How Pets Sense Our Endo Pain
the science (and sweetness) behind animal intuition
The Endometriosis Foundation of America recently spotlighted some incredible support animals standing strong beside their endo warriors.
And it’s true: our pets know when endo pain hits.
Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors (for reference, we only have about 6 million!), meaning they can literally smell hormonal shifts, inflammation, and stress responses like cortisol spikes.
I’ve noticed it firsthand. My cat always seems to know when I’m in the midst of a flare. She'll curl up beside me and sometimes even knead at my stomach, like she's acknowledging the pain.
As @endofound shared, dogs and cats are incredibly attuned to mood changes. When endometriosis leads to isolation, exhaustion, or emotional lows, animals often respond with a quiet, grounding presence.
Endometriosis may be invisible, but our furry companions see us, sense us, and sit with us through it all.
