While most of the art I make is pretty serious, I get a good giggle out of silly art now and then – especially when that silly art can just maaaaaybe help us learn a little about our own emotions along the way.

Download the feeling wheel for cats or the feeling wheel for dogs.

Back in 2020, I created a fun little emotion wheel called the “Feelings Wheel for Dogs” and the internet loved it. Although I was asked regularly for a “Feelings Wheel for Cats” follow-up, it took me until this spring to create the feline equivalent.

These illustrations – which at first glance are just for fun – can be a playful way to prompt conversations about emotions. In fact, I’ve heard from several therapists with therapy dogs that their office’s copy of the feelings wheel for dogs is a common conversational bridge into deeper conversations about feelings.

Pet’s Emotions as a Mirror for our Own

When I post these wheels on Instagram, many of the comments are the same! Many commentators usually say something like:

“Am I a dog/cat?”

“Same”

or “I’m definitely zoomie/loaf/bork”

These silly little responses actually betray the sneaky purposefulness behind the feelings wheels for pets: Sometimes processing our emotions through a pet or a silly pet-associated phrase can be a lot less scary than naming aloud “I have an overwhelming amount of energy,” “I’m so tired I want to curl into a ball,” or “I have a lot to say but I think my voice sounds funny.”

It’s ok to use these silly drawings as simply a lighthearted way to enjoy pet ownership, but they can also help us talk about emotions in a way that feels less direct and more approachable.

Actual Practical Benefits of Pet Feelings Wheels

Here’s my big secret about my silly doodles that sit on the edge of ridiculousness: all play is learning! Although these pet feeling wheel illustrations are designed for fun, they offer several real benefits:

1. Educational Tool for Kids: For children, understanding emotions can be challenging. The feelings wheels provide a visual and relatable way for kids to learn about emotions through the behaviors of pets they love.
2. Practicing Emotional Vocabulary: As described above, talking about feelings in the context of our pets can help us develop the language to describe our own emotions.
3. Soft, Silly Communication: Using these wheels as a tool in conversations can diffuse tension and make it easier to discuss uncomfortable topics. For example, saying “today I’m ‘hiss’” can be a light-hearted way to express irritability without escalating into a serious confrontation.
4. Enhanced Pet Awareness: Living in harmony with pets requires being able to read their emotions. This can be really hard for kids, who are just learning to understand their own emotions! For kids, the pet feelings wheels can be useful tools to teach about signs of distress or happiness in pets.

We can use feelings wheels directly or indirectly to help us work with emotion. Direct feeling wheels, like my Emotion Sensation Wheel, Emotion Behavior Wheel, and my Fight, Flight, Freeze Feeling Wheel can be therapeutic tools, while the Feeling Wheel for dogs and the Feeling Wheel for Cats are a silly and indirect approach to talking about emotions.

Whether you’re a dog-loving SEL teacher, a cat-obsessed therapist, or just someone who appreciates a pet and a good laugh, these feelings wheels pillows, posters, and magnets are a fun addition to your home, fridge, or office.

Feeling Wheel Products