The Anxious Cat: The Case of Q

Everybody who has had pets knows that they all have unique personalities, fears, and desires, and in some cases, they can experience emotions such as shame, guilt, playfulness, and anxiety.

I have been living with a cat for some time now. During this period, I have learned to understand him beyond his normal behavior; I can recognize when he is anxious.

In Lacanian psychoanalysis, anxiety arises from the delicate and ever-shifting interplay between three fundamental registers of human psyche: the Imaginary, the Symbolic, and the Real. The inherent tension and potential for disruption within their interconnectedness generate anxiety. Here's a brief breakdown:

The Imaginary: This realm encompasses identification, the ego, and the formation of the self through specular images and identifications with others. It is where we develop a sense of bodily unity and coherence, primarily during the mirror stage, when an infant recognizes themselves in the mirror. This sense of self, however, is based on an image—an illusion of wholeness that masks an underlying fragmentation. The Imaginary is characterized by méconnaissance (misrecognition), where we misinterpret ourselves in the image we project. It is not just our perception of ourselves and our bodies but also the process of identification and the resulting inherently unstable sense of self.

The Symbolic: This is the domain of language, law, social structures, and cultural norms. It represents the realm of the "Big Other," the symbolic order that precedes and structures the individual's entry into the social world. The Big Other is not merely parents, society, or religion but rather the structure of language itself and the network of social and cultural conventions that govern meaning. Through language, we attempt to symbolize our experiences, give them meaning, and integrate them into our understanding of the world. However, the Symbolic is inherently limited; it can never fully capture the Real.

The Real: This is the realm beyond symbolization (word or image)—the traumatic, the impossible, the kernel that resists integration into the Symbolic order. It represents the limit point of symbolization, where language fails. The Real encompasses traumatic events, the experience of jouissance (a kind of intense, often disruptive pleasure), and the fundamental lack that constitutes human existence. It is the unrepresentable core underlying all experience. The Real is not directly experienced in its purity but rather intrudes upon our experience, disrupting the stability of the Imaginary and the Symbolic.

These realms usually remain in balance (Fig.1), but they are not fixed; they adapt to different situations. Broadly speaking, anxiety can manifest in two primary ways:

1. When the Imaginary immerses into the Symbolic, partially excluding the Real: The subject becomes overly absorbed in thoughts and ideas. An "overloaded Symbolic" leads to an immersion of the Imaginary into the symbolic and to an increase in the inhibition/guilt zone, resulting in a rise in symptoms related to a neurotic episode. Since this process is primarily driven by language, anxiety does not emerge immediately; rather, it appears as a secondary effect, compelling the individual to take action and restore the Imaginary to its original safe position, maintaining a distance from the Symbolic. These episodes often lead to alienation from reality, creating tension and inner conflicts related to prohibitions or guilt inherited from the "Great Other" narrative (Fig. 2).

2. When the Imaginary immerses into the Real, partially excluding the Symbolic: The subject becomes overwhelmed by emotions and experiences directly related to the surrounding reality, which are difficult to process or articulate. A "diminished Symbolic" creates a gap or void in the symbolic structure, leading to a reduction in inhibition and an increase in anxiety. To compensate, the individual may develop symptoms to alleviate the suffering caused by anxiety without the mediation of social or moral inhibitions, repositioning the Imaginary at a safe distance from the Real. This often results in confusion and distress, resembling a mild psychotic episode or an acute stress response (Fig. 3).

These episodes are typically temporary, resolving as the psyche re-establishes balance, as prolonged periods of anxiety are difficult for the subject to endure. It is important to note that psychosis exists on a spectrum, with varying degrees of severity. While mild psychotic episodes are transient and manageable, more severe episodes can persist over time and may include hallucinations or delusions, as seen in conditions such as schizophrenia. These experiences are not necessarily indicative of a permanent illness, but they could serve as a warning sign requiring attention if they occur too frequently.

Expanding Lacan's Psyche to Animals

Lacan's work centers on the unique role of symbolic language in shaping human subjectivity. He argued that it is through language, the Symbolic order, that humans are constituted as subjects, entering into a world of meaning and social relations. Humans engage in displacement and condensation (as described by Freud), or metaphor and metonymy—complex linguistic operations tied to the structure of language itself. While animals may exhibit behaviors that superficially resemble these processes (such as birds collecting bright objects to attract a mate), these behaviors are typically explained through evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology and are not considered symbolic in the Lacanian sense. The Lacanian description of the psyche has traditionally been primarily concerned with the human experience.

However, I propose that this perspective can be expanded—not simply applied—to include animals. I argue that animal communication, while distinct from human language, can exhibit elements that function analogously to the Symbolic, particularly in social species like dogs and cats. I use the term 'proto-Symbolic' to describe this realm in animals, distinguishing it from the fully developed Symbolic order in humans. This 'proto-Symbolic' realm consists of sounds, gestures, and signals with specific meanings within their social groups, along with the social rules and hierarchies of their packs or social structures—which, in the case of domesticated animals, includes humans. This interpretation departs from Lacan's original definition, which applies solely to humans and is intrinsically linked to language.

