Frazz by Jef Mallett for April 22, 2020

I think that many animals laugh, especially at us.

Hyenas?

My Golden always had an incredible smile on his face. Hope to see it again when I pass on!

A pet rat will laugh if you tickle its tummy.

Cats don’t laugh but often seem to be smirking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_O8jEolL1E&feature=share

Our family dogs smiled, and I thought some fortunate dogs learned that from their families. Then I got a long-leggity dog while living without yard, fenced or otherwise, and started using our town’s amazing dog park. Dogs by the dozens of dozens, and most of them smiling; many of them laughing silently. (Laughter doesn’t always have to be vocalized.)

Have you noticed what beautiful smiles the ‘pitty’ types have? Or do you only see the teeth? Look at the rest of their expressions: they’re smiling.

“Man is the animal who laughs.” Heinlein

He prayed — it wasn’t my religion.

He ate — it wasn’t what I ate.

He spoke — it wasn’t my language.

He dressed — it wasn’t what I wore.

He took my hand — it wasn’t the color of mine.

But when he laughed — it was how I laughed.

And when he cried — it was how I cried.

Ever hear squirrels scolding? It can be directed at other squirrels, or cats on the ground after the squirrel is safely in a tree, or even at humans.

Up here in NH, there is a woodland songbird (I don’t know what species) that sounds like it is not just laughing, but laughing HYSTERICALLY…the kind of laughing where you can’t catch your breath and your stomach hurts. Makes me wonder what’s so funny…is it me? XD

Laughter is one of the older sounds spread through animals. Of course, there are even older ones: hisses, growls, and sounds that are somewhat purr-like. Good food sounds are quite common, too. So, no, humans are NOT the only animal that laughs.

AIUI, only humans cry, in the sense of shedding tears to express sadness.

I had a cat that used to trick my brother’s (not bright) cat into running into the wall. I swear she would then stand there and laugh.

Two mentions in one day, darling Gerri!!

“Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree-ee

Merry, merry king of the bush is he-ee

Laff, Kookaburra, laff, Kookaburra,

Gay your life must be!"

If you’ve loved ONE Golden Retriever, you love all of them.

A job I used to have entailed delivering interoffice mail to, among other places, the animal shelter. All through the building, and even outside in the parking lot, you could hear dogs barking, howling, baying, etc. Going through the rooms where the cats cages were, the cats made no sound, just sat in the cages with a look that seemed to say, " Someone is going to pay. There will be blood."