Phantom Felines And Other Ghostly Animals - Gerina Dunwich 2006

Animal Hauntings vs. Human Hauntings
Understanding Paranormal Animals

As a paranormal investigator who specializes in animal apparitions and hauntings, two of the questions I’m frequently asked are: What are the symptoms of an animal haunting (as opposed to a human haunting) and how can you determine whether an unseen ghost or spirit is one belonging to an animal or a human?

In response to these questions, a typical animal haunting can produce one or more of the following symptoms:

· Cold spots, which indicate the absorption of heat energy by an earthbound spirit, can sometimes be felt at a location where an animal has died or been killed. Many ghost hunters employ infrared thermal scanners to detect cold spots, which can range from twenty-five degrees to sixty degrees colder than the surrounding air temperature. This type of phenomena is also experienced in buildings and places haunted by human ghosts.

· Animal sounds, such as meowing, barking, growling, hissing, chirping, scratching, and the fluttering of wings, or the pitter-patter of paws when no animals are present. It is also possible for these types of sounds to be picked up on magnetic recording tapes. Typically, EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) animal sounds are inaudible during recording but are heard when the tape is played back.

· The sounds of things crashing to the floor or shattering are common in hauntings. Almost always, upon investigation, nothing in the house is found to have been disturbed.

· Doors that are pushed open on their own can indicate the presence of an animal ghost or spirit, although this phenomenon frequently occurs in human hauntings as well. However, if the turning of doorknobs or the closing of doors is observed, this almost always indicates a human, and not an animal, haunting. (Unless, of course, the animal possessed in life a rare, but not unheard of, talent for turning knobs or closing doors.)

· The unexplained disappearance of small items and their equally inexplicable reappearance, often in unusual locations. Although this type of phenomena can also occur in human hauntings, it is often attributed to phantom cats and dogs, especially if the animal, during its life, had the habit of making off with small objects and hiding them.

· The physical sensation of an animal pawing, licking, or nipping your skin; rubbing against your leg; running or flying past you; jumping up on the bed; and so forth. Other sensations can include the feeling of being followed or watched when no one else is around.

· The appearance of orbs with long contrails can be an indication of paranormal activity. Appearing as round or diffuse luminaries that defy gravity and rapidly change direction, orbs are believed by many paranormal researchers to be a form of energy of unknown origin. These anomalies are not normally visible to the naked eye, although ghost lights (which are similar to orbs in their shape in behavior) are. Orbs can, however, be viewed through infrared monitors and even captured on photographic film. (It is rare to capture a true ghost orb on film, and, despite the claims of many amateur ghost hunters, the majority of “orbs” appearing in pictures taken by modern digital cameras are nothing more than airborne dust particles reflecting the light from the flash. Rain droplets, snow, pollen, flying insects, and other things not of a paranormal origin can also be mistaken as ghost orbs.)

· Smells—either pleasant or unpleasant—that are associated with animals are common. This can include the distinctive odor of pet food, excrement, catnip, a leather collar, or even a rubber chew toy.

· Lights and electrical appliances are often affected by ghosts of both the animal and human variety, and it is not uncommon for them to turn on and off by themselves and, in some cases, even short out. The reason for this, many paranormal researchers believe, is because ghosts are made up of electromagnetic and electrostatic energy.

· Visible apparitions are probably the less common of all the haunting symptoms. But when they do manifest, they may appear to the eyewitness as being real and corporeal with definable form and features. Or they may instead take on a luminous, transparent, or wispy appearance. Apparitions have been observed moving through walls, closed doors, and solid objects. And contrary to popular belief, they can also cast shadows and be reflected in mirrors. It seems to be the nature of most apparitions to appear and disappear suddenly, while some just fade away as though evaporating into the ethers. In addition to apparitions, shadows in animal shapes have also been observed and are usually seen out of the corner of one’s eye.

There are also a number of signs that definitely point to a haunting that is human, and not animal, in nature. These include the following:

· The materialization of human apparitions and human-shaped shadows and shapes.

· The sound of a disembodied human voice whispering, crying, singing, laughing, calling one’s name, etc. The sound of ghostly music and human footsteps are also sometimes heard.

· The smell of perfume, cologne, or after-shave lotion.

· Objects that are thrown across the room or the moving around of furniture by unseen forces.

Sometimes animal and human ghosts or spirits will coexist within a particular dwelling or location. When this happens, symptoms of either, or both, types of hauntings may be experienced. The apparition of a horse-drawn carriage and its coachman is but one example of a paranormal animal/human coexistence.

There are, of course, times when it is difficult or even impossible for one (including a well-seasoned ghost hunter) to determine whether a ghost or spirit is of animal or human origin. For example, if it is unknown who or what died in a particular house and a person there merely senses that he or she is being watched when alone or hears the sound of a creaking door, it would be next to impossible to know with any amount of certainty if an animal or human spirit was at work. In such cases, the services of a reputable psychic or spiritualist medium can sometimes prove to be beneficial.

It is not uncommon for some paranormal researchers to work side by side with psychics. However, many prefer to take a strictly scientific approach when investigating ghostly phenomena and anomalies.