Once they were a byword for mindless docility. But cows have a secret mental life in which they bear grudges, nurture friendships and become excited over intellectual challenges, scientists have found.
Cows are also capable of feeling strong emotions such as pain, fear and even anxiety—they worry about the future. But if farmers provide the right conditions, they can also feel great happiness.
(Sunday Times: “The secret life of moody cows,” by Jonathan Leake [Feb 27, 2005])