My rationale for this expansion is to explore the pre-linguistic foundations of symbolic processes and to offer new insights into animal behavior, particularly concerning anxiety and self-perception. I suggest that certain animal behaviors, especially in domesticated species interacting with humans, resemble a stage close to the pre-mirror stage in humans—a stage where identification and the anticipation of symbolic exchange are beginning to emerge.

For example, comparing two familiar companions:

• Dogs and Human Interaction: Dogs have demonstrably adapted to living alongside humans, and they can learn to associate certain sounds or gestures with specific actions or outcomes. While traditional behavioral science explains this through association and conditioning, I argue that it involves a more complex cognitive process within the 'proto-Symbolic' realm. Dogs interpret their owner’s moods, word meanings, intensity, intention, and expectations, revealing a deeper cognitive structure than mere conditioning. A dog may exhibit behaviors that humans interpret as 'guilt' or 'submission.' In my view, these responses reflect a nascent form of symbolic understanding related to social hierarchies and anticipated consequences within the human-dog pack. While this is not the fully developed guilt experienced by a human subject within the Symbolic order that could extend for years, it represents an emotional response arising from their perceived position within the social structure. These behaviors could be seen as attempts to address implicit questions within their limited understanding, such as: What should be done for the pack? What was the mistake? What did I do wrong?

• Cats and Independent Behavior: Cats, often perceived as more independent, exhibit a different range of behaviors. Their communication relies heavily on vocalizations, body language, and scent marking, which serve specific functions within their social structure and environment. These signals can be interpreted as signifiers within their 'proto-Symbolic' realm, conveying messages related to territory, friendliness, or specific situations. I propose that cats operate within a less elaborated 'proto-Symbolic' realm compared to dogs, reflecting their more solitary or less hierarchically structured social lives. Their perceived "independence" reflects this less complex proto-symbolic engagement, which non-Lacanians animal behaviour experts might attribute to distinct behavioral adaptations.

Although cats may not display guilt in the same way as dogs, their actions—hissing, purring, scratching, or meowing—express their emotional states within their proto-symbolic system. Their independence and behavioral simplicity make them fascinating subjects for exploring how creatures manage their environments and social interactions with a less developed form of symbolic communication.

Lacan himself did not engage with the study of animals and explicitly cautioned against applying human psychoanalysis to them. He argued that the Symbolic order, central to his theories, is inherently human due to its reliance on language. However, this theoretical bridge has never been fully explored, and I believe that adapting Lacanian concepts—by introducing the concept of the 'proto-Symbolic'—can offer innovative insights into animal cognitive and emotional lives. By analyzing animal behavior through this expanded framework, we may uncover new dimensions of subjectivity and interaction, challenging the boundaries of psychoanalytic thought while respecting the uniqueness of both human and animal experiences.

The Case of Q

Q was a street cat, a survivor of the city, with a personality shaped by his challenging past. He was picked up from the streets when he was two years old. He harbors an intense fear of loud and sudden noises, such as doorbells and vacuum cleaners. He hisses when he sees a broom or when large boxes are moved. When he is hungry (or unhappy with the food), he paces around me, purring and salivating excessively, jumps on my side, and purrs while firmly moving his tail—clearly evidencing his inner anxious state. These fears and anxieties likely stem from traumatic encounters and extended periods of hunger during his time on the streets. Q's reactions are immediate and visceral; when the triggers are present, he instinctively seeks refuge, hiding under furniture or in corners. When hunger strikes, he becomes noticeably anxious.

While we can never fully know what an animal "thinks," I attempt to understand Q's behavior through the lens of my expanded Lacanian framework, which introduces the concept of the proto-Symbolic. I interpret his behavior as follows: When Q experiences intense hunger, this physiological need becomes a disruptive intrusion of the Real— a raw, unassimilable experience that overwhelms his proto-Symbolic capacity. This suggests that his proto-Symbolic resources are insufficient to fully process and integrate the intensity of the need, creating a state of heightened anxiety and distress, analogous to the destabilization seen in human psychotic episodes (Fig. 3).

Q's experience can thus be understood as a disruption in the interplay between the Real and the proto-Imaginary, where the lack of adequate proto-Symbolic resources limits his ability to mediate the overwhelming presence of the Real. This deficit mirrors, in a limited sense, the Lacanian concept of foreclosure—not in the strict human psychoanalytic sense, but as a failure in the proto-Symbolic structure to sufficiently process and mediate the intrusion of the Real. This absence of symbolic mediation results in an acute experience of anxiety and distress. In this context, the "void of information" can be conceptualized as a "proto-symbolic deficit", an inability to construct a stable proto-narrative to contain and regulate overwhelming stimuli (Fig. 4).

