond that you have with your pet seemingly transcends time and space, as if you've known this little animal in another life. In many cases, people who weren't planning on getting a pet but somehow ended up with a furry friend can feel as if it was meant to be.
Maybe you were just browsing a shelter website for fun, or as you were coming home one day, you noticed a cat/dog looking lost and decided to take him/her in, not knowing that you would become their forever home. Whatever the case may be, don't think for a second that the unlikely meeting of your pet was a coincidence, as it was the universe's way of telling you that you needed your fur baby in your life.
7. It feels like you can communicate telepathically with your pet
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"Animals are enriching for both our body and soul. As animal lovers, we know and experience animals as sentient and intuitive beings who have the means to communicate with us in many ways. Most people are finely attuned to the body language the animal they love expresses, some are also connecting with and feeling their animal’s emotions, whether consciously or unconsciously," Pea Horsley, an animal communication expert, said.
There might be moments when you feel as if you and your pet are able to communicate with ease. You're able to understand each other's feelings and thoughts, and maybe if you're sad, your pet will come cuddle with you or you can easily tell when your pet is feeling off.
8. You're comfortable being in silence with them
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Some furry friends need to be constantly playing and stimulated, but if you can simply sit with your pet in silence and they feel comfortable around you to just be present without needing constant interaction, that's a sign of the powerful connection both of you have with each other. If your pet feels at peace with you and can just sit in your lap while you're working, watching TV, or just relaxing it shows how deep your bond truly goes.
Just like how sitting in silence with humans in your life can be a sign that you're more than comfortable around each other, the same can be said for being in a room with your pet and them finding serenity by just cuddling under your arm.
9. You feel complete
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You might have felt as if something was missing before you ended up meeting your fur baby. Now that they're in your life, you may feel complete along with this undeniable emotion that you and your pet are a perfect match. This sense of completeness is a strong sign that you've met your soul pet.
Their unwavering affection and love have managed to fit perfectly into your life and you can't imagine not having them around anymore. A bond like that may come once in a lifetime, and it's truly phenomenal if you've managed to find it within your pet.
10. Everything is more meaningful with your pet there
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Whether it's taking them on a walk or packing them into the car for a road trip/vacation, any moment that you share with your pet is incredibly special and meaningful. You don't take any of these small moments for granted and if you feel as if life just seems better with them in it, then that's a strong indication you're with your life companion.
Any adventure feels like a new memory that you get to create with your pet, and there's something incredibly special about being able to experience that level of joy with your fur baby.
11. They inspire you creatively
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One of the most unique ways that shows you've met your soul pet is that you feel instantly creative in their presence. Whether you're an artist, singer, dancer, writer, or just someone who enjoys creative expression, your soul pet has a way of being able to unlock new ideas and projects that fuel inspiration and passion.
In many cases, that creative spark comes from the deep bond that you have with your pet, and the more time you spend with them, the deeper that connection gets, and the easier it is to unlock all of those creative ideas that may have previously been buried.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.