Question — I've had numerous animals all my life. Awhile back, I came home from the doctor's office with an ear infection. After I got home, my cats and I went to bed, with one cat on either side of me and one at the top of the bed. They kept rotating and softly purring until I was completely relaxed.

Another time, my dogs Chubby and Bear stayed next to me all night long after I came home from a surgery. They wouldn't let anyone near me, except for my uncle and son, who were taking care of me. The dogs could sense when I wanted to get up and out of the recliner and would get help. Chubby and Bear also were caregivers when my uncle was dying of cancer. They would take turns alerting me when he would wake up.

Answer — Thanks for the vivid descriptions of your cat and dog attendant "nurses." It is remarkable how attuned animal companions can be to the suffering of their human family members. Several readers have shared similar experiences that leave no doubt about animals' ability to empathize and express loving concern, even facilitating the comfort and recovery of their loved ones. Our body language tells them we are suffering, as well as our tone of voice, our crying, and possibly even changes in our body odor and normal routines.

Dr. Fox, author of many books on animal care, welfare and rights, is a veterinarian with doctoral degrees in medicine and animal behavior. His syndicated column about animal care appears every Tuesday.