This imbalance arises because Q's needs encounter limitations within his proto-Symbolic capacity for representation, manifesting as anxiety and triggering regulatory behaviors to manage his distress. These behaviors can be interpreted as proto-symbolic attempts to regulate the Real, mitigating its disruptive force within his experience. In Q's case, this includes:

• Developing ritualistic behaviors such as pacing continuously around me, purring, and salivating to manage his distress while seeking comfort through petting. These behaviors function as proto-symbolic strategies to elicit a response from the human within their shared symbolic environment. He anticipates that I, as part of his social structure, can resolve his anxiety.

• Extreme frustration responses, such as urinating outside the litter box when his needs remain unmet. This behavior can be seen as a breakdown of the proto-symbolic regulatory system, wherein his usual behavioral inhibitions are reduced. In this sense, it can be interpreted as a proto-symbolic form of communication—an expression of distress within their shared environment that seeks to elicit intervention.

• Purring and tail movements serve as regulatory behaviours that are expressions of his internal state—attempts to communicate his need and self-soothe. These behaviors, while not fully symbolic in the human sense, serve a regulatory and communicative function within his proto-Symbolic realm. I interpret them as proto-symptoms, analogous to human symptoms in the Lacanian sense, but arising from a more primitive interaction between the proto-Symbolic and the Real. These actions function as a form of distraction, diverting attention from the distressing intensity of the Real and re-establishing a temporary sense of balance.

Although these responses may not "protect" him from a void in the Symbolic in the strict Lacanian sense—since such a void does not exist in the proto-Symbolic realm in the same way as in humans—his behaviors suggest an attempt to manage the overwhelming force of the Real through repetitive and ritualistic actions.

Although some may disagree, I argue that the comforting purring sound of cats, along with the strong tail movements, can be understood as compensatory proto-symbolic responses developed in response to confronting the Real. In most cases, this confrontation stems from hunger, but it can also arise due to perceived threats, environmental stressors, or specific desires, such as the urgent need for mating in unneutered animals or the drive to explore the outside world. These behaviors, which can resemble mild psychotic episodes in humans, represent an adaptive strategy to regulate anxiety by diverting attention toward self-soothing actions and seeking social interaction.

By expanding Lacanian concepts to include the proto-Symbolic dimension in animals, we gain deeper insights into how non-human subjects manage anxiety, communicate needs, and navigate their environments within a structured yet pre-linguistic realm of experience. This exploration challenges the traditional human-centered psychoanalytic model, opening the door to a broader understanding of subjectivity across highly intelligent and conscious species, such as our pets.

Human Parallels: Insights from Feline Behavior

While human experience is fundamentally different from animal behavior due to the complexities of language and the human Symbolic order, we can observe analogous processes in situations of extreme stress or trauma. When overwhelming events occur, the capacity for symbolic processing can be significantly disrupted. In such instances, the activation of our limbic primitive brain system can lead to responses that share similarities with the regulatory behaviors observed in animals, such as heightened anxiety, behavioral changes, and difficulties in integrating the experience. These responses, while operating within different psychic structures—mediated by the Symbolic in humans and by the proto-Symbolic and proto-Imaginary in animals—share the common goal of managing distress in the face of an overwhelming Real.

Respecting Animal Subjectivity

Observing Q's behavior, along with the growing body of research on animal cognition and behavior, leads me to believe that animals possess a form of consciousness, even if it differs from human consciousness—and, consequently, an unconscious. Since, in Lacanian terms, the unconscious is structured like a language, in the case of animals, this unconsciousness may be structured by their proto-Symbolic interactions, sensory experiences, memory and capacity for forming mental images. Just as humans can experience mental and emotional distress, it is plausible that animals can also suffer from psychological difficulties as a result of trauma, deprivation, or other adverse experiences.

This understanding carries important ethical implications. If we acknowledge that animals can experience distress and that their behavior reflects attempts to manage this distress, then we have a responsibility to treat them with compassion and respect. Just as we strive to alleviate human suffering, we should also work to minimize animal suffering and create environments that support their well-being. Recognizing the potential for psychological distress in animals allows us to move toward a more holistic and compassionate understanding of their place in the world.

Lessons from Cats

A symptom is not always a sign of illness; it can simply be a temporary reaction to a transient situation. Cats have transformed their regulatory behaviors—often perceived as analogous to "symptoms" of anxiety—into adaptive actions such as purring, tail movements, and seeking petting. These behaviors provide comfort not only to themselves but also to humans. Drawing an analogy to Lacan’s concept of the sinthome, cats have adapted their "symptoms" into something productive—behaviors that are attractive to humans. By embracing and transforming our symptoms, we can discover new ways to grow and adapt when facing psychotic or stressful episodes. This aligns with Lacan’s belief in using moments of disruption as opportunities for self-discovery.

Cats also teach us patience and the value of being present in the moment. Perhaps most importantly, they remind us that even when life feels chaotic and beyond our control, things will eventually stabilize—provided we learn to handle our symptoms by transforming them into something positive. Beyond these regulatory behaviors, Q behaves like a typical cat—he sleeps a lot and is generally easygoing.