The fear both the cat and the rooster are experiencing might rightly become the subject of a psychological description as with the hysteria of the cat and the canary mentioned above. Indispensable fear, requisite for survival, a prerequisite for avoiding life-threatening conditions. On second thought, though, who poses any real threat here? And who is really threatened? The answer hinges on our own personal formula. It all depends on whether we fear sharp objects more, such as claws and talons, or hard ones, like that beak? But this again is about us. And it was meant to be about others.
The Cannon-Bard theory of emotion is a psychological staple. According to it, we animals react to fear by the general discharge of the sympathetic nervous system, thereby preparing for either fight or flight. Jacob Victors accurately illustrated this enigmatic fight-or-flight response here. But the animals’ follow-up behaviour captured in this freeze-frame remains a mystery. Still, plenty is revealed in their gazes. To this end, just as our guided tour wraps up, let’s once again look at animal eyes. Let’s look a horse in the eye. Let’s look a cat in the eye. Let’s look a rooster in the eye. Each animal looks back and looks on.
And each feels. And feels. And feels.
